Blow off tube for plastic bucket?

[The Beast]

I brewed an extract Belgian Trippel on 1/20, when I woke up the next morning it was bubbling away and continued for the next few days , today (1/23) i went to check on it and it had foamed up and out htrough the airlock. The temp was about 70 the first few days, I think it was about 73 today when I checked. I am fermenting in a 7.5 gal bucket and have brewed about 13 batches and only had this happen one other time (which was the first time I used a new bucket that I got, I thought it was because the bucket was shorter and wider, but I guess not) This is also the first batch I used a yeast starter on (again I do not think this was the problem). Any suggestions why it happened? What I can do to eliminate it in the future? certain beer styles/ yeast that seem to do this more often?
Thanks for the help!!!
The Beast

Here we go STEELERS, here we go!

[Danno]

It sounds like you had a great fermentation. Setup a blow-off tube and sit back and relax.

With most lagers and ales, I could tell you to lower your fermentation temp but with a Belgian, that could be just where you want it. Some Belgian yeasts get mroe interesting at high temps up into the 80's. Others, like Wyeast 1214 are much better cooler so there's no rule of thumb here.

[Brewcaster J]

I agree with the blowoff tube. I had an airlock blow off my carboy the first time I used a starter too. I don't even know how long it was open by the time I found it in the morning...but the airlock was on the other side of the room! Beer turned out fine though.

Since changing to a blowoff tube I have not had a problem. I use a carboy/ carboy hood/ and blowoff tube connected, so can't tell you how best to do it with a bucket.

[linuxelf]

I generally use one of those big blowoff tubes, where the OD is about the same as th ID of the carboy. As soon as the threat of blowoff is over, then I switch to the hood. I'm just concerned about the blowoff getting clogged, and the hood not allowing the pressure to go anywhere.

There's a bunch of headspace in a bucket, though, and have never had a fermentation get high enough to fill it.

[Lufah]

This will work with a 3 piece air lock and 3/8 tubing. Cut the bottom off the airlock so you have one opening. Then push the tubing over the center post of the airlock. You now have a blowoff tube the will fit a bucket.....





Travis

[linuxelf]

I have just had no luck at all getting those stoppers to stay in my carboys. I can push them in and in 5 minutes, they're back out again. That's why I switched to the hoods. I think it's because StarSan is so slippery.

[The Beast]

Thanks alot for all the help! Lufah, I think your idea will work the best for me at this point.
The Beast

[yinzer]

Thanks alot for all the help! Lufah, I think your idea will work the best for me at this point.
The Beast

I think Lufah is using a universal bung. They are better with the starsan issue. You can flame any stopper real quick to dry them out, that helps. I just wrap tin foil around it till it wants to cooperate.



Here's my hi-tech thingy. Custom drilled stopper with a custom parabolic bend in the copper tube. YOU MUST point the bend towards the equator.


But without a good bit of head space you're asking for trouble.


[edit note: after linuxelf post I added universal stooper pic and clarified that you could flame any stopper]