Youngs American ipa

[That_biker_guy]

Hi folks, I’ve just started my very first brew, as the title suggests it’s Young’s American ipa. It’s been on for about 24hrs and has started bubbling out froth from the air lock, is this normal or have I messed up somewhere????

please help
i bloody love beer.

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

Hi @That_biker_guy

There's lots on here about that kit that I've read covering very active to very inactive fermentation. I've the same kit on just now and I have the opposite concern.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/not-a-lot-happening-american-pa.92071/post-996422
From what I've read so far it would be hard to suggest if there were any issues, as long as the instructions were followed it's generally a case of wait and see

 

[BrewMeHappy]

Don't worry, that kit can be pretty active when it gets going for a day or two.

One thing I would suggest, when it has calmed down is to take the airlock out and give it a clean under a hot tap, as it can be a right pain if you wait until it has finished fermenting and half of it has dried. It won't harm the brew to leave it though.

 

[That_biker_guy]

That’s great news thanks! The foam has pushed the water out of the airlock so I assume I’m going to have to replenish that when I clean it?
This forum is awesome for info, I didn’t realise home brewing was as popular!!

 

[BrewMeHappy]

That’s great news thanks! The foam has pushed the water out of the airlock so I assume I’m going to have to replenish that when I clean it?
This forum is awesome for info, I didn’t realise home brewing was as popular!!

Yeah, take it out and give it a clean and top up with more water. As it will still be active fermenting, CO2 will be pushing out through the hole in your barrel so don't worry about air getting in. Just take it out slowly to prevent any chance of anything being sucked back into your brew.

 

[Didge]

Don't worry, this kit has a reputation for over-foaming.

For feisty brews such as this one, I tend to start it off in 4 gallons and then top up the remaining gallon when I add the dry hops 10 days later. It keeps the foam inside and keeps my Mrs happy.

Good luck with the rest of your brew, you've chosen a really tasty brew for your first attempt.
My 40 pints didn't last long at all, especially after my father-in-law tasted some.

 

[That_biker_guy]

that’s a cracking bit of advice for the future, thankfully SWMBO didn’t see the foam over before I managed to clean up so I think I got away with it this time!!!!

 

[damienair]

I had the same happen to me on my last batch. It foamed up through the airlock on the second day. I removed the airlock and rinsed it with hot water, put water in and put it back. I have bought a few new airlocks since just to have, they are around £1 each, so buy a 2 or 3 with your next kit. Couple of videos below. I might make up a blow off tube to put on for the first 3 days for some future brews and put an airlock on again once it settles down. The second video shows a simple blow off tube which goes into a jar. The tube should be secured and only go into the sanitiser solution by about 10-15 cm, not all the way to the bottom of the jar.







Hope this helps. YouTube is great.

 

[damienair]

 

[That_biker_guy]

Thanks for that, liking the idea of a blow off tube, could save a lot of cleaning up.

 

[damienair]

Thanks for that, liking the idea of a blow off tube, could save a lot of cleaning up.

No problem. I’m only getting started myself. My first brew was a simply lager kit and it was a pretty normal fermentation. My second brew was a Hefe Wheat kit with a very vigorous initial fermentation which bubbled out through the airlock. Not too much thankfully and I just threw that airlock away afterwards. I think some kits and yeasts have a much more vigorous initial fermentation for the first 3 days. A blow off tube just for the first 3 days might not be a bad idea. I’m going to try it myself. But then again airlocks are cheap really. I’m learning all the time. And there is a lot to learn. good luck with your brew. I had a few bottles of my first brew on Saturday night. It was amazing. Nothing like tasting your own beer, even if it is just a simple kit as mine was. But it tasted better than anything in a bar.