I am making my first "original recipe " beer. I've used proven recipes until now. This time I took what I learned and changed things up to create my own. Problem is that now that it's in the fermenter for the second day the top is bulged out like it's ready to explode and a steady stream of foam is coming out of the air lock. Am I creating a high ABV beer or am I creating a monster?
1 Answer
It's impossible to know what you're creating when you did not tell us about any of:
- the recipe
- extract or all grain; mash temperature
- gravity readings
- what size/volume fermentor; bucket or carboy
- yeast
- fermentation temperature
As for the fermentor: it's great (!) that there is foam coming out the airlock since that means it won't explode. But the fact that the fermentor (I'm assuming and damn sure hope you're talking about a plastic bucket) is bulging at all is scary. Please open the lid to relieve the pressure. Open the side away from you, and be prepared for a bit of a mess.
Research "blow off tube" for ways to deal with that problem in the future … although if you're fermenting reasonable-gravity, 5gl beers in a homebrew-standard 6gl bucket, you really shouldn't have much in the way of blow-off issues.
Post more detail about your recipe, &c., if you want proper feedback on what might have happened.
