escaping krausen!

[dedken]

Just fermenting 4 buckets and 2 demi-johns of Summer Lightning for my mate's wedding, but I'm guessing my fermenters are probably not quite big enough as the krausen is escaping from every available oriface. I'm obviouisly worried about touching the krausen and introducing an infection, so what should I do? Just leave them be? or clean up the overspill?

[floydmeddler]

Soak a clean cloth in star san and wipe down then connect a blow pipe to each vessel?

[dedken]

Don't have star san. Only one vessel has an airlock and two of the others are PB's I've utlised. Am I in trouble?

[Wolfy]

Clean up the mess with whatever sanitizer you use.
Then I'd try to contain any additional escaping yeast by using a blow-off tube, similar to the setup I used here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=41185

[chivelegs]

Blimey Ken, lucky they're in those builders buckets! What time did you finish last night? Got some Starsan if you want to pop over.

[dedken]

Thanks Tom, but not now needed. I've sorted the problem by running off a couple of litres from each PB into another demi-john. On the fermenter with the airlock I've set-up a kind of blow-off tube as per Wolfy's description but using silver foil and masking tape and fix a syphon tube into the airlock. The other fermenter, the one with only 23l in it is unsuprisingly fine. I think I've learned a few lessons there - a) don't try and squeeze 25l of wort into 26 litre vessels! b) for 50l brewlength, read 46!

Still, a success all things considered. Finished at midnight and got another 4.5 litres extra from the second batch @1.053. 9 litres extra in total with 2 and 4 points extra gravity respectfully, meaning efficiencies of 85% and 88.3%. Also, this afternoon I fixed the mash tun leak and got the second element working again.

Of course, now I've given you back Radical Brewing I have 13l of extra beer to experiment with and need to borrow it again.

[chivelegs]

Finished at midnight and got another 4.5 litres extra from the second batch @1.053. 9 litres extra in total with 2 and 4 points extra gravity respectfully, meaning efficiencies of 85% and 88.3%. Also, this afternoon I fixed the mash tun leak and got the second element working again.

Midnight! Bloody Hell, glad I baled out when I did, I'd have been hammered. Best plan for the next brewday that size is not to drink an 8.5% Belgian in the afternoon.
Glad to hear you finished and the mash tun is fixed. It's a beast of a set-up you have there and the efficiencies are pretty damn good.