Blow Offs

[Qs]

Interesting thread - I was wondering why I never had a blow off with beer (have done with cider). Have reached the conclusion that its my fermenter size. I use a 33 liter fermenter with 25 liter batches.

Also I've seen recently that if you overpitch you get much smaller krausen and a faster ferment.

I've over and under pitched at different times and always had a big krausen. For instance I started this thread because I had 2 blow offs at the same time. One with a packet of M44 pitched into about 18L of 1.056 and the other beer was a straight pitch of WLP001 into 25L of 1.053. I'd call that second one a definite under pitch but the first one about right. The 001 took off straight away where as there was about a days lag on the M44. Other times I've done big starters that would certainly be over pitched and had the same results. So in my process I don't think its the pitch rate.

I think fermenter shape probably matters too, I reckon in a bucket it happens less than FVs that taper in to a small opening.

I'd say this problem has happened more often since I got my fridge and STC so thats definitely the first thing I'm going to look at.

[Leann ull]

It's very hard to over pitch yeast and the problems associated with an over pitch are dwarfed by those from an underpitch.
Blow offs are usually yeast dependant with Irish Ale every time and 800 lager series not at all.
So give yourself plenty of headspace if you are gonna go wth something virulent and enjoy the ride

Dry hop after a week to restore any perceived loss of aroma hops