So my ale has been fermenting for about 9 hours (5 gallon carboy) and it’s been quite active. The krausen is going to touch the stopper very shortly and I think I’m going to have my first blow off. I currently have a stopper and airlock. Can anyone advise on what I should do?
I have a thick tube that I can feed into the carboy and then into a jar of sanitizer.
Yeah just figure a way to connect a hose the top of your fermenter with the other end in sanitizer. The sanitizer isn’t necessary but I always used it because I could see the bubbles better. Just make sure to have as good a seal on the carboy as you can.
If you don’t have thick enough hose, jam a length of siphon tubing onto the post of a three piece airlock and stick the end in a cup of sanitizer.
WOW, this thing is angry. First time I’ve had to use a blow off tube. I’m curious why, maybe it’s the yeast starter I made. Maybe just the fact that it’s a Surly clone.
This was my answer too.
If that ‘thick tube’ fills the carboy neck, you can jam it in and wrap with plastic wrap if needed to seal.
Is that a 5-Gallon carboy I see in the photo? If so, that won’t leave much head space with a typical 5-Gallon batch during primary fermentation.
A 6 or 6.5 G carboy would give more room for those angry fermentations - heck; even with a 6.5 G with a Hefe yeast, you’re still gonna need a blow-off tube (learned that one the hard way).
Having made a starter, you most likely have very active yeast and you don’t have much headspace in the carboy so the extra activity causes more foam. That foam has to go somewhere, the only outlet is the neck of the carboy.
It looks like you controlling the temp with a water bath and ice (in some form) which will help slowdown, but not stop, the blow off.
The picture makes me think you are doing fine. The activity will slow down in a day (or two).
Paul
What you have there is a healthy fermentation. COngratulations. 
And FTR it’s Krausen (whihc is mainly yeast) not “traub” (or trube, which is protein coagulation and hops material you get on bottom of kettle and fermentor after hot and cold break.) It’s just always good for us to use the same descriptors so we all know what everyone is talking about.
+1 on looking into using 6 gallon carboys. Also, I would recommend using a blow off hose every time until primary fermentation is complete. It’s better to be safe than to be getting yelled at the old lady as you’re scrubbing the ceiling. I actually overflowed my blowoff basin last night. That doesn’t happen often but it has before, so I learned to put it in the sink. (The bathroom in the basement doesn’t not get used to its now the fermenting room). I use a canister jar that’s about a a quart and a half that I use for my basin. Many use quart sized Mason jar.
Great job on making great yeast and having great fermentation!
Proper headspace! Something a brewer learns about pretty early on. My first experience with a blowoff was when the krausen geysered out of the carboy and was painting the guest bathroom every 15 seconds. The sound of spraying woke me up in in the wee hours. Imagine Old Faithful…
It’s a 6 gallon carboy, I was just surprised as I’ve never seen that much activity before. Thanks for the tips, and crisis averted. I sorta’ like the blowoff tube setup, the bubble sounds sound cooler vs. an airlock!
+1. There’s no real reason to not use your blowoff setup on every one of your brews. That’s what I do. Better safe than sorry.
I have a related question and note the suggestion that a blow off set up be used every time.
Have not used one and have not (yet) had a problem fermenting in 6.5 gallon glass carboys. Today I plan to brew the Golden Strong recipe from the AHA site some months ago provided the wind cooperates and I can run my boil - but I have never done a “3x” yeast recipe like this and suspect that the head space will not be sufficient to not use a blow off setup.
Should this set up be maintained from start of fermentation until kegging/bottling and/or does anyone have some sage advise on such high volume yeast recipes? -Thanks
You will only need the blowoff for the first part of fermentation. Once it begins to settled down, you can swap to an airlock. There is no harm in leaving it in the entire time.
+1. Works well.