Let's talk about Foam Control drops (aka Fermcap)

FlyGuy · 03-17-2008, 09:37 PM

Foam control, or Fermcap drops are a product designed to prevent boil-overs in the brew kettle, and to prevent blow-offs in the starter/fermenter. The product will not harm head retention or produce off-flavours in the final beer.

My recent experience with this product confirms these claims. I love this stuff. It means you DON'T need a massive pot for a boil kettle (e.g., a 30 qt turkey fryer pot is more than adequate for 5 gal batches), and messy blow-offs and/or difficult-to-clean blow-off tubes are a thing of the past.

Interestingly, few people seem to use this product. Have people had mixed success, or is this stuff just still too new and not widely known about? Or are people just unconvinced about the claims and reluctant to use it? Let's see what people think.

mrkristofo · 03-17-2008, 09:41 PM

I've used it in starters before, and it does what it says it's supposed to do.

**DeathBrewer** · 03-17-2008, 09:46 PM

don't have an option for me:

from what i've heard they work great, but i've never needed them...don't plan to use them...I guess i'll go with Reinheitsgebot

**Yuri_Rage** · 03-17-2008, 09:51 PM

I always get a massive foam over with my stir plate starters, and I've been meaning to give this stuff a try.

boo boo · 03-17-2008, 10:09 PM

I have used it until the last 4 or so brews. Worked great when I did use it so no real complaints. I just wanted to go without to see if any difference would be found in the final product. And with a keggle it makes it a little harder to boil over although not impossible when not using it.

Anyhow, I still have it and will use it again, as no difference was found in my brews.

Funkenjaeger · 03-17-2008, 10:19 PM

One drop of foam control, need I say more?

It also eliminates any foam overs during yeast growth as well.

Works just as well boiling a batch - such as boiling wort with only around 2 inches of headspace in a 30qt turkey fryer pot without issue.

And, of course, it's also great during fermentation. I fermented about 6 gallons of 1.070 OG beer in my 6.5g better bottle. The wort was about halfway up the slanted/conical part at the top, leaving VERY little headspace for krausen, and yet the krausen never climbed into the airlock (though it made a valiant effort)

Not that you really NEED to push the limits this far in most cases, but it's sort of nice to know that you never have to worry if a batch unexpectedly forces you to do so.

mot · 03-17-2008, 10:44 PM

I used it on my first AG batch on sunday it worked pretty well and then went away after a while. I didnt want to use any more because I didnt know the amount that should be used.

How much of this stuff do you guys use on your boil when doing a 5 gal batch? A few drops? A whole eye dropper full?

Lonnie Mac · 03-17-2008, 10:57 PM

Personally, I will kiss the bared ass of the guy that invented foam control!

SuperiorBrew · 03-18-2008, 12:11 AM

Yea its great stuff, I use it in everything and have been for probably the last 8 or 10 batches.

Alemental · 03-18-2008, 01:07 AM

It is genuinely needed in a starter if you're boiling in an Erlenmeyer flask, as I do. Those things go off like volcano otherwise.
In a batch of beer, I will use it if needed. I did a 10 gallon batch recently, so that one was only about an inch and a half from the top of my keggle. Saved the day, I swear.

Still,
I am just a bit less enthusiastic than Lonnie up above is...