Thoughts and experiences using fermcap s or other silicone based antifoamers?

[user 144938]

Hi,

I would like to know about your experiences using any kind of antifoam when boiling and fermenting.

I'm interested in knowing about the changes and differences in the normal process of fermentation, will it be slower? faster? the same? The head retention will really change? Flavor? how much to use?

If you have used it would you recommend it or not? real or no real differences?

Thank you for your comments.

Odinn

 

[logdrum]

I use it in my starters with excellent results.

 

[dooman333]

I am also interested in this topic. I've made a few over night starter messes in the past. I use a few drops of it in my boil but have no idea if there are any negative effects. Does it effect starter fermentation? Mess with any break material in the boil?

Thanks!

 

[matt2778]

I use infant gas drops in all my starters (same thing as fermcap but half the price and available everywhere). Great stuff, I can make a 2 liter starter in a 2 liter flask. I've never had any issues with head retention in any of my beers either.

 

[dooman333]

I use it in my starters with excellent results.

Just a few drops?

 

[tjpfeister]

"kettle defoamer", the silicone based product, has never worked for me. I have used it as much as twice the recommended rate inside both an electric keggle and erlenmeyer flasks with not noticeable change in boil-over tendency. which sucks because its one more thing to wash out of any yeast I care to reuse. :-/

My local micro uses fermcap s, but I have yet to try that product (and at this point, am unaware as to how it differs)

 

[mac21]

I have used two different versions and have had better experience with fermcap s. I don't recall the product name of the other one but I remember that it called for only one or two drops per five gallons while the fermcap directions use about the same per gallon.

 

[solbes]

I have helped a brew buddy with a massive RIS that filled his boil kettle to within 1/2" from the rim. So he added Fermcap S to control boil over. Worked perfect! I think somewhere I read that it can add some bitterness IBU's to your beer, so you may have to account for that.

I use it in every batch for fermentation. I add the recommended 2 drops per gallon (12 in 5.75-6 gallons of beer) and only leave myself 1/2-3/4 gallon headspace in my bucket. Makes sure I get a full keg and usually just a bit extra that I drink flat on bottling day. Also assures that the last beer or two becomes the yeasty one, leaving my packaged beer clearer.

Also use it in starters so I can get more starter wort in there.

The only time I've had headspace issues and plugged the airlock have been when I use WY3787 Trappist Ale. That stuff is beastly and cannot be stopped, so I just leave myself plenty of headspace. Never had any off flavors that I can recognize with fermcap S. Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

I've used Fermcap-S with great results- no more boilovers! I stopped using it when I read that it's not great to consume, and it should be filtered out of the beer. It probably is just fine, but I decided then to only use it if I really needed it. If I watch the kettle like a hawk until after the hot break, I haven't needed.

I never noticed any difference in fermentation speed, wort clarity, beer clarity, or in flavor whether I used it in a batch or not.

 

[RmikeVT]

I use fermcapS in every batch. I go for about 1 drop per gallon in the kettle. I really don't have to worry about boil-overs anymore. I also use 1 drop in my starter to keep the starter wort from boiling over all over my stove and keep the yeast tame when it hits high krausen in the flask.

I've heard about the concerns of consuming it as Yooper mentioned, but you need to consume a bunch of the stuff for it to be bad for you, and it isn't soluble in water/beer and sinks to the bottom. So, it probably settles out in the kettle trub and if it makes it into the fermenter it settles out and gets buried by yeast and is left behind in the fermenter trub.

On the other hand, I've never had much success with it in primary fermentation to prevent blow-offs.

 

[Rootski]

I just used fermcap s for the first time in a starter followed by a beer. 1 drop in a 2L starter and no problems. I added 10-12 drops in a 6 gallon boil and it made a big difference for boil overs. Do you all add more for fermentation or is the boil addition still enough to help in the fermenter?

 

[mkyl428]

I just started using it in my fermenter great results so far I haven't had a blow off since I started using it, but fermentation is still very vigorous

 

[mtnagel]

I use it in every batch and every starter. I use way less than the recommended amount and it still works great. Never noticed a difference from when I didn't use it to now when I do.

I'm not concerned with any safety issues since it settles out even if it didn't, we give it babies, so it has to be safe.

 

[KeninMN]

I brew five gallon full boil batches in a 7.5 gallon kettle, so Fermcap S is a must.

 

[winvarin]

Curious for those of you who are using it in the fermenter. Wonder if this would be a tool to actually help with head retention. Jamil Z. says the proteins used to create foam can only be used once, then they are done. So for each bubble that you get (boil, oxygenating, krausen, etc) it's one and done and that protein can never be used to generate foam again.

If this product prevents the formation of bubbles in those various stages, then precipitates out with the yeast and trub, it would make sense that all those foam-generating proteins would be available to create head in the glass on the back end. Right?

 

[tjpfeister]

For what It's worth: The head brewer of Titletown Brewing Co in Green Bay claims that the use of fermcap-s aids in head retention down the road. This claim was made during a tour where I did not want to nerd it up for everyone else, so I am afraid that I don't know his scientific reasoning behind it. I just know Dave to be a smart man and TT's beer to have good head.

My experience with kettle defoamer has been negative, but sounds like I should try fermcap once or twice.

 

[helibrewer]

I use FermCap AT as opposed to FermCap S in my starters, kettle, and fermenters. I also use it when cooking pasta

 

[user 144938]

Thank you all very much for all your answers. I never considered or read before about using defoamer on the starters, but that;s something new that I learned, thank you very much for sharing all this information!!

I have used it twice now having significant differences than without using it. When boiling is really amazing for me and my real concern was in the fermentation where I didn't had the crazy fermentation that I love going on there, and I wasn't completely sure it was done until I measured the FG two weeks after. Now I'm fermenting a Belgian pale ale but this time in a dark fermentor (I always fermented before in glass carboys) and since I can't see what is going on there I'm kind of worried about it, but as I learned a few years ago, let the fermentation happen, don't mess with the fermentation.

Thank you very much all for sharing your experiences and knowledge.

Cheers to all!

 

[logdrum]

Just a few drops?

Yes, 1-2 for 1000ml, 2-3 for 2000ml

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I use fermcap s in my starters and boils. Let's me get away with this.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1416465363.004831.jpg

Taken right before the hit break and it dropped back down into the kettle.


Sent from somewhere to someone

 

[Komocabo]

I use Fermcap-AT on starters and boil. I love the stuff