Distilling anti foam conditioner to prevent Krausen & Boilovers

[pirateagenda]

Wishing to push the volume limits of my fermenter on an upcoming brew and am worried about a krausen overflow. I am aware of fermcap-s to assist with this, but I already have some distilling anti foam conditioner on hand. Does anyone know if this does the same thing? Or has anyone used it either during the boil or fermentation to reduce foaming?

This is the stuff I have, made of food grade silicone http://www.homebrewing.org/Top-Shelf-Distilling-Conditioner_p_2645.html

 

[MHB]

The one you have can destroy any head on your beer, it's a silicone liquid and it wont breakdown.
If you use it be very careful not to get any of into the packaged beer, adds to your loss.
I think there are better options made for brewing, some of them are made for the kettle, some like Fermcap, for use in the fermenter.
The right stuff is a much better choice.
Mark

 

[clickeral]

A teaspoon of olive or canola oil helps prevent boilover, not sure about if it would affect the krausen.

 

[laxation]

I'd never heard of these before at all. With a Fermcap can you ferment pretty much as much as you can fit in the fermenter?

It'd be fantastic for my smaller one if that's how it works

 

[barls]

I'm using the 5star on in the boil atm and never have a boil over.
I've also used the foamsol (sp on the brand there) both work well and will increase your foam proteins in the final beer.

 

[pirateagenda]

The one you have can destroy any head on your beer, it's a silicone liquid and it wont breakdown.
If you use it be very careful not to get any of into the packaged beer, adds to your loss.
I think there are better options made for brewing, some of them are made for the kettle, some like Fermcap, for use in the fermenter.
The right stuff is a much better choice.
Mark

Isn't fermcap silicone based also?

 

[pirateagenda]

I'd never heard of these before at all. With a Fermcap can you ferment pretty much as much as you can fit in the fermenter?

It'd be fantastic for my smaller one if that's how it works

Apparently limits the krausen to 1/2 inch

 

[Lionman]

Rather just blow off than add some chemicals to my wort.

 

[MHB]

Isn't fermcap silicone based also?

Perhaps, but all engine oil is oil - doesn't mean that they are all interchangeable, the right choice for a Mack truck would kill a turbo Porsche, both can be perfectly good products for the job they are made for and disastrous if misapplied.

Kunze the brewing text book, made in a country where your "additive" choices are limited by law, recommends that a HefeWeizen fermenter be only half full, to accommodate the foaming. With a decent Anti-Foam that could be 90% full.

The issue with blow-off, is that there is a finite amount head building material in a wort. It concentrates in the krausen and blowing off removes it from the beer, with some yeasts there is a lot of yeast in the heads to, blowing it off reduces the amount of yeast available to finish the ferment.
You might be right in not wanting to add a chemical to your beer (even tho it doesn't stay in the beer), blowing of isn't the only option, I would just brew to suit my equipment, or get equipment to suit my brew length...

Mark

 

[n87]

If I have a brew that might overflow, I put it in my 60l fermenter. Gives plenty of headroom, just means I can't put a double batch on.

 

[Curly79]

My first yeast explosion happened today. Good times. Wyeast Scottish Ale yeast. Attempted RIS dumped onto the cake from the second runnings from the same brew. Airlock must have been clogged and when I pulled it out it exploded all over the fridge! Took a while to clean up.[emoji50]