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Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:50 am
by joechianti
Well, I had seen several posts awhile back about using Fermcap to prevent blowouts in the fermenter. Since I started using harvested yeast, probably using a little too much I might add, I've had some healthy blowouts in the LBK. I was about to order some Fermcap when I remembered that those old Beer Machine kits some of us bought last year came with "de-foaming" disks. I did a little research and it seems they're soaked with Fermcap or an equivalent. Since I never throw anything away, I still had some. Just started a new batch with plenty of harvested yeast, so I threw one of those in there to see how well it works. Will try to follow up and report how it goes, in case anyone else still has them and might like to use them, too.
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:52 am
by Gymrat
Do some research on that stuff. It has been associated with some health issues.
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:31 am
by Brewbirds
Does the Irish moss/Whirfloc not do the same thing but without the health risks?
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:35 am
by Beer-lord
No, Fermcap is used to control the foam and head as the beer ferments. It does nothing to clear the beer.
I've used it sparingly when making a yeast starter in my flasks to prevent boilovers and it works well. A little goes a long way.
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:55 am
by joechianti
Hmmmm. I wonder if it also has a negative effect on the head on a glass of beer poured at the end of the conditioning time.
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:56 am
by Gymrat
Here is a thread where it was discussed on the AHA forum. It doesn't look like a BIG threat but I do think it is something a person using it should be aware of.
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/f ... #msg151703
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:53 pm
by russki
I use Fermcap in all my beers; it's magic stuff! I know some people have concerns about ingesting trace amounts of it left in the finished beer, but it really is the same chemical that Gas-X is made from, as well as infant gas drops - simethicone. If I can give it to my 4-month old, I can put it in my beer!
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:32 pm
by joechianti
Thanks for the heads up, Roger. I'll keep that in mind and try to use it sparingly. The main reason I considered it was because I fill the LBK up so full. I go to the top of the little "arches" above the "Q", leaving very little headspace. That, combined with pitching more generous amounts of yeast than I used to, has created the little issue with overflow lately. I hope this solves the problem without killing off my liver. But then, if many years of 100 proof whiskey didn't do it in, it's probably tough enough to handle most anything. 
Re: Using Fermcap, sort of.
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:51 pm
by haerbob3
let us not forget that the leading cause of death in the world is............................
LIFE
