Foam Control Question

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patrick c.

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Are there any problems with using siloxane foam control additives in wine? These are quite common in brewing, but I haven't found any mention of them in any wine forums. I'm planning to use a 6.5 gallon bucket for a 6 gallon batch, and was afraid I wouldn't have enough headspace (only an inch or so). I have the foam control drops and assumed there would be no problem with using it, but was curious if there was a reason no one in wine-cyberspace was talking about it. I know wine doesn't foam as much as beer, but surely someone has had an overflowing fermenter at some point. Thanks!
 
Welcome. Tell us about yourself and your wine making experience.
I don't know about using it. For wine get a larger fermenter. Or, use 2 6-gallon buckets. Or, take your chances and DO NOT snap the lid shut. Just lay the lid on it or some cheese cloth over the bucket. Unlike beer wine wants more oxygen during the primary. Once your gravity is below 1.040 you should be safe to snap the lid.
What are you making.
 
Patrick:

You are correct, wine yeasts are low foaming especially when compared to beer. I have encountered high foam very rarely with kits made by Mosti Mondiale for a company called Pebble Hill. They used low foaming EC-1118, so it must have been something else.

I like to use a large primary to prevent problems. Yes, people have had overflows in primary.

Steve
 
I went ahead and gave it a dose of the foam control. It's a Mosti AllJuice Zinfindel kit, and I'm fermenting in the bucket it came in. I've got a 20 gallon fermenter that I use for large batches of beer, but I decided I didn't want to break it out. My fermenting fridge has a lager in primary, so it's set at 50°F and I don't really have a good spot in the house for the big bucket.

It's 48 hours since I pitched the yeast, and the krausen (is that what you call it for wine?) was starting to get close to the lid. I've been stirring it back in, but I'll be gone overnight and don't want any nasty suprises when I get home.
 
Just lay the lid on top and you should be OK. Don't snap it closed.
 

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