Anti Foam Agent

[FullySilenced]

http://www.cheaphottubchemicals.com/Pag ... foamer.htm This type of simethicone defoamer will work also...

[Mash]

Never meant to imply that anti foam not ever required, but I have never needed it.

Presumably this is a protein foam that is generated .. sooooo.. is the wash prepared with or without a final boil ?

[chill]

As I am not making beer, I never boil my wash. Mash and pitch!

[Easydrinker]

Welcome mashy,firstly what is this strange final boil that you speak of,I'm guessing something from a long time beer brewer? I have never taken a brew to an actual boil.
With distillation,you go beyond where a brewer might,and guidelines change.
A distiller is seeking a mash or ferment of alcohol that can be distilled,to bring in or leave out certain flavours.Little thought of microbes.
It is quite a game.
I have never used an anti-foam agent.
I have always used boil pieces.
Originally I used ceramic Rashig rings,I quickly moved on to short lengths,1-3cm of copper pipe.
A clean settled wash certainly helps,but on occasion I run a real pea souper without problems.
My own theory is that anything bouncing around on the floor of your stills' boiler will help prevent boil-overs,and I expect copper ones to improve the product.
But that is my opinion,so take it with a pinch of salt.
If you stay around,as I hope that you will,you will discover that there are various opinions here from certain posters,like myself,which may help you.
Or you may help us,that's the way this cookie crumbles.

Robert.

[RumJohn]

I have never had a boil over and have never used an agent to prevent same. I would look into why there is a boil over and work from that end. I cant believe all the additives people use. Maybe they have something to do with why there is a boil over and maybe why carbon filtering is necessary. Carbon filtering is something else I don't use.

[Admiral Toad]

Never had a sugar type wash foam or puke but grain washes can and do I guess that's why low wine stills in distilleries have viewing glasses in the necks of the stills
I just listen at the end of the condenser for bubbling noises and lower power to suit
I do put a small knob of butter in the wash to lessen the foaming as well

[Mash]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

"long time beer brewer" Wine and beer is where I started. I have also been distiller for some time.

Foam in AG wash might be explainable...

Protein is a foam producer. All firefighting agencies have and probably still do use protein foams (in addition to AFFF).

Boiling a beer mash is accepted to coagulate proteins.
If I put them together IMO we might have a cause for foam over?
No boil means the proteins are intact and heightens the chance of a foam over?

Sugar is a carbohydrate so sugar wash would not do it - which seems to be the case.

I always boil for 15mins and don't get pukes....? BUT and heres the rub boiling is said to destroy the enzymes which are attributed to give whiskey its subtle flavours?

[Admiral Toad]

Not sure about all that science
remember when making a wash to ferment for our purposes from all grain we only mash cool aerate then pitch the Yeast and don't bother with the boiling part as in beer making
we also generally aim for a higher ABV than normal beer
the boiling occurs when the fermented out wash or ale is put in the boiler for distillation