Stopping foam in the mash is a challenge that many distillers face. Especially often it occurs among those who are just starting to master this field and quite recently (we recommend choosing a device with a brand distillation column). Indeed, with active fermentation, there is an intensive formation of carbon dioxide, which leads to foaming.
It may be necessary to knock down the foam in the mash so that the liquid does not splash out, since this will have to be washed, and the smell is appropriate, and the product is lost.
Not to be confused with jam: if you start mixing the mash, it will only lead to even more foaming! This method will not help to remove foam from the mash, since stirring activates fermentation, which only aggravates the situation.
Sometimes the mash is placed immediately in the distillation cube, then you need to be especially careful to ensure that the foam does not “escape”, since the unwashed remains of the mash on the walls and the bottom will start to burn on the outside. If you want and plan to put the mash directly in the distillation cube, then foresee a slightly larger volume in advance to avoid splashing.
How to extinguish foam in Braga
There are several proven ways to help cope with the brew "volcano":
- Spillage Prevention - Compliance with Volumes. The fermentation tank must be filled to ⅔ (maximum - ¾) of the volume, depending on the raw material. Braga on peas actively foams - fill the container only ⅔ of the volume. In this case, there will be a place for foam, and you won’t have to knock it down. If the volume exceeds the required values, then part of the mash can be drained. Just be prepared that during active fermentation, pouring a part of the mash means a little more active foaming during the pouring process: it will be very easy to splash, and the smell in the room will be specific.
- The physical method is to lower the temperature. At room temperatures below 18°C, fermentation slows down. If you provide the mash with a medium temperature of 8 to 16 ° C, then you can buy time and run, for example, for defoamers, which will be described below. When the container with the mash is transferred back to the heat (18-28 ° C), the fermentation resumes, which means that foam appears.
- Crumble regular cookies on the surface. One of the best and proven options for how to extinguish the foam in the mash during fermentation. The simplest cookies without flavors and additives are perfect for this purpose. A small cookie (one piece for every 10 liters of mash) needs to be crushed, and then sprinkled with foam. The crumbs contribute to the bursting of the bubbles, and the foam subsides and then disappears. At the same time, the cookies themselves do not harm the mash and the final drink.
- How to extinguish the foam in Braga with vegetable oil? It is necessary to lubricate the neck and edges of the container. Alternatively, you can simply add one teaspoon of vegetable oil for every 10 liters of mash (pour over the surface in a thin stream). Oil also does not affect the quality of the product in the future.
- Apply kefir or sour cream. Kefir is preferred. One or two tablespoons of a fermented milk product for every 10 liters of mash is poured in a thin stream over the surface. That is why it will be more difficult with sour cream, because it is thicker. This will not spoil Braga, the method is environmentally friendly.
- An extreme case: a less environmentally friendly option is baby shampoo. Contains, as a rule, a minimum of chemistry, but still it is. One tablespoon of shampoo is diluted in a glass of water, the resulting solution is poured in a thin stream over the surface of the mash.
Thus, it is quite easy to subdue the foam in the initial stages of fermentation, and in the case of using biscuits, butter and other products, foaming does not start again. It is important not to miss the moment of active foaming, and this happens, as a rule, during the first day after laying the mash.
Many novice moonshiners are faced with one problem: the mash foams too actively and forms a fluffy hat that pours over the edge of the container in which it is infused. It is difficult to control this process, and the result can be the saddest. Among the unpleasant consequences: wet floors, a broken water seal, the loss of part of the alcohol-containing mass, and therefore a decrease in the “yield” of the product by up to 40%!
It simply cannot be brought to this, so we will tell you what to do with an excessive “game” and how to remove the foam from the mash (how to pay it off). Remember a few simple tricks, use them, and you will prepare the maximum amount of raw materials for distillation.
During fermentation, the concentration of carbon dioxide gradually increases in the liquid, which means that bubbles appear that accompany the process of the formation of alcohol from sugar. Of these, a fluffy hat is assembled in 6-8 hours, this is a normal growth rate. Although in some cases this process is much faster.
So, why does the mash foam so much? The reason for the overactive formation of a fluffy hat may be as follows:
- As a raw material, a product is chosen that is itself prone to the production of carbon dioxide. Typical examples include: peas (although almost all legumes are prone to foaming), rye (and cereals in general), peaches (and other fruits whose flesh is especially tender and sweet).
- The container is filled with alcohol-containing mass by more than 70%. Due to the action of carbon dioxide, the mash begins to increase in volume and quickly spills over the edges in the process of “playing” simply because it does not have enough free space.
- Poor quality yeast is taken, and this is almost the most serious mistake that can be made, because a low-quality strain will not only lead to foaming, but also hopelessly spoil the taste of the finished product.
- Raw materials are infused in too hot conditions. If the temperature in the room exceeds 30°C, get ready for the rapid appearance of foam.
- Too much yeast is added, as a result of which carbon dioxide is produced too intensively.
The reasons are of a different nature, but in any case, the mash foams a lot, and what to do, how to remove it? It must be suppressed, and this can be achieved mechanically. Another option is to use extinguishers, either homemade folk (in fact, ordinary products or household products), or purchased factory (industrial food). Let's consider each group of methods in turn.
What to do so that the mash does not foam
Let's start with mechanical methods, since they are the easiest to understand and implement, and also help not only normalize, but also optimize the infusion process along the way. So, if a fluffy hat quickly rises and goes beyond the capacity, you can ...
Reduce Volume
Often it is enough to simply remove a part of the alcohol-containing mass so that it takes up less than 2/3 of the barrel, bottle or other fermentation tank. True, the method is effective only when you initially overflowed the container. But it is especially good if you have peas or other raw materials prone to foaming.
Important! The disadvantage of this method is that during separation, the infused liquid must be poured, and at the same time a characteristic smell will spread throughout the room, which will not disappear immediately.
Reduce ambient temperature
A proven fact: yeast is most active at 18-24 ° C. At 35 degrees, the strain already dies, and at 10-16 it falls asleep. Accordingly, it is enough to simply remove the container with the mash to a cooler place, for example, to the cellar, in order to stop the fermentation process, and hence the formation of foam.
This method is very simple, but in fact it is a half measure, because when you return the raw materials to the right conditions, the yeast will resume its activity. And the main disadvantage of the method is that you can overexpose the mass in the cold and generally kill the strain, and then you have to think about how to revive the wort.
Add a glass jar to the container
The method is not the most famous, but very effective (it is used with might and main in Eastern Europe) and easy to implement:
- sterilize a glass jar;
- close it with a regular plastic lid;
- lower it into the tank with infused raw materials.
Bank will reduce the production of carbon dioxide. The only problem is that it is quite difficult to push it into a container with a narrow neck, it is unlikely to pass into the same bottle, but into a barrel - without difficulty.
How to extinguish the foam in Braga
The mechanical methods are over, now you can proceed to the review of home suppressors. Each of them is an affordable product (remedy), which is either already at home or waiting for you in the nearest store.
Use sour cream (kefir) or vegetable oil
A liquid with astringent effect, evenly poured over the surface of the wort, is suitable. Added in a small amount, it will stop the growth of foam and at the same time will not affect the characteristics of the mash, and therefore will not worsen the taste or aroma of moonshine.
The proportions are shown in the table below:
Such suppressors are good for their versatility. Thanks to them, even a very original one will transfer all its fruity notes to moonshine. And they are quite effective - they are able to remove foam even from a very actively playing alcohol-containing mass. Another plus is that the same sunflower or olive oil is a product that is literally always in the house, such an extinguisher will be at hand even in the most urgent case. Well, most of us buy sour cream with kefir regularly.
Crumble a cookie
The method is simple to disgrace - judge for yourself:
- grind cookies at the rate of "1 piece per 10-15 l";
- evenly scatter the resulting crumbs over the surface of the infused liquid (but do not mix!).
And that's all, it remains only to observe how quickly the foam disappears. The method works very simply: the crumbs create pressure and cause the bubbles to burst. Only cookies need to be taken the most common, not sweetened and not tinted, without any filler. It is clear why: any additives can affect the quality of the final product, but a neutral suppressor will not affect the organoleptic properties of alcohol in any way.
Did you know? As an alternative, you can use black bread, although it has a little less efficiency, but it's still good.
Pour in some baby shampoo
A gentle hair product will also help remove the foam. Take just one tablespoon of baby shampoo and dilute it in a glass (200 ml) of cool water. After that, you only need to carefully and slowly pour the resulting mixture onto the surface of the alcohol-containing mass, in no case stirring. In just 5 minutes, the bubbles will fall off.
The disadvantage of the method is that it is necessary to use a hair care product, which, with a high degree of probability, will worsen the organoleptic of the finished product. If you are planning to make moonshine with an original taste and aroma and, for example, you have, you should refuse to infuse even delicate baby shampoo, not to mention an adult one, which usually has relatively more chemical components.
We figured out the folk "helpers", now let's see how to extinguish the foam in the mash using factory suppressors. At the same time, we will find out why they are convenient, because their advantages are widely advertised by manufacturers.
Features of the use of industrial defoamers
The principle of their action is to accelerate the process of the disappearance of bubbles - when they are added, the cap simply does not have time to form. At the same time, high-quality factory suppressors are environmentally friendly and do not change the organoleptic properties of moonshine. Plus, they captivate with the following advantages:
- high profitability - they are usually sold in the form of a liquid, and only 2-3 ml of them is enough for 10-15 liters of wort;
- efficiency - they quickly and completely extinguish even raw materials prone to foaming, for example, from the already mentioned peaches or cereals, and will not even run away;
- ease of use - they are easy to dilute with water and spread evenly over the surface of the alcohol-containing mass without any problems;
- versatility - suppressors can be added both at the initial stage of yeast activation, and immediately before distillation.
Now that you know why the mash foams during fermentation, you just need to choose a method that will help you quickly remove it. Effectively control the “game” of the future drink in a format that is convenient for you, and you can make really cool alcohol, clean and tasty, without extraneous flavor.
In the case of home brewing, as in any complex technological process, there are many nuances. Even (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column brand) is not as simple as it seems at first glance (meaning the agony of choice). Almost no stage is immune from the fact that something can go wrong. And a fairly common phenomenon from the category of undesirable is uncontrolled foaming. The appearance of a large amount of foam is fraught with the loss of part of the volume of the mash, splashing, splitting the glass fermentation tank and other unpleasant moments. In what cases does foam appear on the mash? Consider all possible options.
At what stages can a lot of foam appear in the mash
Uncontrolled foaming can occur in two stages:
- the first day of fermentation, when the process is very intensive;
- directly in the distillation process when the mash is heated (boiling).
During fermentation, foaming is typical for:
- certain types of raw materials (peas, some fruits (peaches, plums), some cereals). It is the properties of the raw materials themselves that become the reason why there is a lot of foam on rye mash;
- cases when yeast is taken in excess. The vital processes of the yeast culture are already going intensively, and if there are too many of them in volume, this will be fraught with abundant foaming due to the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide;
- baker's yeast. At the same time, it is pressed yeast that gives abundant foam, while when using dry yeast, this problem rarely occurs. Low-quality yeast falls into the same point;
- when the room is too hot.
Also, the foam will “climb” over the edge even if everything is in order with the yeast, raw materials and temperature, but the mash is filled “under the neck”. Always leave an empty volume of ¼ to ⅓ of the total volume of the fermentation tank just for foaming.
Foam during the distillation of mash is formed if:
- selected low-quality or unsuitable yeast. For example, baker's and all-purpose yeasts are more likely to cause foaming than alcohol or wine yeasts;
- mash is based on raw materials that will produce foam (the same types that were indicated above).
Normally, small amounts of foam will still form when heated. It is important that, again, there is room for her, and she is not thrown into the steam pipeline. Leave a quarter (or even a third) of the pot still empty, just as you would when fermenting.
Try to avoid foaming during distillation and carefully monitor the temperature regime. The ingress of foam into the steam line will cause the drink to become cloudy, this is especially true for cases where it had to be of a classic design.
How to solve the problem
- If the frothing is due to overactive yeast, the best solution is to pre-ferment the culture.
- Measure the exact amount of yeast, choose the type that is suitable for this type of raw material (alcohol, wine, wild, baker's yeast).
- Observe the temperature regime that is optimal for fermentation processes (18-24 ° C).
- For raw materials prone to foaming, leave more free space in the fermentation tank, stock up.
- Ensure uniform and gradual heating of the mash during distillation, if possible, carry out the clarification procedure before distillation, do not allow the mash sediment to enter the distillation cube.
Braga itself is a product that is prone to foaming. Foam on the mash appears after 6-8 hours. The process is that during fermentation, the liquid is saturated with carbon dioxide, and bubbles form. Without them, from the point of view of chemistry, the extraction of alcohol from sugar is impossible. But sometimes the height of the cap goes off scale, and the mash splits the dishes, squeezes out the corks and simply “runs away” during the cooking process. To prevent this from happening, you need to know all the precautions.
Foam on mash
What determines the amount of foam?
Braga foams at two stages of preparing the drink:
- during fermentation;
- during active boiling during distillation.
The level of foaming is different, it depends on several factors:
- the choice of raw materials that give a large amount of carbon dioxide (peas, fruit mash);
- the amount of raw materials in the tank exceeds the limit of 70% of the volume;
- high room temperature;
- a large amount of yeast or their low quality.
In addition, in addition to running off the liquid, moonshine may become cloudy due to the high “cap” - this is what distillers are afraid of. Foam also appears during distillation for the following reasons:
- incorrectly selected distillation cube;
- low-quality yeast can play a role at this stage as well;
- using products that produce more foam in the process.
What to do if the mash foams a lot?
Part of the raw material, approximately 30-40% of the liquid, can be lost during the formation of foam, which entails financial losses. Playing mash easily spills over the edges of the container, and sometimes spoils the container itself. Sometimes winemakers save themselves from foaming by stirring the liquid, but this is not a way out. Moreover, such measures are highly ineffective and undesirable. The thing is that the alarmed mash will begin to boil even more.
If the mash foams strongly, then the problem is solved with the help of defoamers. Proper use of these substances is able to control the process and does not affect the taste of the drink. You can use very simple methods and recipes without the use of chemical additives and components:
- Putting cookies in the brew. You should not use fragrant sweets, cookies should be simple, without dyes, flavors or fillers in the form of jam and others. Pre-crushed cookies. Half of the biscuit is used for 10 liters of raw materials. The crumbs are scattered on top of the mash in a thin layer. They do not need to be mixed, and the cap will begin to settle under the pressure of the pieces. Thus, the cookies will get rid of the layer of foam and will allow it to form further and ferment the drink calmly. And cookies will not change the taste of mash and distillate in the future. Sometimes distillers replace cookies with rye bread or even crackers, but this method works worse. And not always the cookie itself is able to cool the ardor of the mash and affect the foam. But in any case, this method should be tested first.
- It will help not to lose raw materials and such a technique as reducing the liquid in the bottle. The bottom line is not to pour a lot of mash into the container, a maximum of 70 percent of the total volume. This precaution will not reduce the foam in the mash, nor will it save the container, but it will save the liquid inside the container. You can use the rule and fill in 2/3 of the volume. If foaming has already begun, and there is more liquid in the container, then part of the drink can be poured into another bottle. But the smell of mash, which will spread around the room, will be really pungent and strong, since it is difficult to pour a neatly foaming liquid.
- Dairy products are suitable in order to extinguish the foam. Sour cream or kefir is often used. Sometimes sunflower oil is taken. If it is oil that is used, then the proportion is as follows: 1 teaspoon per 5 liters of mash. The product is spread as a thin film over the surface without stirring, so that the mash does not foam anymore. Kefir and sour cream is enough to take 2 tablespoons per 10-12 liters and also distribute. The advantage of the products lies in their naturalness, and also in the fact that they do not spoil the taste of mash and distillate. They are compatible with any raw material.
- Lowering the temperature will also work to reduce the activity of foam formation. The optimal indicators are 18-24 degrees. If the temperature is lower, then the yeast will reduce activity and fermentation will be slower. That is why the mash with foam should be placed in conditions with a temperature of 6 to 16 degrees - this will reduce the layer. But remember that after the raw materials return to temperatures suitable for fermentation, the foam will reappear and will again have to be fought.
- Sometimes children's cosmetics are used to remove the foam. For example, hair shampoo in the amount of 1 tablespoon per glass of water. After dilution, the mixture is poured into the container and after five minutes the foam falls off. The effectiveness of the method is good, but the organoleptic of the drink will suffer. It is better not to use adult cosmetics, which contain even more harmful substances.
Purchased foam suppressants
Of course, you can use special purchased defoamers to suppress the activity of the foam. These products effectively affect the foam and speed up the process. A ready-made defoamer for mash is simply added to the liquid along with other components at the preparation stage. As a result, the volume of the cap will decrease.
This is convenient because the liquid is added during the fermentation stage, and in order to see the result, you need only 2-3 milliliters of liquid. One bottle of defoamer is enough for a long time, which allows you to save on the preparation of mash, as well as free up space for a drink. Such a liquid can also be added immediately before distillation on the apparatus. The product will help to cope with raw materials that form a lot of carbon dioxide before distillation (peaches, rye, beer mash).
And the product captivates with ease of use. Before pouring into the mash, water can be added to the defoamer, then the liquid will be easier to distribute over the surface of the raw material. The raw material itself needs to be mixed after adding the defoamer.
Remember that sometimes defoamers should be used, then the controllability of the process will improve. If all the mash escapes during preparation, it will spoil the entire drink and reduce the amount of distillate yield. The choice of products, as well as the right to use natural ingredients or defoamers, remains with each distiller. The main thing is to follow the rise of the foam in time.
Many novice moonshiners have a problem with foam in the mash, the release of which is difficult to control. In the worst case, part of the product "runs away" from the container to the floor and is irretrievably lost. You can prevent this trouble with a few simple methods that work in any situation.
Attention! Do not try to remove the foam by stirring the mash, as this will activate the fermentation, which will further aggravate the situation.
The best homemade foam extinguishing methods are:
1. Add cookies. The easiest and fastest way to combat active foaming. For quenching mash, only ordinary cookies without flavorings, fillers or dyes are suitable. First you need to crumble it (one half is enough for 10 liters), then sprinkle the crumbs in an even layer over the surface. After a few minutes, the foam will begin to subside, and then completely disappear.
The most effective defoamer Under the pressure of the crumbs, the foam bubbles burst more actively. As a result, the “cap” falls off quickly, and its reappearance is unlikely. Cookies do not affect the quality of the mash. Instead, you can crumble brown bread, but it helps worse.
2. Reduce volume. This is usually done with highly foaming raw materials, for example, pea mash. When there is not enough free space in the container, the foam begins to come out. Initially, it is better to fill the container with mash no more than 2/3 of the volume.
If this recommendation is not followed, during the fermentation process, you need to drain part of the mash into another container. Disadvantage: with strong foaming, it is very difficult to separate the mash without spilling at least a little liquid on the floor, and the smell in the room will not be the most pleasant.
Properly filled container 3. Add vegetable oil (sour cream, kefir). One teaspoon of sunflower oil per 5 liters of mash, poured in an even layer over the surface, well stops the release of foam. The principle of operation is the same as in the case of cookies.
Thick sour cream or kefir helps a little worse (1-2 tablespoons per 10-12 liters of mash). Adding a small amount of vegetable oil or dairy products to the mash does not affect the quality of moonshine.
4. Lower the temperature. The optimum fermentation temperature is 18-24°C. At higher values, the yeast may die, at low values, it “falls asleep” and fermentation stops. When conditions are right again, the yeast is activated and continues to work.
To knock down the foam, it is enough to put the container with the mash in a cold place (6-16 ° C). Disadvantage: this method only allows you to buy time, since then you still need to resume fermentation, and with an increase in temperature, the foam will appear again.
5. Use baby shampoo. Dilute a tablespoon of baby shampoo in a glass of cold water. The resulting mixture is slowly poured onto the surface of the mash. After a few minutes, the foam will fall off.
Disadvantage: the ingress of third-party chemicals into the mash, even if there are not many of them in baby shampoo, is highly undesirable.
