KMart104

Recipes 

Hello, just about to start a Chocolate Coffee Stout but didnt see Irish moss in the kit we had put together. Beforehand Irish moss has been a part of all the recipes i've brewed.

Is it critical to include or should i just ommit it for this boil seeing it is a stout, Any pros or cons considering the style???? Thanx

ETOHonboard

Recipes 

As far as I know Irish moss is only used as a clarifying agent and should have no affect on the taste. Your brew might be a little cloudy but its so dark you wouldn't notice anyway. I'm a pretty new brewer but that's what I read so far.

trevorc13

Recipes 

I have noticed that irish moss affects my head retention on my beers, although that just may be my beers. My assumption is that because the irish moss attracts protiens in the wort, this protien is good for the head retention on beer. I stopped using it except for beers that I want to be crystal clear. Since it is a dark beer I wouldn't use it. Also the longer you let your beer sit in the carboy or fridge the more sediment drops out anyways. Just my two cents.

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Hockeyhunter99

Recipes 

Probably not needed in a stout. i use irish moss in all of my beers that i want clear. stouts are too dark to see any floaters. Cold crashing would do the same thing.

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Docjowles

Recipes 

Yeah don't sweat it especially for a stout. I've also heard (forget where) that it's actually useless or harmful for extract beers. The reasoning being that all the crud has already been removed by the manufacturer when they created the extract. So any proteins you are removing with the moss are the good proteins that create good head and body.

Don't hold me to that but trevorc's post kinda backs that up.

edit: I think it was in How to Brew by Palmer

vicratlhead51

Recipes 

That makes a lotta sense. I hadn't thought of that before. In the past I've only used it in lighter color beers but if this is true I shouldn't need to use it at all.

michur

Recipes 

I asked the question at our last homebrew club meeting. They said that adding to even extracts wont do any harm. But Palmer does mention that that it does affect head retention as previously mentioned. Don't know for sure as I've used it all my beers. But then again I've yet to have good head retention either. Guess I'll have to whip up another batch to test the theory out.

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charlesmartin

Recipes 

i brewed for a while without irish moss and everyone commented on the amazing head retention of my brews. i have tried irish moss with my last two batches and there is no head retention whatsoever. btw, all have been extract. i won't be using it on the rest of my extract brews...especially the darker ones.