Irish Moss/Whirlfloc etc..etc...is it really necassary?

This months issue of BYO kind of confirmed something I am starting to believe. While I do certainly see a huge difference from brew kettle to fermenter while using whirlfloc or moss, in clarity, I don't necassarily see a difference in the final product if given proper time to condition.

If you follow what is widely considered proper brewing technique for homebrewers now, which is an extended primary fermentation followed by at least 3 weeks of bottle conditioning or aging in a keg to condition the beer....is a fining agent in the kettle really necessary?

Personally I think I get more vigorous and healthy fermentations without the kettle finings....and my final product if given time is just as clear and delicious.

If I find that my product is too cloudy, I can add gelatin

I usually forget to put it in anyway even when I intend to and have seen no difference in my beers. They still come out perfectly clear with proper aging.

truckmann said:

I usually forget to put it in anyway even when I intend to and have seen no difference in my beers. They still come out perfectly clear with proper aging.

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+1 on my own thread

I agree with this. Not necessary in the least if you wait long enough. I couldn't say if they make it more or less clear, though.

I use it just because I have a big bag of it and it cost nexts to nothing.

I read the BYO article and had the same thought as you. I have to agree that I don't really see the difference in the final product especially after some aging though. I noticed this before the article came out but just keep using it because I have it on hand ......................

I agree. I've never used Irish moss and just been patient with the bottle conditioning. I have yet to have an issue with clarity in the final product.

What I find most intriguing about the article is the less vigorous fermentations after adding it.
I wonder if dropping protiens out early effects the health of the yeast and somehow slows them down.
I'd like to see more studies.
FWIW, I always forget to add it and I'm fine with my ending clarity.
Bull

I haven't used irish moss in at least 2 years and haven't noticed any ill-effects either. Not going to use it again.

Half the time I forget to even add it, and since my beers sit in primary for a month and tend to be extremely clear anyway, I don't quite think it really matters. Same if you cold crash. I think if you do SOMETHING like a long primary, a secondary and/or cold crash or all of the above, adding a kettle fining may not be all that necessary. But ymmv.

I started to read this article on the crapper this morning but didn't finish it (the article). It just so happens that I forgot to add Irish moss to the IPA I brewed this afternoon. This is the first batch I've ever brewed save for wheats without Irish moss. I certainly saw a difference going into the fermenter and it will be interesting to see how it progresses.

I thought the point of Whirlfloc/moss is to remove the unstable proteins that lead to spoilage of the beer. So while they will naturally drop out with extended aging, they are still in the bottle or keg anyway. So if you are keeping the beer long term, it might go bad faster. Just guessing on this, don't really know for sure. I do use Whirlfloc.

samc said:

I thought the point of Whirlfloc/moss is to remove the unstable proteins that lead to spoilage of the beer. So while they will naturally drop out with extended aging, they are still in the bottle or keg anyway. So if you are keeping the beer long term, it might go bad faster. Just guessing on this, don't really know for sure. I do use Whirlfloc.

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Not sure the above statement is correct or not, but I have several big beers aging/sampling now that have sat at least 9 months and haven't had any spoilage issues. From my experience, I haven't seen spoilage concerns when not using Irish moss (haven't used whirlfloc)

I heard the same thing as samc in Palmer's How to Brew:
"While much of the emphasis on using finings is to combat aesthetic chill haze, the real benefit of dropping those compounds is to improve the taste and long-term stability of the beer. See Appendix C for more info." p91

I didn't use Irish moss or any of its derivatives for the first year I brewed. Most beers conditioned clear enough, but some (e.g., anything used with Wyeast 1056) wouldn't. I got a package of Whirlfloc tablets and have used them in anything other than hefes. I find that it produced uniformly clear beer. The Whirlfloc will be gone soon, and I'll switch to a Five Star product called Super Moss, which is pretty much just the pure active ingredient in Irish Moss (carrageenan).

Stopped using it long ago. There's been no noticeable absence. Recent issue of BYO has a study showing that, in most instances, it make beer MORE cloudy than not using it.

In my last few batches I have kind of figured that you get things to settled out either way..if you use a kettle fining you leave it in the kettle, if you don't the stuff just settles to the bottom of the fermenter with the yeast.

Part of me thinks you may get a slightly more healthy fermentation without kettle finings, more food for the yeasties. I have no proof, just a theory.

I finally got around to tapping the IPA I brewed sans moss last night. It was much cloudier than I expected after chilling for two weeks. Something else I didn't do that I normally do for this recipe is dry hop in the secondary and dry hopped in the keg instead. I'm brewing the same recipe today and I'll likely add the Irish Moss this time.

Been brewing 15 years, used irish moss, started using Whirlfloc, noticed a difference. Bottled, kegged, etc. Conditioned days, months, etc.

You know what...beer is great, don't care about super clear or not. Taste is everything.

You want to serve super clear to those who care...THEN, start worrying.

As always, ONLY my $0.02.

5-6 weeks in the primary and 4 weeks bottle conditioning usually clears up an average gravity beer......even a hefe will clear up with time. But like woodstone says taste is everything!!!!!!