Irish Moss

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I have never used any additives to any of my recipes. But was thinking about using some Irish moss. It is listed in the clarifiers in the supply catalog.

I was wondering exactly what it does?
Does it have any cons to using it?
Do any of you use it or have you (with luck or bad results)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

BMW
 
Yeah, it's basically a clarifier. It will bind to some bigger stuff in your beer and precipitate it out. Basically use 1tsp. per 5gl batch 10-15 minutes to the end of boil and that's it. I've never noticed any off-flavor or anything like that from it. I really does seem to help clear the beer faster. If you don't want to use it you can simply substitute time for it. Condition a beer long enough and it will clear up.
 
I use it on every batch. It helps to precipitate proteins in the boil so you get a clearer beer.

No bad experiences for me; no cons that I can think of either.
 
Helps clarify your final product. I've brewed the same beers with and without it and it does seem to work with no noticeable effect on taste. No cons that I'm aware of...
 
Did my first batch without, did my second batch with it. The second batch is noticeably clearer.
 
It's an emulsifier, which helps with the formation and settling of hot & cold break material, leading to a clearer final product. I use it (or Whirfloc) in most every batch, and believe it helps. It's normally added during the last fifteen minutes or so of the boil. Most say to rehydrate it first, in a bit of water.

It's very cheap, and certainly won't hurt your beer. About the only downside I can see, is that it violates Reinheitsgebot...but unless you're a German commercial brewer, who cares!
 
BlindLemonLars said:
It's an emulsifier, which helps with the formation and settling of hot & cold break material, leading to a clearer final product. I use it (or Whirfloc) in most every batch, and believe it helps. It's normally added during the last fifteen minutes or so of the boil. Most say to rehydrate it first, in a bit of water.

It's very cheap, and certainly won't hurt your beer. About the only downside I can see, is that it violates Reinheitsgebot...but unless you're a German commercial brewer, who cares!
Click to expand...

Not trying to be picky but it's actually a flocculant... an emulsifier would not help.
 
Nate said:
Not trying to be picky but it's actually a flocculant... an emulsifier would not help.
Click to expand...

I'm no scientist, but it seems to me it does act as one, by binding proteins and other materials together, which then drop out of suspension. It's certainly used as an emulsifier in other applications, such as food and cosmetics.

Palmer seems to think it is:

Irish Moss - An emulsifying agent, Irish moss promotes break material formation and precipitation during the boil and upon cooling.
 
BlindLemonLars said:
I'm no scientist, but it seems to me it does act as one, by binding proteins and other materials together, which then drop out of suspension. It's certainly used as an emulsifier in other applications, such as food and cosmetics.

Palmer seems to think it is:

Irish Moss - An emulsifying agent, Irish moss promotes break material formation and precipitation during the boil and upon cooling.
Click to expand...

Yeah, even his explanation is really that of a flocculant and not of an emulsifier. If you check the definitions of both, you'll probably agree. What he's describing is really the opposite of an emulsifier and this behavior (clumping and dropping out of suspension) is listed as an emulsification instabililty... i.e. not emulsification and flocculation.

In the end it's really not that big of a deal... bottom line is that Irish Moss clears beer.
 
Bah Humbug said:
Free or the price of a bit of blarney in some parts of Ireland.
I get my oysters the same way. :)
Click to expand...

Good morning Orfy. What's the exchange rate these days on blarney vs oysters?

I hope to see those oysters make an appearance in the Food & Pairings forum.
 

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