Does irish moss affect the flavor at all?

Well, does it? I never use it... should I?

Thanks buddies!

If you use it correctly, at the right times, in the right amounts, no, it does not. Yes, you should use it. It helps clarify the beer. No, you should not overdo it, as there is a chance, in substantial amounts, it could render a dead-fish flavor to the beer. I've never had this happen, but, if you smell a pack of IM, you'll see what I'm talking about. Just use 1-2 tsp in your boil as recommended, 15 minutes before flameout. No affect on the flavor whatsoever.

All it does is clarify the beer? Oh, I dont care about that. It still tastes the same to me, clear or muddy hehehe

Beer is good said:

All it does is clarify the beer? Oh, I dont care about that. It still tastes the same to me, clear or muddy hehehe

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Ditto. I just used the last tab of whirfloc in my last batch. I dont think I'll buy anymore. It doesnt matter that much to me if I can see through the beer.

- magno

Yeah personal preference. In a stout I don't care as much as in a pale ale. In those I personally like it clear, so this round of ordering from my LHBS I order some-o-teh-moss.

Hey, whatever floats yer boat. Given how ridiculously inexpensive IM is (I seem to have inherited 4 or 5 packs of it, and each pack probably lasts for 15 batches, at the very least), I consider it a given. My only problem is, I sometimes forget to add it to the boil---more worried about adding hops at the right time.

But, some people care about all aspects of their beer, not just taste, so for those people, Irish Moss is great. As is KC SuperKleer Finings, and highly flocculant yeast like Wyeast's London ESB. It's lots of fun to produce clean, clear beer, for some reason. It just looks...pretty. Of course, taste/aroma is my first priority, but looks are important too.

I was listening to A Brewcast episode to day any some one did an experiment adding 5x the amount of Irish moss and they say the couldn't detect any fishiness.

Has any one ever tasted Irish moss?

No,go ahead and let us know

I can see the value in pretty beer! I love my irish red, it looks so red and nice... it is pretty darn clear.. but it would look a little better if it was crystal clear... then i would make love to it... UNF UNF UNF!

Man, you've had to much Irish red.

zoebisch01 said:

Yeah personal preference. In a stout I don't care as much as in a pale ale. In those I personally like it clear, so this round of ordering from my LHBS I order some-o-teh-moss.

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I've never used any flocculant either pre- or post-brew and have always ended up with clear brew. Of course I secondary for usually close to a month, whether an ale or a lager, so the suspended stuff has plenty of time to drop out.

Orfy said:

I was listening to A Brewcast episode to day any some one did an experiment adding 5x the amount of Irish moss and they say the couldn't detect any fishiness.

Has any one ever tasted Irish moss?

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Yep. Brewed a NA beer and you can detect in the aroma immediately. Slight taste to the beer too, probably because there isn’t much sugar and not much flavor from using 1Oz of hops. Thought I’d let you guys know.

Replying to a 17 year old thread might not be a record but it’s a pretty good average…

Not sure I'd trust those results with modern humans vs the hominids that originally discussed this.