What is the consensus on whirlfloc

To use or not to use. I've bought a few tables, but
I am afraid that it will extract good proteins that they yeast needs to grow.
In my first three batches I have not used it and the beer tastes fine, though I get chill haze.

 

I like it. Overall, I don't see a huge difference than with regular Irish Moss.

 

I don't think yeast need proteins to grow, but I could be wrong. It doesn't really remove anything, it just helps debris make its way into the bottom more quickly.

It certainly has a noticeable effect when you first have all of your wort in the primary, but I have heard that it is not 100% certain that it ultimately results in clearer beer. I dunno, I use it because it doesn't hurt and it makes me feel good inside.

 

Yeast certainly need protein to grow but there is far more protein in wort than needed and whirfloc selectively removes proteins too large for the yeast to use anyway so you are certainly correct in spirit, this is a non-issue.

 

I've only used regular Irish Moss. I haven't seen anything to suggest that Whirlfoc would have a negative impact on beer though.

 

I love my whirfloc tabs. Never a problem.

 

I Always use a tablet with 5min left in boil and make great beer IMHO.

 

1. Would you put it in a wheat beer?
2. Extract brew?

 

1. No. They're supposed to be cloudy.
2. Yes.

When I remember to put the darn stuff in it makes my beers really clear.

 

another vote for whirlfloc here, I use it in every batch except for ones that are supposed to be cloudy. Great results.

 

I've only used Irish moss, and just began putting gelatin in my secondary a few days before kegging.

Is there any difference between moss and whirlfloc?

 

I love whirlfloc....I get great clear beers

 

It's Good.

 

I bought some whilfloc awhile back and have yet to remember to use it. Seems to be working though, I only get chill haze during the first couple of days of refrigeration. Other than that my beers are pretty clear.

 

I used Irish Moss for years and switched over to Whirlfloc for it's ease of use. It seems to me to work slightly better, too. But that may just be me.

 

I've used it on extract wheat beers with about 10 minutes left in the boil. Got a good break and the beer is still cloudy like a wheat should be.

 

They are both forms of carrageenan, a high molecular weight polymer similar to starch or cellulose. Whirlfloc is sourced from red marine algae; Irish Moss from red seaweed.

 

Not necessarily - it depends on the style. Also, the cloudiness is not necessarily from proteins.

 

Has anyone else had to increase their batch size due to the effectiveness of whirlfloc?

Since I've been using it, my cold break is so good I that I cannot recover enough clear wort. Insane cold breaks, I lost over a gallon of beer in one of my brews and that’s after whirlpool and a 40 min rest.

 

I'll leave my wife before I leave Whirlfloc.

 

I haven't, but I an a stickler for getting a clear wort into the kettle by vorlaufing and running off through a fine screen. I also skim off the hot break. I haven't measured exactly, but I estimate that my loss to break and hop material if about half a gallon or so.

 

I prefer SuperMoss to either, but Whirlflocc is better than Irish Moss, IMO.

 

I think there is confusion over what cold break is. Irish moss:

"When softened in water it has a sea-like odour, and because of the abundant cell wall polysaccharides it will form a jelly when boiled, containing from 20 to 100 times its weight of water."

The gelatinous blob is a by product of the irish moss itself, not really the carrageenan that is responsible for cold break. Whirlfloc is essentially pulverized and easily soluble irish moss, so you get the same effect. However, this is NOT the cold break itself.

Supermoss is nearly 100% carrageenan. It does its job without the blob of goo.

 

Cheap, and a must have for all my beers.. except maybe my hefe's.

 

I wish some of the Whirlfloccers would try SuperMoss. I don't care if Five Star makes money on it or not, but it is a superior product. The chemistry does not lie. Seems most are happy with the blob of goo and call it cold break. Clear beer is the goal, not making gelatin.

 

Thanks for the insight Randar, I learned something today. I will get some supermoss and see how that works out.

I have used nothing and got a good cold break in the past but never crystal clear, that's why I went to the whirlfloc. I agree Whirlfloc is better tha irish moss but don't like the loss of wort.

 

You only need half a tablet for 5 gallons according to my LHBS so it is cheap. Can't say I'm convinced it does a whole lot personally. I used it in my honey pale ale and thats one of the least clear beers I've made, still even after 5-6 weeks in the bottle. I have it so i use it but still not sure it does a whole hell of a lot.

 

Yes - Whirlfloc will not clear the floating yeast
Yes - every beer

It also stabelizes the beer so it will last longer (from what I have read) - I use it in every beer.

SuperMoss? Never heard of it - I'll have to look for it!

 

Super Moss, aka Randy Moss when he was with the Patriots...

 

My LHBS carries it and it is also sold online at places like NB, Midwest supplies, and Williams Brewing to name a few

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-ingredients/salts-finings/clarifiers/supermoss-hb.html

 

I am relatively new to this, why would having the cold break drop out make you lose more wort?

 

Also would whirlfoc make you beer have less body and perhaps poor foam retention?

 

There is more sedimentation to avoid "collecting". When using irish Moss or Whirlfloc, this includes the gelatinous goo created by the irish moss, which can be significant enough to affect final wort collection volume.

 

After whirlpooling, the bottom of the kettle will be full of hop matter and cold break. Many people don't like transferring that gunk into their fermentor, so they transfer as much clear wort as feasible and leaving most of the gunk (and with it, some wort) behind.

 

I do not believe so.

 

Never had that problem, and I use that stuff religiously. But I usually also add a small amount of wheat malt to my beers.

 

In this picture:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/result-whirlfloc-56392/

it seems like the brewer dumped wort before the final settling of whirlfloc induced matter into the fermenter. If you were to follow this example, when should you pitch the yeast? Would the yeast would get dragged down with the precipitation matter?

 

Not had mine look like THAT yet... Usually, I'm putting most of what's in the kettle into the fermenter. So, I've had a decent amount of break going into it. But, that usually settles in the carboy before I pitch the yeast in (at the bottom most of the time)... Once fermentation kicks off, it's getting mixed up throughout the brew. Come the end of fermentation, it's pretty much gone, with only some left as trub.

I plan on putting a bit less into the pot moving forward, leaving most of the crap in the bottom of the kettle. Since I've fitted the kettle with a ball valve, it will be easier to drain into the fermenter. I won't need to use my auto-siphon anymore. So, that shoudl also make it easier to not pull the last inch (or so) out of the kettle...

 

ditto.