Adding Irish moss dry

[BHive]

Has anyone done what I just did, which is to forget all about the Irish moss until the end of the boil? I just threw it in at the last 2 minutes of the boil dry without rehydrating it first. Just wondering if anyone has done this and if it still seems to have any effect.

Interestingly, it caused a large foam up and almost boiled over.

 

[porterpounder]

You don't have to re-hydrate it. If you grind it into a powder it works a bit better. You don't need much.

 

[BHive]

Ok. Didn't think of grinding it. Just threw in a pinch. But I've never noticed it floating on top in the fermenter before like it is now

 

[TravelingLight]

I've never rehydrated irish moss. Didn't know people did?

 

[McGarnigle]

I believe standard instructions are to re-hydrate first. I was always underwhelmed by its performance either way.

Can't see why it would cause a foam up.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I've used it since the 80's and had no idea that it was supposed to be rehydrated until I saw this thread. Conclusion, you can add it dry to your boil. I add it with 15 minutes remaining in the boil.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Skip it altogether and suck up all the hop break into the fermenter...does no harm...some say it helps.
I have an almost full bottle sitting in my drawer for years..
I don't leave a single drop of anything in my BK

 

[kh54s10]

I have never hydrated it. Almost anything that you toss in will cause some foaming. As to the effectiveness of Irish Moss? IDK, I have always used it. Some of my beers are very clear, others not so much??

 

[BHive]

I know most people comment that they can't tell if the moss actually clears it much or not and I wondered the same for a long time. But a few batches ago I made this Belgian blonde and it was very hazy. The next batch I made the exact same recipe again only that time I added the rehydrated moss, and it was much much more translucent almost zero haze at all. I know there will be folks that'll offer all kinds of ways the moss may have had nothing to do with it... but I'll just go ahead and keep adding it anyways