Does Irish Moss affect the look of fermentation?

[Ponduke]

Sunday I brewed two 5 gallon batches of beer. The first was a Fat Tire clone, the second a Brown Porter. Both are somewhat similar in ABV, hop rate etc. The biggest difference was I added Irish Moss to the clone and forgot to add it for the Porter and used different yeasts. I got them both to 68 degrees and dry pitched US-05 in the clone and US-04 in the porter. I used blow-off tubes on both.

With the clone, the one with the Irish moss, the yeast quickly formed small clumps on the top that gradually got larger as fermentation began, with the Porter the top of the beer was totally clear soon after pitching. The clone showed signs of active fermentation first, but the Porter soon overtook it. Eventually, after about 30 hours or so both were fermenting like crazy. The porter was blowing off krausen first, followed by the clone 12 hours or so later. Major blow-off too! I’m glad I have the carboys in my tub as the foam was overflowing out of the water bucket and covering the floor of the bathtub!

The difference I’m curious about it the difference in the look of the ferment. The Porter krauzen is clean, smooth, white foam, like the head of a nicely poured beer, whereas the clone with the Irish moss, is lumpy and speckeled with brown color and just generally dirty looking, and there are many bits of whitish things, clumps of yeast I presume, swirling around in the beer. These clumps are not in the porter.

I’m certainly not worried about anything, but am simply curious as to why there is such a difference in the look of the fermentation. I’m assuming it has to do with the Irish moss, but also wonder if the two different strains of yeast could be playing a role. Though I’d see what y’all think. (Not yet a contributing member, will be soon, but not yet, so pictures aren’t an option, so I hope I’ve explained things enough.)

 

[mmb]

Option D: All of the above.

Yeast, Irish moss, different ingredients, and SG all effect what you see. Even if everything was the same the two fermentions could look different just because yeast is a living thing and will ferment differently depending on all sorts of factors.

 

[Homercidal]

These are two different beers. They will look different while fermenting even not considering the use of Irish moss. Will it make a difference? Possibly, but probably not right away. It will help clarify the beer, so perhaps over time, the one using the Irish Moss will be clearer sooner.

 

[TeleTwanger]

that brown crap is hot break, proteins, resins and other crap you don't want in the beer so the Irish Moss is doing it's thang...I've forgoten to add Irish Moss/Whirfloc enough times to conclude that it works.