Holy Whirfloc, Batman

[HelperMunkee]

First time using whirfloc, loved it!!!

I used to use Irish Moss with ok results. I was very surprised with the amount of break in the kettle (much, much, much more than with IMoss).

Does anyone make allowances for this? By that I mean adding more water to the boil, or allowing the wort to settle longer. Currently I whirlpool and let it sit 10 Min before siphoning to carboy; but still I was left with way too many precipitates.

Let me know what you guys are doing, I feel like I lost about 3/4 of a gallon of wort because I stopped the siphon when I got down to the break/sediment. I boil 6.5-6.75 gallons (full boil).

 

[chode720]

I love whirlfloc too! The stuff is great!

I compensate by having my post boil volume at 5.5 gallons, but I also dump all the trub/break materials into the primary. By the time it ferments and ages for 3-4 weeks, all of that material settles out and I am able to get ~5 gallons into my keg.

I know a lot of people filter that material out, but after 3-4 weeks in the primary, my beer is crystal clear and no flavor issues

 

[FullDraw]

+1. I recently became a fan myself. I never really cared about clarity, but wow. This stuff is good at what it does. I'll be using it on the lighter brews. I too have been transfering everything and haven't had a problem.

 

[chrisknight]

The stuff does work well... BUT, not as well as I thought it would. Of course, I don't cold crash either...
I plan to still use Whirlfloc in the boil and gelatin in the secondary from now on, changing the way I brew and cold crashing in my fermentation chamber. I guess now I have to get another temp controller.

 

[MonkeyWrench]

I was going to get Whirlfloc tabs, but the LHBS guy talked me into the Irish Moss based on price (cheaper for me). Do I ever regret that. The Irish Moss gets stuck in my IC and I have to pick it out from between the tubes with a tooth pick.

Now I have a ton of Irish Moss and at .25t per batch, it's going to last me a long time.

 

[chrisknight]

I was going to get Whirlfloc tabs, but the LHBS guy talked me into the Irish Moss based on price (cheaper for me). Do I ever regret that. The Irish Moss gets stuck in my IC and I have to pick it out from between the tubes with a tooth pick.

Now I have a ton of Irish Moss and at .25t per batch, it's going to last me a long time.

I had that problem too before I went to the Shirron chiller. IMO, the whirlfloc works better than irish moss.

 

[RLinNH]

Been using Whirlflock now for about 3-4 years. Switched over from Irish Moss. Got a few FOGS that I'll be e-mailing this thread to. "That **** ain't no better then Irish Moss, blah blah blah...".

Great Thread!!!

 

[TokyoRoad]

Been using Whirlflock now for about 3-4 years. Switched over from Irish Moss. Got a few FOGS that I'll be e-mailing this thread to. "That **** ain't no better then Irish Moss, blah blah blah...".

Great Thread!!!

Whirfloc *is* Irish Moss.

 

[Lodovico]

I like it a lot as well and I was going to comment that it IS Irish Moss. I have a commercial brewer friend that told me 1 tablet is plenty for at least 3 batches if you want them to last longer.

1 tablet for a 5 gallon batch is overkill but it's good to sell more product I guess

 

[RLinNH]

I've always used 2 Tabs per 5 gallon Batch. And yes, Whirlflock is Irish Moss, on Steroids.

 

[Montanaandy]

"I have a commercial brewer friend that told me 1 tablet is plenty for at least 3 batches if you want them to last longer. "

Interesting. I am going to split my Whirfloc tabs in 1/2. Thanks for the tip. Montanaandy

 

[2-0turbo]

One thing to add a beer clarity. I'm not sure how long people are leaving their beer in the fermenters or secondaries, but I think more is better for beer clarity. The third kit I ever brewed was an Octane IPA from Midwest. It was an extract kit with steeping grains and I didn't use any Irish moss. Due to a back injury, I brewed this beer, got injured and let the beer sit in the primary on the yeast for 14-weeks. It turned out fantastic! It is the clearest beer I've ever made (see caveat above) and I would swear it was filtered.

As I sit here and write this, my Mild Mannered ale is looking at me from across the room. The FG told me last week it was time to bottle, but I just figured I would wait another week or so and let the yeast continue to settle out and clear the beer a bit. Granted, I don't have the capability to cold crash, but I think just letting the beer sit around another week or month, or whatever can do it no harm.

 

[frolickingmonkey]

In my experience, Whirlfloc definitely works better than plain ol' Irish moss.

As for dosage, I read some instructions somewhere that called for only using 1/2 a tablet per 5 gallon batch. This is what I have been doing since switching to Whirlfloc 4 batches ago, and it works wonders.

 

[Brew-boy]

In my experience, Whirlfloc definitely works better than plain ol' Irish moss.

As for dosage, I read some instructions somewhere that called for only using 1/2 a tablet per 5 gallon batch. This is what I have been doing since switching to Whirlfloc 4 batches ago, and it works wonders.

I also have heard from JP@morebeer that only a half tab is required for a 5 gallon batch as well.

 

[Brewerforlife]

Indeed, a 1/2 tablet is plenty with a 1.050 or less wort. A higher gravity wort would benefit from the full tablet.The commercial rate from manufacture reads as this:
[ Whirlfloc T is a semi-refined kettle fining agent processed in a conveniant rapidly
dissolving tablet form. Use two tablets per barrel per 10 degrees plato/ 1.040 SG in
last 15 min. of boil ]. This equals to 1/3 tablet per 5 Gal. batch/ 1.040 gravity wort.
So I think 1/2 to 1 tablet per 5 gal. is about right, IMHO. Hope this helps. Cheers!!!

 

[iasquith]

I've been using whirlflock sucsessfully now for a good while , half a tab for five gallons seems just fine .
recently I wanted to try siphoning the wort off the top of the keggle as opposed to draining from the bottom, which is what i've done in the past, just that when I tried to do this I noticed there was clouds of trub in suspension and I had a difficult time siphoning between the clouds as it were,
My process is add whirlfock 15 mins before flameout, then stir to whirlpool, then let sit 20 mins before chilling ( immersion) siphon.
My question is would it be better creating the whirlpool 20 mins after flameout when the wort is not so hot so that I could draw off of the clear liquor?
thanks guys

 

[Houblon]

1/2 tablet for 5gal is perfect, I like to crush the tablet into powder before adding.

 

[Netflyer]

I always chill my wort w/out regard to any whirlpool until she is chilled... I usually leave my S.S. spoon in during the chill so it stays clean with the chilled wort. That said I do swirl the chiller around during the chilling process but I wouldn't consider that a whirlpool... I then remove my chiller when the wort is 68 and with the spoon that is still in the wort I whirlpool, so basically this is 20 min after the boil when the wort is chilled. I then let it sit covered for 15-20 min. Then rack from the edge or open the valve on the kettle and xfer to the primary.

I use Whirlfloc at the rate of 1 tab per 5.5 gal at 15 min left, but I've read where you can use 1/2 and some people use 2. Now that said, I have also read where you can use too much Irish Moss... I don't know how much is too much but that should be considered at least.

I also use straight Irish Moss at the rate of 1 tsp per 5 at 15 min if I'm not going to use or I'm out of whirlfloc.

Whirlfloc is Irish moss with other binders, Irish moss is red algae - in case you didn't know. If anyone wants to buy Irish Moss in bulk check Amazon for great prices. You can then be seen putting a clump of algae in your kettle and really freak out your audience.