Insinglass - anyone use it?

[bob1852]

has anyone used this stuff? I figured it would be acceptable to use fish stomach in JAOM.

Man this stuff smells (duh!), it wouldn't dissolve not matter how much I stirred it into a small amount of must, and now I have a weird Saturn-like orbit of small bits about 1-inch below the surface of the mead.

 

[wayneb]

I haven't used isinglass as a clarifier for at least 15 years, but I don't remember it having a funky smell. Instead I remember it as smelling somewhat like unflavored gelatine (with only the slightest hint of the aroma of beef bones, or fish heads simmering in a pot), and yes, it is a bear to dissolve.

Here's the problem -- it only works when it is fully rehydrated. I would dissolve it in plain (either distilled or at least boiled and then cooled) water by adding the powder to a Mason jar, adding a cup of water to the jar, sealing it up and then shaking the cr@& out of it until it became a semi-clear glop. Then I'd stir that into the must.

If it isn't fully dissolved, it won't dissolve on its own very well in your must and it won't work as expected. The undissolved bits won't hurt anything (you'll rack off of them eventually anyway) but they don't do their thing to bind with and drag down the haze-causing materials in your mead unless they are fully dissolved.

 

[borracho_brewer]

From what i've been told isinglass should not have that bad smell. If it smells fishy or stinky then it's not of the highest quality or it has been stored improperly.

Also, it's the lining of the swim bladder, not stomach ;P

 

[JVD_X]

I do use it but it certainly doesn't smell. Did you keep it refrigerated before using it?

 

[bob1852]

It was a brand new pack of BrewCraft insinglass and it has just a hint of fishy smell too it.

I'll still with sparkolloid as my fining stuff from now on.

 

[Brandon O]

no because i have vegans drinking my beer.

 

[malkore]

patience should get most mead to clarify anyhow. and my isinglass never had a noticable odor, let alone a 'stench'

 

[KatoBaggins]

I used insinglass in my beer in the past. I never noticed any fishy smell at all and never had any problems dissolving it.

I just bought some insinglass for my beer. It's also Brewcraft. I just opened in and it did have a very slight fish smell. Maybe because it's fresh?

Don't know, but I don't think it will matter.