~Irish Moss Question~

[davidstark]

Well i found a source of Irish moss on the internet in my area.
This Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus) sold as a powder, this fact can cause any problems? I mean its ok to buy and use it for my brewing?
And when actually i add it? Boiling, Primary or secondary?

Also there said that this powder from upper parts of the plants.

 

[johnnybutt35]

Well i found a source of Irish moss on the internet in my area.
This Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus) sold as a powder, this fact can cause any problems? I mean its ok to buy and use it for my brewing?
And when actually i add it? Boiling, Primary or secondary?

Also there said that this powder from upper parts of the plants.

Irish Moss is actually a seaweed. its fine to use it for brewing, i do it all the time. you will add a teaspoon to the last 15 min of your boil. from my understanding it doesnt actually start taking effect until it cools down in your primary but you have to add it to the last 15 of the boil to more or less activate it i believe. but yes quite fine to use just make sure you use a teaspoon in the last 15. on my first brew i didnt know to only use a teaspoon and put in a full ounce. doesnt hurt it but you may loose some head retention if you put in more.

 

[Yooper]

I just read a couple of articles on the powdered chrondrus crispus. I'm not sure that's what you want. Apparently, that is used as a thickener. What you want is the dried stuff- it causes the proteins to coagulate and drop out of the beer, to clarify it. I'm not sure that the powder would be the same.

If you can find dry Irish moss, can you find Whirlfloc? Whirlfloc is the same thing, but in a tablet form and it works really well in the boil.

 

[davidstark]

Thanks to you two!!

This Whirlfloc, when acctually i add it?
I think ill use irish moss because i didnt find Whirlfloc in my country...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The powdered stuff is fine to use. 5 Star markets theirs as SuperMossHB. It's Irish Moss in a purified, powder concentrate form.

Per SuperMoss instructions you add 1/4tsp to a volume of water and rehydrate for 15 minutes prior to adding to the last 15 minutes of the boil.

I use an old, cleaned pickle jar (small one), add the water, add the 1/4tsp IM, and shake the hell out of it. I Like that there is nothing left behind in the kettle personally.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I just read a couple of articles on the powdered chrondrus crispus. I'm not sure that's what you want.

Now Yoop, you know I love ya honey but, what the hell do you think Gelatin is for?

Yeah. The actual form of the cell is helical and has an opposing charge to that of the proteins in the wort (forget which charge). as the wort cools the spirals start to constrict and trap the proteins. Eventually it all becomes too heavy to stay in suspension and drops out.

The boil causes the moss to go into solution but, it isn't really effective until the wort gets to 65*F and lower. It's meant to do the majority of it's work in the fermenter.