Irish moss vs gelatin finishing

[Allsup]

Okay, Here's my first question for the HBT veterans.

I'm getting ready to start a Cerveza from a Kit. One kit tip says I can use Irish moss to make the beer clearer. There wasn't any Irish moss in the kit, so I would need to reorder some. I've also read that you can use gelatin to finish your beer. Which I can find locally. Is there a benefit to either technique?
Thanks, Paul

 

[jturie]

I do both. Throw in a Whirlfloc tablet (basically the same as irish mosss) last 15 minutes of the boil. Then, after I keg (or, if you bottle, after you rack to your bottling bucket), I throw in Knox unflavored gelatin. Dump a packet into about a cup of water, let sit for 10-15 minutes, heat up to 180 or so (that is, don't boil it!), stir to mix, and let it cool off or stick it in an ice bath. I usually do this about 30min before I keg/bottle.

If I had to choose between one or the other, I'd definitely do the irish moss, but it would suck to order a 2 buck packet online and pay 8 bucks for shipping. Just grab it with your next batch order.

 

[Rhoobarb]

I do both. ...

Same here.

 

[akthor]

Is Irish moss something all beers would benefit from? Saw a 1 lb package of it at my LHBS and it was pretty cheap I was thinking about asking on here if I should get it and add it to all me brews?

 

[ArcaneXor]

Is there a benefit to either technique?
Thanks, Paul

They do different things. Irish moss binds proteins, gelatin mostly binds yeast and causes it to flocculate.

 

[Allsup]

Thanks guys,
Looks like I'll just have to "fine" the brew with gelatin this time around.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Both is the way to go for sure. One or the other can get you pretty clear beer, but using whirlfloc in the kettle and gelatin in the carboy after cold crashing gets me brilliantly clear beer every time.

 

[Toecutter]

I have been filtering with a 1 micron filter from a pressurized corney to an empty one . its kind of a pain, and it looks like from this post the irish moss is the way to go. what happens to the stuff it binds with ?? where does it go ?? to the bottom of the corney keg ??

 

[ArcaneXor]

I have been filtering with a 1 micron filter from a pressurized corney to an empty one . its kind of a pain, and it looks like from this post the irish moss is the way to go. what happens to the stuff it binds with ?? where does it go ?? to the bottom of the corney keg ??

Irish Moss is used in the boil, ideally in a purified form like Whirlfloc. It causes the proteins to settle to the bottom of the kettle and fermentor. The trub should never make its way into a keg, unless you are fermenting in one.

 

[Indyking]

Just out of curiosity... is your Cerveza kit from coopers? It's drinkable beer but it does not taste like any Mexican beer I ever had, granted, I think I have tasted only Mexican lagers and the coopers kit I'm talking about is an ale.

 

[Allsup]

No, it's not Coopers. It's a Kit from homebrew pro shop in Olatha, KS. It uses Briess Pilsen light malt, Muntons Ale yeast and some other grains and hops.

 

[Paramecium]

Is Irish moss something all beers would benefit from? Saw a 1 lb package of it at my LHBS and it was pretty cheap I was thinking about asking on here if I should get it and add it to all me brews?

Any beer you want clear, I'm not sure you'd want to use it on a hefe or something of that nature.

 

[Toecutter]

Irish Moss is used in the boil, ideally in a purified form like Whirlfloc. It causes the proteins to settle to the bottom of the kettle and fermentor. The trub should never make its way into a keg, unless you are fermenting in one.

I use a brewing bucket with a spigot on the bottom. i usually dump the 1st cup or so before draining to the Corney to prevent clogging. will the Irish moss/geletan bind up the solids so they wont clog the spigot while draining ??