Irish moss??

[triplehops]

What are your thoughts on Irish Moss. Yes, I want clear beer (as much as i can) which is why I like to place my batch into my second fermenter. But I am also hearing that Irish Moss can help as you place it in your boil towards the end and it helps to grab proteins,.... Thoughts? What else can help clear your home brew?

 

[jethro55]

It works great! Just put a spoonful into the boil with 10 or 15 minutes left to go.

 

[STEVESKI]

Interested to hear the experts thoughts on this as well. I also found Whirlfloc tablets which are supposed to do the same thing, but seem a lot easier to use. I was planning on ordering one or the other with my next kit.

 

[cluckk]

I use Irish Moss in every beer to encourage a good cool break. It helps to take a lot of material out of suspension. Follow the instructions on the bottle because I have heard (though never experienced) that too much can impart an iodine flavor to your beer.

 

[gcdowd]

I throw in 1 tsp in the last 10 min of the boil for all my lighter beers. My beers are crystal clear. On a few batches I actually forgot to add it but my beers still came out clear. :rockin:

 

[triplehops]

i was just readying on whirlfloc. both natural. comes in tablet form...

 

[kombat]

I use 1 tsp of Irish Moss with 10 minutes left in the boil (goes in at the same time as my chiller). I also cold-crash and treat w/ gelatin for a week. My beers are crystal clear.

 

[Beergazzi]

Is there a point of 'clearing a beer too much' if bottle carbing is expected? Irish Moss is only going to drop proteins, and not yeast correct?

Gelatin will drop everything? as will cold crashing???

If I did (for arguments sake) all of these things would I have issues with carbonation? I assume I'll pick up some of the 'trub' moving the beer to the bottling bucket, but I guess I simply dont know how clear is too clear for bottling?

 

[triplehops]

Is there a point of 'clearing a beer too much' if bottle carbing is expected? Irish Moss is only going to drop proteins, and not yeast correct?

Gelatin will drop everything? as will cold crashing???

If I did (for arguments sake) all of these things would I have issues with carbonation? I assume I'll pick up some of the 'trub' moving the beer to the bottling bucket, but I guess I simply dont know how clear is too clear for bottling?

great question!! I was so sold on doing all of this with the addition of a gelitan or polyclar but that might take too much yeast out.....which gives you bottling issues with carbonation.....so people say that you should add a little yeast when you bottle......I want to keep it clean, but simple!! i am brewing this weekend and will try the Irish moss only.....then experiment with gelitans...

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

There will be plenty of yeast still in suspension for carbonating even after using both Irish Moss and gelatin, no worries. Just make sure to give it a full 3-4 weeks in the bottle at 70F and you should be good.

You are correct - Irish moss drops proteins out of the boil; gelatin will drop out a lot of stuff including yeast. Gelatin will not drop out so much yeast as to make it sterile; there will still be sufficient yeast floating around to do the job of priming.

If you let your beer sit in primary for a *long* time, you might have a sluggish carbonation, but unless you are brewing a massive beer I don't think you need to worry about that much.

 

[brewlong1]

What would define as "long" time sitting in primary or secondary before bottling?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

What would define as "long" time sitting in primary or secondary before bottling?

Something on the order of several months to years I would guess - I've never had anything in the fermenter that long. Hopefully someone who has can chime in.

Even then you might have dormant (not dead) yeast sitting in bottom of the fermenter, ready to go if roused and given some sugar to work on. If you're worried about having enough yeast you could siphon a little trub into your priming bucket on bottling day just to make sure you have some yeasts.

 

[malweth]

I've never used gelatin, just Irish Moss. Never had clarity issues in standard beers...

 

[grainbill]

been using the moss in all batches, cept the first brew, last 27 yrs. Great stuff. Little pinch between cheek and gum ain't bad either. Seaweed cures many ills....

 

[winterc]

I've used gelatin, and it pulled a bit of the hops characteristics out of the beer the time that I did. It saves time if you don't have a month for primary, but there are consequences.

 

[triplehops]

thanks for all the Irish moss answers....and gelitan. I am brewing my second batch today (a torpedoe version of SN) and will try the moss.

 

[triplehops]

tried the Irish moss last night on my batch....it does work. clumps on the bottom of the pot. I have a strainer on my funnel and did find it difficult to pour into my carboy.....maybe because it grabs and collated all those proteins? just my thought.
LB

 

[unionrdr]

I never needed any fining agents in my AE beers with high flocculation yeasts to clear them. But some yeasts are low to medium flocculation,so it's a little harder to let them sit 3-4 weeks before bottling to get clear beers.
Doubly so with some liquid yeasts & the fine crush needed for my partial mash BIAB. The real fine silty floury stuff wants to stay in suspension a long time.
So I ordered some Five Star Super Moss,1/4tsp at 10 minutes left in the boil. As soon as I can bottle a current batch to wash the WL029 yeast for my next batch,I'll be trying the super moss to get it to clear a lot sooner. All those dissolved proteins make chill haze at bottling time easier to get & harder to deal with. Even after 2 weeks fridge time,they're still a lil hazy.
Hence,the super moss should solve these problems.

 

[triplehops]

i had read that 1 tablespoon was needed (regular moss). so thats what i used. whoops?

 

[unionrdr]

Seems to me the regular moss used 1tsp...But the super moss is concentrated,using only 1/4tsp.

 

[brewlong1]

Can I add Irish moss to the secondary? I am thinking I will boil a tsp of moss in a cup of water for ten mins, cool, and dump in secondary? Will this help me clear the beer I have in secondary?

 

[BamaProud]

I don't think so, it has to be boiled from what I understand.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I've noticed that they all have to be boiled a short time to get them to work properly. Otherwise,both my current batches would get some.

 

[pannell77]

i use whirfloc tablet on almost every brew and cold crash for a couple days before kegging/bottling and my beers have been coming out super clear. I used irish moss but the tablets were just easier to drop in and not really that much more expensive

 

[krenshaw]

i sometimes use irish moss, only when i remember.. really only using it once in a while to get rid of the small quantity that i have.. i've found by sitting in the fermenter for at least 3 weeks clears the beer just as well.. i do 3 batches of beer a day when i get to brew, so one less step is graciously needed

 

[unionrdr]

But with my experiences in PM thus far,it seems that the grains leave a lot more proteins in suspension. Chill haze is pretty strong,taking 3 weeks fridge time to settle out. Hence my decision to buy the Super Moss. Between that & a worn capper bell,I was loosing hop flavor waiting for the bottles to carb up,then to clear in the fridge. The super agata bench capper & super moss should fix these.
I guess with PM & AG,you have to clear them up yourself,since my AE batches work just fine in this regard given time alone.