Irish moss

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big supper

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Hi,

I was thinking of including some Irish moss into my recipe for an APA this weeked. I will be dry hopping eventually with pellets. Will the dry hopping wreck the effects of the Irish moss?
 
a teaspoon of irish moss should be used in the last 15 min of the boil to help the crap in your wort settle out. I dont think it should be used in a recipe. Just my .02
 
big supper said:
Hi,

I was thinking of including some Irish moss into my recipe for an APA this weeked. I will be dry hopping eventually with pellets. Will the dry hopping wreck the effects of the Irish moss?

No, dry-hopping won't wreck the effects of the Irish moss. Irish moss is a fining agent that helps to clarify beer.

It doesn't sound as though you're familiar with Irish moss, but it imparts no flavor on a beer and is only used as a fining agent. Therefore, it's not really what I would consider an "ingrediant" in a recipe ... since I use it in every recipes except for wits and wheats.
 
Thanks. I know that it is for clarifying. When I used the word 'recipe' it was just refering to everything that I add during the brewing proccess.
 
What it does is help the proteins to precipitate out better. I've noticed that it really does work. I forget it about half the time- and I can tell when I do because the younger beers will be cloudier without it. It doesn't affect any hopping or other ingredients at all.
 
paranode said:
That's what I use also, couldn't be any easier.
Admittedly, I've never tried Whirfloc tablets, but I just add 1/2 tsp of Irish moss 15 minutes before the end of the boil with no rehydration. That also works fine.

-a.
 
I actually just toss my Irish moss in with the first hop addition. I tend to forget it less often that way, and I don't notice any difference whether I do it then or with 15 minutes left.

I haven't tried Whirlfloc, but I will!


TL
 
Actually dry hopping can mess up an otherwise nice clear beer. If you use Irish moss, it has done it's thing before going into the fermentor. When you dry hop, you are adding a small amount of proteins too, and these can lead to haze. If you go all out with the dry hopping you will likely end up with a hazy beer. If you only add an ounce, you might luck out, but my dry hopped beers always have a slight haze to them that isn't there in my non dry hopped beers. Maybe if they lasted longer they'd clear up more :drunk:
 
Just out of curiosity what is the shelf life of dry irish moss? My grandpa gave me some from his kit that looks old, but it is dry. Is it usable?
 
pjj2ba said:
Actually dry hopping can mess up an otherwise nice clear beer. If you use Irish moss, it has done it's thing before going into the fermentor. When you dry hop, you are adding a small amount of proteins too, and these can lead to haze. If you go all out with the dry hopping you will likely end up with a hazy beer. If you only add an ounce, you might luck out, but my dry hopped beers always have a slight haze to them that isn't there in my non dry hopped beers. Maybe if they lasted longer they'd clear up more :drunk:

That's very true, but it's the price you pay for the beer you choose.:rockin:

I make sure and fine my dry hopped beers with gelatin. The Irish moss helps in the kettle, and the gelatin helps in the secondary.


TL
 
I've heard that the longer the irish moss is in the boil the less effective it is. I've had great results adding either the im or whirfloc in at kettle knockout (end of boil and start of whirlpool).
 
Thanks Orfy, I will test some for slimability before tossing into my beer. (Blond ale from AHS 2 nd extract brew ).
 
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