Is this a result of whirlfloc?

[drunkatuw]

I've never used whirlfloc before, but I saw it for relatively cheap at midwest supplies last weekend so I tried it in my batch this weekend.

This is what is in my carboys now:

I added 2 whirlfloc tablets at 15 min left in the boil. I've never seen the floating stuff in any of my other batches (well, more like suspended rather than floating) and I was wondering if that was because of the recipe (BierMuncher's Helles Belles) or if it's because of the whirlfloc?

 

[bradsul]

I may be wrong (I don't use whirlfloc) but aren't you only supposed to use 1/2 of one tablet for a 5 gallon batch? I know my irish moss tablets are that way and whirlfloc is supposed to be even better.

 

[Jaybird]

yep thats whirlfloc

 

[Yuri_Rage]

That's probably break material coagulated due to your use of Whirlfloc. It should settle out as time goes by. The instructions say to use one tablet per 5 gallons during the last 15 minutes of the boil, so I think you used it correctly.

 

[Professor Frink]

I get a much better cold break with whirlfloc than with irish moss. You can probably get by with 1/2 tablet per 5 gal., but one tablet is just fine.

 

[WBC]

Whirlfloc does a great job. That is the way it clears up the wort, by making everything clump up and fall to the bottom.

 

[doublegun]

I'd like to see that as it progresses. I'll have to try a brew with that.

 

[TheDom]

I too was amazed at the ungodly amount of stuff that just appeared the first time I used a whirfloc in my beer. Just think, all that stuff is no longer in your final product. Hooray for clarity!

 

[FSR402]

I have been using IM with a crash cool before kegging. But damn, after seeing this I will be switching. :rockin:

 

[Blender]

Whirfloc tablets work very well. There are a few things I can not really tell if it has an effect but after using these vs. irish moss it was apparent after my first use.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Got to love whirlfloc! Does a great job, and the tablet form is just about as easy as it gets (not that irish moss is exactly tedious to use, but still....)

It's kind of scary seeing such a huge amount of break material suspended in your wort at first, but it'll all be chewed up and/or settle out by the end leaving things quite clear.

 

[Beerthoven]

I love Whirlfloc, too. I've used it on my last 3 beers and the improvement in clarity is notable. Irish Moss never did anything for me.

 

[drunkatuw]

I'm hoping to wash and reuse this yeast, will the whirlfloc prevent that or make it any harder?

I didn't take a picture, but when I looked at the beer this morning, the junk in suspension had dropped about half way down, so I'm guessing in another day or two it will be sitting on the bottom of the carboy.

 

[Glibbidy]

I'm hoping to wash and reuse this yeast, will the whirlfloc prevent that or make it any harder?

No, it shouldn't effect your ability to harvest yeast.

BTW, I only use a half tab of whirlfoc per 10 gallon batch and it clears out beautifully.

 

[jdoiv]

You'll be able to wash the yeast just fine. I think one tablet is good for like 15 gallons. I use one on my 11 gallon batches and it does the trick. Also, it's best if used in the last 5 minutes of the boil. It looses its effectiveness if added earlier.

 

[z987k]

I don't use any special clearing agents and I see that as soon as the IC gets cold water running through it.

 

[Kai]

I think that this picture should be added to the wiki article for cold-break or for brewing additives.

 

[drunkatuw]

A little over 24 hours later

Krausen is forming and airlocks are starting to bubble. Probably should have started my starter more than 36 hours before pitching, but I think the yeasties will do their job. Lots of the cold break/whirlfloc stuff is dropping out of suspension.

Just to prove that it really is a light beer despite how dark it looks in the carboy, here's my hydro sample.

I was shooting for somewhere around 1.049, but ended up at 1.046, not too bad, about 71% efficiency.

 

[BierMuncher]

My 2-cents is that it's a combo of the whirfloc and the extreme cold ground water temp you used to chill.

I use Super Irish moss and the break depends on the time of year.

Here's a Kolsch from last February using the outdoor garden hose run through the IC.

 

[paranode]

My 2-cents is that it's a combo of the whirfloc and the extreme cold ground water temp you used to chill.

I use Super Irish moss and the break depends on the time of year.

Here's a Kolsch from last February using the outdoor garden hose run through the IC.

View attachment 4554

Holy cow that's a lot of junk. Was there any beer left?

 

[BierMuncher]

Holy cow that's a lot of junk. Was there any beer left?

By the end of fermentation, that stuff settled down to about 3/4 inch of compacted trub.

That was one fine, clean Kolsch.

 

[flylock_jac]

I too was amazed at the ungodly amount of stuff that just appeared the first time I used a whirfloc in my beer. Just think, all that stuff is no longer in your final product. Hooray for clarity!

I used it for the first time last night. When I transferred to my primary and started cleaning up ,I turned around and saw all the junk in suspension I almost panicked. Had to do a re-run of my brewing procedure in my head. Thought I had really messed up until I remembered adding the whirlfloc.
Watched the stuff settle in a couple hours. Now I can't wait to see the fished brew , should be crystal clear when done.

 

[IXVolt]

I bought a package of whirlfloc the other day, have always used IM. My next beer I plan on trying out the whirfloc. That is pretty amazing.

 

[Blindguardian]

I used some whirlfloc this past weekend and was overwhelmed at the amount of cold break that I had after the boil! I thought to my self... I hope there is some beer in there some where!

 

[DanVader]

it does the job.
results of a protein rest and whirfloc

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

it does the job.
results of a protein rest and whirfloc

Really good photo progression. I have seen the same when I use Whirlfloc.

 

[pdxben]

I just used Whirlfloc for the first time, and it is still active since I started the fermentation. It has been about three days, fermentation is still active, but slowing down, and I still have the coagulated clumps 'whirling' all around in my cardboy, is this common, or is something off? I added 1 tablet to my 5 gallons of wort instead of 1/2 tablet. I really hope I didn't screw up! Will it settle when my fermentation ends?

Also, how do you separate the coagulation from the yeast once it has settled?

And hey, this is my first post on this forum, so cheers!
-Ben

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

No worries, it will settle out. I recently started using whirlfloc, and experienced the same thing. After the most active part of fermentation settles down, all of those clumps will drop to the bottom and form a nice layer of trub.

 

[pdxben]

Thanks for the re-assurance! I guess I should follow the motto of 'Just relax, have a homebrew...'

So how do you separate the coagulation from the yeast once everything is settled? Do you just skim it off?

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I just use a siphon to rack the clear beer off the top, and leave the yeast/trub behind. I usually do this by starting the siphon 3-4" off the bottom, then lowering it right above the trub as the level of beer gets lower. This ensures that 99% of the trub is left behind, and doesn't go to the secondary/keg/bottles.