The Irish Moss Effect | xBmt Results!

[Brulosopher]

I've used Irish moss in nearly all of my beers since I started homebrewing as a matter of course, though I was always curious when I'd forget to use it and my beers would still come out clear. Does it even matter? I finally got around to testing this one out!

http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/16/the-irish-moss-effect-exbeeriment-results/

Cheers!

 

[cernst151]

I've always wondered this too. I generally use it in all of my lighter colored beers but haven't noticed a substantial difference in clarity when I've forgotten. Then again, I've never done 2 batches of the same recipe, one with and one without, so I can't really be sure.

 

[giraffe]

Interesting experiment, especially the head retention, thanks for doing it. I also get noticeably better head retention in my tests when I do a protein rest at 131, even with well modified malt. I forget the rationale for why this might be the case, but in my unscientific tests there was a clear difference (i.e. not double blind, just the same recipe brewed twice) I think there is supposed to be some relation to long chain proteins and poor head retention.

I do have concerns though about how cloudy these beers are without fining, at least in the pictures. I dont fine with gelatin and usually (i.e. not a wit or heavily dry hopped) after 2 weeks in the keg at 34 degrees the beers are clear enough to read writing through, which they dont appear to be in the pictures. I wonder why that is the case, and whether some other part of your process is effecting results.

 

[HiImBrian]

Very interesting and well done experiment! Thanks for sharing

 

[SnakeRidge]

Thanks for doing these. I appreciate your rigor