Why Whirlfloc when I can gelatine?

[ramloese]

So I recently forgot to use Whirlfloc and everyone told me to relax and to use gelatine.

So my question is, why ever use whirlfloc?

 

[Jayjay1976]

I can only speak for myself, but I prefer to use whirlfloc or a pinch of Irish moss vs. adding jello to my beer. I guess the idea of jello beer is just hard to swallow!

 

[waldoar15]

I'd rather leave as much trub as possible behind in the kettle and only use gelatin on a rare hard to clear beer.

I imagine some people don't use anything.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I've never used whirlfloc or irish moss. I've used gelatin every time and love the results. There's so much info now that contradicts the old philosophy of leaving trub in the kettle. I throw everything in the fermenter, let it ferment out, start the cold crash to about 48-50*F, add gelatin and continue crashing to 38*F. I love the result I get from gelatin

 

[ramloese]

I've never used whirlfloc or irish moss. I've used gelatin every time and love the results. There's so much info now that contradicts the old philosophy of leaving trub in the kettle. I throw everything in the fermenter, let it ferment out, start the cold crash to about 48-50*F, add gelatin and continue crashing to 38*F. I love the result I get from gelatin

Do you add gelatine right at the cold crash? Or, do you wait for the target temp to reach?

 

[Rob2010SS]

I wait until it's at 48-50*F before adding gelatin. I'll usually turn the temp control down when I go to bed to go to 50 or so and in the morning it's there. I'll then add the gelatin using the Brulosophy method and turn the temp control down to 38 and let it go another 12-24 hours, depending on when I'm available to keg it.

 

[auburntsts]

I think the technical reason for wanting to use both is that they target different material and really aren't a substitute for one another in that regard:
-- Whirfloc (Irish Moss) is used to precipitate "break" material, IOW trub produced during the boil and subsequent cool down with the goal of producing as clear of wort as possible and minimize trub transfer to the fermenter.
-- Gelatin (fining agent) is primarily used post fermentation to flocculate yeast and proteins that you want to settle out of the final beer.

 

[brew703]

^^ what he says.
i use Whirlfloc for all brews and gelatin for most once i cold crash.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I think the technical reason for wanting to use both is that they target different material and really aren't a substitute for one another in that regard:
-- Whirfloc (Irish Moss) is used to precipitate "break" material, IOW trub produced during the boil and subsequent cool down with the goal of producing as clear of wort as possible and minimize trub transfer to the fermenter.
-- Gelatin (fining agent) is primarily used post fermentation to flocculate yeast and proteins that you want to settle out of the final beer.

That's actually awesome info, I did not know that about Whirlfloc/Irish Moss.

 

[homebrewer_99]

As stated above (without actually stating it), these products are used at different times in the process and for different reasons.

You can do a search if you want to read these articles:

Fining Beer Techniques by Chris Colby (BYO site)

Fining Agents – Improving Beer Clarity by Brad Smith (12/30/2008)

 

[Dcpcooks]

I've never used whirlfloc or irish moss. I've used gelatin every time and love the results. There's so much info now that contradicts the old philosophy of leaving trub in the kettle. I throw everything in the fermenter, let it ferment out, start the cold crash to about 48-50*F, add gelatin and continue crashing to 38*F. I love the result I get from gelatin

I’m curious, what new information that contradicts leaving trub in the kettle are you referring too?

 

[Rob2010SS]

A lot of where I've seen it is experience from other brewers. Just do a quick search on trub vs no trub and you'll see a lot of people don't separate trub from the fermenter. The one I find really interesting is brulosophy's test. Couple of links for examples...

http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php?topic=12127.0

http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-great-trub-exbeeriment-results-are-in/

Now, am I saying there's strong, scientific evidence to NOT separate trub? No, never said that and if I implied it, my apologies. Did not mean to come off that way. A lot of it is going to be personal preference, I believe. Unless something is in a fermenter for a long time, I can't recall hearing about anyone who had negative effects from trub in the fermenter.

Still a noob, so I could be way off base. This is where I stand on it currently though.

 

[Oneiroi]

A less technical answer... but I avoid gelatin because have several vegetarian friends who regularly drink my beer.

I don’t have many clarity issues just using whirlfloc and serving cold so haven’t felt the need to look into the vege gelatin alternatives much but iirc they don’t work the same way.

 

[auburntsts]

I use both as I try to make mine as clear as possible (whirfloc, attention to detail when transferring and racking, cold crash, and use gelatin, etc), however my unscientific research leads me to believe cold crashing and fining agents are more for show than anything as I can't detect a difference in taste.

As to how trub impacts anything I can't say as I've always minimized its transfer, but I'm of the opinion that at least for small batches it probably doesn't matter. All I know for sure is I just don't want to drink it. YMMV...

 

[Yooper]

I never used gelatin, just in case I serve beer to a vegetarian friend or someone not expecting meat products in a beer.

However, I use whirlfloc in the kettle (when I remember, which is most of the time), and my beer is so clear you can read a newspaper through it.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I never used gelatin, just in case I serve beer to a vegetarian friend or someone not expecting meat products in a beer.

However, I use whirlfloc in the kettle (when I remember, which is most of the time), and my beer is so clear you can read a newspaper through it.

@Yooper So, not using gelatin, do you only transfer clear wort to the fermenter or do you dump trub in fermenter? The gelatin gets me beer that I can also read a newspaper through it, but if I don't need to do it, that saves a step.

 

[Yooper]

I transfer just about everything except the thickest sludge. Generally, 10.5 out of 10.75ish gallons in the kettle. BUT- I make a ton of IPAs, and the last one had 13 ounces of hops in the kettle, all pellet hops, so there was a ton of hop debris. If there is just general hot break and cold break, it all goes in. I have a CFC, so the cold break always has to go in no matter way, because it forms after the CFC.

I wrote an article a long time ago that talks about the advantages of a good hot break and a good cold break in the kettle and beer clarity, and it may be helpful: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/clear-wort-clear-beer.html

 

[homebrewer_99]

Like many here, I whirlpool in the brew pot, let sit for 5-10 mins, them open the drain to rack into the primary.

The only difference is I put a nylon screen on the bucket and it catches everything coming from the pot.

As the cleared wort flows into the primary it also gets aerated.

 

[ncbrewer]

-- Whirfloc (Irish Moss) is used to precipitate "break" material, IOW trub produced during the boil and subsequent cool down with the goal of producing as clear of wort as possible and minimize trub transfer to the fermenter.

That's my understanding also. But recently I increased the amount of Irish Moss. I got a lot more curds in the fermenter - it was very pronounced. I don't separate the trub - just pour it into the fermenter. So it seems that the Irish Moss also precipitates break material in the fermenter.