Irish Moss

[PintMan]

What the heck does Irish Moss do to a beer?

I'm thinking about adding it to my Stout. Also when would I add it?

Thanks guys!

[sullydavid]

Irish Moss will help make your beer look a little more clear. I am not a big guy on apearance but have been using it since a friend gave me a big bag of it. For me it is just not that big of a deal.

Anyway add it with about 15 minutes left in your boil and it will help pull some proteins out of suspension. No effect on taste, at least none that I have noticed or heard of (too small of amount I would think).

[Tweek]

there is not much use for it in stouts. Stouts are so dark that you cant really notice how clear they are.

[PintMan]

Thanks guys, this board rocks!!

[Beerconnoisseur]

I'd recommend Whirlfloc tablets (http://www.morebeer.com/detail.php3?pid=FIN25) instead of (or in addition to) using Irish Moss. They really are much better.

[toneyc]

Originally posted by Beerconnoisseur
I'd recommend Whirlfloc tablets (http://www.morebeer.com/detail.php3?pid=FIN25) instead of (or in addition to) using Irish Moss. They really are much better.

WhirlFloc tablets are concentrated Irish Moss, no need to use both. I have been very happy with the performance of the whirlfloc tablets. No need to measure out Irish Moss, just toss in a tablet!

:)
Toney.

[Tweek]

I never measure out my irish moss either. I just buy a big bag of it and everytime I want to use it I just reach in and grab a large pinch.

[brewmonkey]

Using to much Irish moss can create a problem with head retention.

[Tweek]

really? How much is too much?

[brewmonkey]

The dosage shoudl be determined by the manufacturer, as each product is different. I use whirlfloc (powdered form) and only add .1oz per bbl.

Overuse can strip out some of the essential proteins that are needed for head retention. Kind of a catch 22, not enough and you can get a chill haze to much and you get no head retention.

[jstrausss]

why dosn't a clear beer mean much to alot of poeple on this site. I know its not a big deal is having a great tasting beer , and a good smell to it is nice but seeing a great tasting clear beer seems so cool to have . Any time its got the chill haze I'm not completely satisfied that it being the best brew.

[Tweek]

depending on the style it can mean a lot to me. I like my pales and pilsners to be crystal clear. It adds a certain level of satisfaction for me.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by jstrausss
why dosn't a clear beer mean much to alot of poeple on this site. I know its not a big deal is having a great tasting beer , and a good smell to it is nice but seeing a great tasting clear beer seems so cool to have . Any time its got the chill haze I'm not completely satisfied that it being the best brew.

I am a complete package kind of brewer. I like my beers to not just taste great but to look the lart as well. Part of the experience of drinking the beer is, "does this look appealing to me?" If I cannot say "yes" then I am biased before it ever hits my palate.

While I am not a beer snob by any means, I am the guy who will send a beer back if it comes without the proper head on it or if the appearance is off in anyway.

[jstrausss]

Thats what I'm talking about . I thought I was the only one. Of course brewmonkey put it alot better. There was a similare post about clearity and it seemed like a good percentage of people didn't really care to much. It just seems like one of the bigger parts of brewing a great glass of home brew . I can't even drink any beer straight out of the bottle anymore . I have to look at it before taking my first mouthful. I look, smell then taste - Good stuff :)

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by brewmonkey
I am a complete package kind of brewer. I like my beers to not just taste great but to look the lart as well. Part of the experience of drinking the beer is, "does this look appealing to me?" If I cannot say "yes" then I am biased before it ever hits my palate.

While I am not a beer snob by any means, I am the guy who will send a beer back if it comes without the proper head on it or if the appearance is off in anyway.

I can understand the importance of appearance, but sometimes it's COOL to have a less clear look to the beer IMHO. Bell's Two Hearted Ale has this syrupy liquid floating in it that I can only assume is unboiled hop juice... it's a little eerie, but it certainly adds to the effect!

Beers like Harpoon's UnFiltered Offering and Odell's Sunshine Wheat certainly have a cloudy look to them. The brewers say that this is because they are going for a certain flavor. Are they accurate, or just lazy? ;)

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by jstrausss
Thats what I'm talking about . I thought I was the only one. Of course brewmonkey put it alot better. There was a similare post about clearity and it seemed like a good percentage of people didn't really care to much. It just seems like one of the bigger parts of brewing a great glass of home brew . I can't even drink any beer straight out of the bottle anymore . I have to look at it before taking my first mouthful. I look, smell then taste - Good stuff :)

You've learned! It's BETTER out of a glass. Tell your friends!

[DreamWeaver]

OK... Dumb question time. I had a question about Irish Moss or clearer Homebrew and read all the previous replys here in Extracts, but now I'm confused. I just read in J Palmers book about adding finings, and then he added ... "And if you are all-grain brewing, use Irish Moss." Is Irish Moss just for all grain recipes only? Do extracts even need Irish Moss? -DRWeaver-

[MARK123]

Clarity means nothing to me. It's all about the taste..If it tatse good why bother wuth how it looks???????

[toneyc]

Well.... I don't know, but I have used Irish Moss or Whirlfloc in every batch of beer I've made over the last three years, except those that I forgot :-), whether they were extract, all-grain, stouts, or pales. I think what got me was the guy I watched the first time I ever saw anyone brew beer said to me that Irish Moss was what took his beer up to being something he could share rather than just something only he would drink.

:)
Toney.

[mmmBeer...]

Like Toney, I have always used Irish Moss. Pap’s book lists it in all recipes…so I just automatically use it. The only exception is my hefe’s since the beer is cloudy from the yeast I don’t see any point in putting it in, as I doubt the protein haze would be discernable from the yeast haze, so why waste it?

[brewmonkey]

Why use it? Because it will precipitate proteins that can inhibit fermentation, head formation and present a turbid beer. It does not have to be used and good beer is made all the time without it.

However look at it this way. Our job as craft/homebrewers is to win people over to our side and that is most likely not going to be happening if they see a turbid beer. I personally as I said before like my beer to be clear, it is another step in the process and another pat on the back when the product is ready and clear.

[mmmBeer...]

Hmmm, maybe I'll try it with my next hefe then and see what results I get...the head retention is already pretty good...so we'll see.

Like I said the hefe is the only beer I haven't used it in...but I'll give it a try!

[DreamWeaver]

I have used Irish Moss in my last 2 extract/kit batches just... because. It just brought up a question in my mind that reading Charlie Papazian's Book too, he does not use Irish Moss in the intermediate (extract/steeping) section in his recipes but in the all-grain section he includes it in his recipes. I just wondered if it was necessary in extract brewing. Like watching my neighbor wax his new Vette... the one with the the no-wax acrylic clear coat. Why? -DRWeaver-

[mortong]

Even with extract, I've noticed a considerable improvement in clearing with Irish Moss. I'd say extract beers could use all they help they can get. ;)

Maybe he doesn't include it because it's just one more step to complicate things? I don't know, but I'm glad I use it now.