Irish Moss Or Gelatine

[Rod]

My reading tells me

irish moss goes in with the boil

gelatine goes in at bulk priming

do they behave in the same way

do they do the same job in removing haze etc

will irish moss flocculate the yeast

will gelatine flocculate the yeast

my thinking is along the lines of having enough yeast to carbonate my bottles

the posts on gelatine say there will still be enough yeast left to carbonate

who uses what and why

 

[ashley_leask]

I use Brewbrite in the kettle and gelatine in the keg. I used to filter but I don't anymore. I don't think it makes enough difference over what I'm doing now that it's worth the bother.

Edit: Brewbrite is a combined carageenan (same as Irish Moss) and Polyclar PVVP fining agent.

 

[Acasta]

Gday Rod,
Irish moss is designed for the boil, it attaches itself to the proteins in the wort and drags them down, leaving you with clear wort. The Irish moss does NOT work for yeast.
Gelatine on the other hand will attach to yeast and force it to be weighed down, it assists with flocculation.

You don't want to add gelatine at the time of bottling, you should add it a week earlier to assist with removing the yeast from suspension. You should be left with enough yeast to eat the priming sugar and carb your bottles no worries.

Hope that helps.

 

[NickB]

Another vote for BrewBrite - add 5 or so grams per single batch, haze problems a pretty much history. If you have issues, gelatine in either the crash-chill phase of primary/secondary or in the keg. Either way, beer might look hazy, but taste great!

Work out what is good for you and stick with it - you can go filter/no filter/filter/no filter etc as much as you want - at worst you loose a point in comps for clarity... Deal with it and make the beers you like!!

Cheers

 

[stef]

Definitely been covered a lot of times.
However:

No, they don't behave in the same way. Irish moss coagulates proteins (i think?) during the boil. Gelatine helps pull the yeast out of suspension after fermentation. So no, irish moss wont flocculate yeast, because there wont be any yeast in your boil.

Gelatine will help some of your yeast fall out of suspension. There will still be plenty left to carbonate, as you said, so not sure why you asked again.

I use Brewbrite in the kettle and thats it. Cos it works well and is easy to use.

 

[NickB]

+1 for stef

 

[super_simian]

Irish Moss
Or Carragheen,
Will flock boil protein;
Like sheep
To the bottom of your kettle.

While gelatine
Is used to clear
The trub and yeast left behind,
Once fermenting is o'er.

They are not interchangeable;
They perform different jobs.

Read more brewing information
And less poetry.

 

[Wolfy]

Read more brewing information
And less poetry.

This is a detailed and informative guide to the different types, purposes and roles of various beer finining agents:
http://www.practicalbrewing.co.uk/fining/index.html#fining
It's well worth the read and should answer all of the OP's questions.

 

[paulmclaren11]

I am looking for some advice as to my fining process...

I don't rack my beer until it goes into the keg so I have been adding gelatine to the primary fermenter, waiting a few days and then adding polyclar for a day or so and then kegging.

I am I better off adding the polyclar to the primary, kegging and then adding the gelatin?

My kegs don't always get chilled straight away as I can only fit 2 in my fridge.

Cheers.

 

[Dave70]

I use both. Then I crash chill.
Never had a problem carbing up even with a mighty 9.5% Belgian double.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

gelatin first then after the yeast has settled, polyclar. Polyclar works better when there is not a lot of yeast in suspension.

Oh, it'll still work no matter when you put it in, but it works most effectively and most quickly in yeast free cold beer. So you need less to do the same job.

Its really not so important as convenience though.... do what's easiest for you, the only difference will be few cents extra polyclar to get a similar result.

 

[DUANNE]

i use brew brite in the kettle and then at pitching i add clarity ferm from white labs. beer has never been so clear before.

 

[Rowy]

Brewbrite 15mins before end of boil.............no racking.................crash chill..............gelatine 2 or 3 days before kegging............can read the paper through my ales................I reckon its the brewbrite and crashing. The gelatine does make a difference but not heaps. Used to use polyclar b ut brewbrite kills it!

 

[doon]

I use brewbrite and gelatine and can see colour of what's on tv through ales

 

[Rowy]

If I try Doon I can see the tits of the weather girl through mine

 

[doon]

Haha I actually just looked again and thought hmmmm maybe not all colours but I do reckon it would reveal the weather girls titts

 

[Rowy]

I was talking about through her clothes

 

[doon]

X ray brewbrite!!

 

[Rowy]

Just use a whole pkt every brew Doon...........................You can see through clothes and I glow so much at night we have saved heaps on the power bill.............

 

[doon]

Haha nice I am always looking for tight arse ways to save on power bills