Whirlfloc fail

[carrisr]

I've tried using Whirlfloc on about half of my batches and I'm fairly convinced it makes it harder to keep trub out of my fermenter, which was the opposite of what I'd expect. I was wondering if others use it and what their experience has been.

For me, it does seem to cause a lot of "stuff" to clump together, but rather than quickly settling to the bottom of the brew pot after the boil, it floats in a thick mass and takes a lot longer to settle out. It also seems to interfere with the whirlpool effect (I manually whirlpool with a spoon).

Yesterday I let the cooled wort sit for 30 minutes and the mass was still floating about 2-3 inches from the bottom. It made it impossible to get the beer out of there without taking almost all of the trub with it.

So I end up with more gunk in the fermenter, which does the same thing there. It takes a lot longer to settle out than when I don't use Whirlfloc. It also has had no effect on the clarity of my finished beers.

Does anyone find this stuff to be useful?

[tony b]

I've never used it, so I can't comment either way. Only thing that I've ever used for clarity (not often either) is Irish Moss.

[tompb]

I haven't ever tried it. I use Irish Moss like Tony (because I bought a pound before Whirlfloc was out). How long do you put it in the boil for and are you using enough ( I would think very little for a 2.5 gallon batch)?

Half the time I forget to put the Irish Moss in anyway. The nice thing about kegging is a pint/pint&half of waste and you have a clear beer.

[Matt F]

Same as the last two, I use irish moss when I remember to throw it in, which is rare.

[carrisr]

I haven't ever tried it. I use Irish Moss like Tony (because I bought a pound before Whirlfloc was out). How long do you put it in the boil for and are you using enough ( I would think very little for a 2.5 gallon batch)?

I add 1/2 a tablet around the last 15 minutes of the boil, as per the instructions. One tablet is supposed to be good for a 5 gallon batch.

[TappedOut]

Like others here, I occasionally use Irish moss, but mostly don't use anything. Also, you'll have less trub if doing extract, as it's already had most of the break material removed.

[BrewHound]

Randy,

I was listening to the The Brewing Network recently and there has been a couple of people on there raving about a new product (well new on the homebrewers scene anyway). You may want to try. Not sure if northern Brewer has it, but I know Morebeer does.

You may want to try:

Polyclar

[brownbeard]

I use irish moss in every batch I make. It works great.

[DrPaulsen]

I use whirlfoc, but do not whilrpool (bottom drain on kettle). I notice an improved cold break and a denser, more gelatinous trub cake in the fermenter when I use it. I've used irish moss in the past -- both seem about the same to me.

[Lower Case T]

I'm think I remember reading somewhere that whirlflock was the same thing as irish moss.  Just in a different form. Maybe not. I could look again but this is much easier.  

  I like it though.  I get it in tablets so its easy to use.  Just toss 50 tablets in the boil and voila!  You may not need 50 though.

On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 10:33 AM, DrPaulsen <brew-tech@crbeernuts.org (brew-tech@crbeernuts.org)> wrote:

I use whirlfoc, but do not whilrpool (bottom drain on kettle). I notice an improved cold break and a denser, more gelatinous trub cake in the fermenter when I use it. I've used irish moss in the past -- both seem about the same to me.

--
Prost!
Travis Scheidecker
Head Brewer
Third Base Brewery
500 Blairs Ferry Rd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Tel.  319-378-9090  Fax:  319-378-9697
http://twitter.com/3rdBaseBrewery

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[tompb]

I'm think I remember reading somewhere that whirlflock was the same thing as irish moss.  Just in a different form. Maybe not. I could look again but this is much easier.  

--
Prost!
Travis Scheidecker
Head Brewer
Third Base Brewery
500 Blairs Ferry Rd NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Tel.  319-378-9090  Fax:  319-378-9697
http://twitter.com/3rdBaseBrewery

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

Yep, Whirlfloc is just a processed fish gut.

[carrisr]

Tom,
Not that it matters, but I think isinglass is fish guts (or swim bladders at least, and that Irish moss and whirlfloc are made from either seaweed or kelp.

[brownbeard]

Tom,
Not that it matters, but I think isinglass is fish guts (or swim bladders at least, and that Irish moss and whirlfloc are made from either seaweed or kelp.

You are correct sir.

[tompb]

Yep, my bad!