Is there any harm in using both? Or is it redunant? I’ve never used Whirfloc before but it seems easier that using Irish Moss.
Any preferences between the 2?
They are pretty much the same, whirlfloc is just refined and pressed into a tab
No harm in using both provided you don’t use too much. It’s possible to strip too much protein from the beer if you do. Keep in mind that 1 Whirlfloc tab is meant for 12 gal., so for a 5 gal. batch just use 1/2 of one/. Also, the recommended time for IM is 15 min. before flameout and for Whirlfloc it’s 5 min. to flameout.
Do they have different brands of Whirlfloc? My package says Crosby & Baker Whirlfloc Tablets. Usage: 1 tablet per 5 gallons… no mention of when to add them.
John
[quote=“johnplctech”]Do they have different brands of Whirlfloc? My package says Crosby & Baker Whirlfloc Tablets. Usage: 1 tablet per 5 gallons… no mention of when to add them.
John[/quote]
Like IRish Moss, you add it in the last few minutes or at whirlpool.
From my experiments, Whirfloc clears the beer in the kettle, whereas Irish Moss clears it during fermentation. I prefer clear beer out of the kettle.
[quote=“johnplctech”]Do they have different brands of Whirlfloc? My package says Crosby & Baker Whirlfloc Tablets. Usage: 1 tablet per 5 gallons… no mention of when to add them.
John[/quote]
John, I have too seen this issue. I did just buy some more off Midwest and it clearly stated 1/2 tab would suffice for 5 gal and that anymore than 5 mins will denature the ingredients and fail. BTW, it too was Crosby and Baker
I did a search on Crosby & Baker and came up with a different name and package than what I have and it says 0.4 to 0.5 tabs for 5 gallons… wish they would make up their mind.
John
There is no major difference
b/w Whirfloc and Irish Moss. Use it as you want.
[quote=“johnplctech”]Do they have different brands of Whirlfloc? My package says Crosby & Baker Whirlfloc Tablets. Usage: 1 tablet per 5 gallons… no mention of when to add them.
John[/quote]
It all comes from the same manufacturer. The distributors buy it from them and repackage it. It’s really made for commercial breweries, which is why 1 tab = 12 gal. The advice to use 1/2 tab for 5 min. comes directly from the manufacturer.
+1 5-10 minutes with a half tab of whirlfloc a package of 10 lasts a long time. I had always done 10 minutes and recently shortened it to 5 and have had superb results with either timing and a half tab. Perfectly clear wort every batch no fail.
I think whirlfloc and super moss are basically the same but plain old irish moss is not. Super moss is much cheaper but is less easy to use. Both regular and super moss require hydration. I use super moss and it requires at least 30 min hydration at cool temps. It dissolves and gels up not unlike gelatin. I make it at the beginning of a brew and shake it several times throughout and kick it in at 10 min to KO. Seems like the instructions of all these products are archaic for us homebrewers and only pro brewers get the real instructions…
[quote=“zwiller”]I think whirlfloc and super moss are basically the same but plain old irish moss is not.[/quote]The active ingredient is the same - carrageenan from seaweed which acts like gelatin to bind together proteins and other charged particles so they floc out.
Great info guys…I’ve been adding a whole whirlfloc tab @ 15 min before KO. Gonna start adding @ 5 or 10 min before KO with half a tab.
Good to know. I need to pickup some Wirlfloc for days like yesterday when I forgot to add the IM until I had 5 min to flameout. Had to extend the boil time to compensate.
Like others have said, it’s all repackaged. Chances are, the people repackaging it want you to use more…so you have to buy more.
Use 1/2 a tab.
