How to use Whirlfloc tablets when brewing

A Guide to Whirlfloc & Irish Moss The Secret to Crystal Clear Beer

It's always amused me that people think it is OK to add moss to beer. I mean really, how the heck can Irish Moss clear beer? It's not even real moss, it's an algae from the sea! Which makes me then wonder who the heck discovered that adding Irish Moss as a fining agent for beer?

Anyways, as Yoda might say, work the moss does. A popular form of it is the Whirlfloc tablet, a modern and convenient way to achieve brilliantly clear beer without the guesswork.

🧪What is Whirlfloc?

Key Takeaway:Seaweed Power in a Tablet

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A Whirlfloc tablet is a refined blend of Irish Moss and purified carrageenan. Carrageenan is another extract from seaweed that is used for gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. In brewing, its real power lies in its molecular charge. It bonds to haze-forming proteins and so-called 'beta-glucans' (sugars) at the end of the boil, pulling them out of the wort.

🔬How Does It Work? The Science

Key Takeaway:Coagulation & Flocculation

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These tablets work by utilizing the science of coagulation and flocculation. The purified carrageenan in Whirlfloc carries a negative electrostatic charge in the hot wort. Unwanted, haze-causing proteins in your wort carry a positive charge. Opposites attract, and the carrageenan acts like a magnet, binding these proteins into larger clumps (coagulation).

Once these clumps are heavy enough, they drop out of suspension and settle to the bottom of the kettle as part of the "hot break" or "trub" (flocculation). By removing sediment and unwanted proteins, the beer has a smoother mouthfeel and a more appealing appearance.

⏰When Do I Add It?

Key Takeaway:Final 5-15 Minutes of the Boil

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Timing is critical. For both extract and all-grain brewing, you add one Whirlfloc tablet during the last 5 to 15 minutes of the boil. Adding it too early (e.g., for more than 20 minutes) will cause the boil's heat to break down the carrageenan, destroying its protein-binding effectiveness. Adding it too late (e.g., after the boil) won't give it enough hot contact time to work properly. The 5-15 minute window is the sweet spot.

⚖️How Much Do I Use?

Key Takeaway:One Tablet is Usually Enough

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Generally, one Whirlfloc tablet is sufficient for a standard 5-10 gallon (19-38 liter) batch of wort. For a typical 5-gallon homebrew batch, one tablet is perfect. There's no need to use more. Overuse can, in rare cases, lead to the excessive removal of desirable proteins that contribute to head retention and mouthfeel, so it's best to stick to the recommended dosage.

🌪️How to Maximize Its Effect

Key Takeaway:Cool, Whirlpool, and Rest

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After you've added the tablet and finished the boil, the next steps are crucial for clarity. First, cool your wort as quickly as possible. This rapid temperature drop helps even more proteins (the "cold break") to solidify. Once cooled, stir the wort vigorously in one direction to create a whirlpool. This will gather all the coagulated proteins and hop debris into a neat cone in the center of your kettle.

Let the wort rest for 20-30 minutes after whirlpooling. This allows the trub cone to settle and compact. Finally, carefully transfer the clear wort from the kettle into your fermenter, leaving the pile of trub behind. This combination of steps ensures the clearest possible beer.

🤔Are There Other Options?

Key Takeaway:Yes, Many Fining Agents Exist

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There are plenty of other ways to clear beer. Other "kettle finings" similar to Whirlfloc include plain Irish Moss. For post-fermentation fining, brewers use agents like gelatin, isinglass (not vegan), and silica gels like Kieselsol. Products like Chillguard and Polyclar also work to reduce haze. For maximum clarity, advanced brewers sometimes filter their beer, though this typically requires a kegging setup. And never underestimate the power of cold crashing—chilling your beer close to freezing for a few days is a simple and effective way to get proteins to drop out of suspension.

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The best ways to improve your beer kit brew results!

The world of homebrewing has come a long way. While traditional methods involved meticulous gathering and processing of various ingredients, the advent of beer kits has democratized the art of brewing. Much like a ready-made cake mix simplifies baking, a beer kit streamlines brewing by offering pre-measured, prepared ingredients. However, akin to a gourmet cake requiring more than just a mix, crafting an exquisite beer involves more than following the steps on a beer kit.

This guide aims to explore techniques and strategies that can transform your regular homebrew into a work of art.

Beyond the Basics: Understanding Beer Enhancers

Understanding the biochemistry of brewing can greatly benefit your beer. Yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide through fermentation. This process prefers simple sugars like glucose or fructose. A beer enhancer essentially adds these simpler forms of sugars—in this case, malt extract and dextrose—making the yeast's job easier and more efficient.

Employing a beer enhancer adds depth to your beer’s flavor profile and facilitates a cleaner fermentation process. The dextrose ensures that there's no residual sweetness in the brew, thus allowing the more subtle notes of malt and hops to shine through. This approach provides the added benefit of higher alcohol content without negatively impacting the beer’s taste.

Crafting Flavor Profiles: The Extra Hop Dimension

Choosing Your Hops

The hop plant contributes the bitter and aromatic characteristics to beer. The choice of hops can depend on the type of beer you're aiming to brew. For instance, lagers pair exceptionally well with hops like Green Bullet or Cascade. Green Bullet offers a traditional bittering quality, while Cascade adds citrusy, floral notes.

Timing and Technique

The timing of adding these complementary hops is also crucial. Whether you choose to do it during the boil or later during fermentation (a technique known as dry hopping) can substantially change the aromatic and flavor profile of the beer.

The Wisdom in Waiting: Extended Fermentation

The Microbial Ecosystem

Yeast doesn't just work alone. A variety of microbes come into play, each contributing to the complexity of your brew. Over time, these flavors meld together, creating a harmonious blend that significantly improves the overall tasting experience.

Fermentation Vessels

The type of vessel used for fermentation can also influence the flavor. Whether it's a glass carboy, a stainless steel drum, or a wooden barrel, each adds its own set of characteristics to the brew. Thus, longer fermentation should not be seen just as a test of patience but as an artistic decision.

Navigating the Bottleneck: The Subtleties of Bottling

The Enemy: Oxygen

Exposure to oxygen post-fermentation can lead to a stale, cardboard-like flavor in the beer, a phenomenon known as oxidation. Minimizing this exposure is crucial during the bottling stage.

The use of a bottling wand, for instance, ensures that beer flows smoothly from the fermenter to the bottle with minimal agitation. This avoids unnecessary oxygen incorporation, preserving the integrity of your beer.

Temperature: A Crucial Variable

Temperature is not just a setting; it’s an active ingredient. During the initial two-day warm storage, the yeast is more active, aiding in secondary fermentation which helps in natural carbonation. Later, moving the bottles to a cooler, dark setting stabilizes the beer and allows the yeast to slowly refine the brew's flavors.

The Balanced Brew: Advantages of Batch Priming

Batch priming serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it guarantees a uniform level of carbonation across all bottles. Secondly, it mitigates the risk of over-carbonation, a dangerous situation that could lead to exploding bottles and wasted beer.

When batch priming with sugar, it's also easier to calculate the precise amount of sugar needed to achieve the desired pressure within the bottle, reducing guesswork and increasing consistency.

The Balancing Act of Alcohol Content

The Sugar-Yeast Equilibrium

Yeast metabolism is sensitive to sugar concentration. Adding too much sugar can stress the yeast cells, leading to incomplete fermentation or even yeast death. Thus, striking the right balance is critical.

Nutritional Supplements for Yeast

To aid the yeast in metabolizing extra sugar, brewers often turn to yeast nutrients. These contain essential minerals and vitamins that help the yeast thrive, even in sugar-rich environments.

Clarity Through Fining Agents and Cold Crashing

Types of Fining Agents

Fining agents like isinglass, gelatin, or Irish moss work in unique ways but achieve the same result: a clearer beer. The choice of fining agent can also subtly influence the beer’s final flavor.

The Cold Crash Method

Cold crashing is the process of rapidly lowering the beer's temperature just before bottling. This causes the particles and haze to precipitate, resulting in a clearer brew.

Upgrading Your Arsenal: When to Scale Up

Need for a Bigger Kettle

As you become more comfortable and experimental with your brewing, a bigger kettle allows for more brewing flexibility. It gives you the freedom to create larger batches or more complex brews involving multiple ingredients.

Future-Proofing Your Setup

Moreover, investing in quality equipment from the outset can save both time and money in the long run. After all, a larger kettle is not just an accessory; it’s an investment in your brewing future.

The art of brewing is an ever-evolving journey, replete with opportunities for experimentation and mastery. So, as you fill that glass with your next homebrew, remember, each drop contains not just malt and hops, but the essence of a craft honed through time and dedication. Cheers!

Embracing the Complexity of Craft Brewing

Having navigated the complexities of homebrewing, from understanding the biochemical nuances to fine-tuning the fermentation process, it becomes apparent that brewing is both an art and a science. This intricate balance allows for limitless possibilities—each decision you make, from the type of malt to the timing of hop addition, culminates in a beer that is distinctly your own. But the process doesn’t end with the last sip; each brew serves as an enlightening experience, offering insights that can be integrated into future brewing endeavors.

The Community Aspect: Shared Experience and Knowledge

Homebrewing is not a solitary venture. There's a robust community of like-minded individuals, each brimming with their own techniques and secrets. Sharing your own experiences and learning from others can deepen your understanding of this craft. Platforms like forums, local brew clubs, or even social media offer a wealth of collective knowledge. In these spaces, you can discuss the intricacies of yeast strains, debate over the ideal fermentation time, or simply share your success and, yes, even your failures.

The Journey Over the Destination

In the world of craft brewing, the journey truly is more fulfilling than the destination. The process, from that initial spark of inspiration to the final, frothy pour, is where the joy of homebrewing lies. It's not about fast results or shortcuts but the gradual, learned art of making something extraordinary out of ordinary ingredients. So, the next time you find yourself impatiently waiting for that batch to ferment or agonizing over the perfect hop blend, remember: you're not just brewing beer; you're crafting an experience, both for yourself and those lucky enough to share in your brew.

Whether you're new to homebrewing or have been at it for years, it's important to recognize that each batch presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. Thus, the act of brewing is a perpetual lesson, continually refined but never truly mastered. Cheers to that eternal quest for the perfect brew!

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⇒ Using 'finings' to clear homebrew beer

How to instructions for using 'finings' to clear beer

If you've ever bought a beginner's beer kit it may have come with a sachet of 'finings'. That's basically how I was introduced to them when I got a brewing kit for Christmas.

So this (then!?) inexperienced homebrewer naturally had to ask:

What are beer 'finings' ?

Finings are agents that are usually added at or near the completion of brewing beer to the fermenter.

Their purpose is to remove unwanted organic compounds to help improve the beer clarity - as no one likes cloudy beer.

They are also used for wine, cider, alcoholic ginger beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as juice.

The finings act by precipitating and binding with compounds that reduce beer clarity. They then fall to the bottom of the brewing fermenter drum or carboy and so are effectively removed from the beer.

How do I use beer finings?

If you have made a batch of beer in a drum or carboy, just add in the sachet to the beer, about 3 days before you intend to bottle the beer.

Do it quickly and reseal the drum so that there's no chance of infection occur by way of a stray spider or sneaky germs.

If you have done a boil, you can simply add the finings at the end of that process.

That's all you have to do! Easiest beer making instruction ever eh? It doesn't matter if you've made a stout, ale or lager, the timings are as above.

We've noticed readers of this site often buy the 'Super-Kleer' brand of finings.

What are finings made from?

Finings can be made from all kinds of things. 

Isinglass (biofine) is a clearing agent made from the protein called collagen. It is extracted from the swim bladders of fish!

Ordinary gelatin is an effective fining agent as it will remove proteins and polyphenols. It's similar to isinglass in that it is also collagen agent but the key difference is that gelatin is made from hooved animals.

That's right, if you use gelatin to clear your beer, you are adding horse feet!

Kinda...

You can use un-flavoured gelatin by adding one teaspoon to a cup of hot water, mix and then add gently into the fermenter.

Add the finings a couple of days before you intend to bottle to give the fining time to do its thing

A very popular fining is Irish Moss.

It seems to be a bit of a misnomer as Irish Moss is actually derived from seaweed! Irish moss is added in the last 10-15 minutes of the boil and not generally used with beer kits that go straight into the carboy.

Whirlfloc tablets are also very similar to Irish Moss and can be used in the same way.

There are other fining products that you can use such as Chillguard and Polyclar and silica gels like Kieselsol.

How do finings actually bind with unwanted compounds?

Fining products usually have large molecules that are 'positively' charged.

Think back to your science class days at school!

These molecules attach themselves to negatively charged contaminants (opposites attract remember) and then precipitate them out of the finished beer - and by that we mean they fall to the bottom of your fermenter.

Silica gels like Kieselsol are actually negatively charged! They are basically silicon dioxide products.

So do I actually need to use finings?

The choice is yours and it depends on how much you care about beer clarity.

If you are after clear or cloud free beer, then using finings is one very easy trick to help you with that goal.

If you are adding hops to your beer, you may want to consider it. This is because hops leave polyphenols in the beer which can cause a lack of clarity. Finings will work on the polyphenols as per usual.

Malt also produces polyphenols so finings can take care of any the malt in your beer may produce.

Finings definitely work however it would be fair to say that it's not a necessary part of the brewing process for ordinary home brewers.

If you are intending to enter your beer into a competition where the clarity of beer is considered an important criteria, you'd be silly not to employ this method. 

One thing to beer in mind is that the use of finings does add to the cost per bottle ration of your beer.

It's the same argument for using beer enhancers. You don't need them but they really do improve your beer's mouth feel and all round taste performance.

What about fining wine?

The concept for wine is the same as beer - but sometimes the methods to clear wine are different. The use of gelatine and Isinglass is common but also some perhaps counter-intuitive products like egg whites or casein are used. 

Sparkolloid is a popular fish based fining agent.

A clay made from volcanic ash known as bentonite is pretty a pretty popular means too. It is absorbent so is used to bond with particles in the wine.


Here's some more tips on making clear, cloud free beer. 

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How and when to use gelatin for clearing homebrew

Whenever I think of gelatin, I think of horse hooves.

That's right horse hooves.

From the knacker's yard. Gross right?

Well I say jelly is jelly, food is food, and if I need to use the foot of a horse to clear my beer and reduce sediment in the bottle I will!

So, here's the guts of using gelatin to clear your beer.

Basically gelatin acts a fining agent. It combines with the 'leftovers' of the beer brewing process and they fall to the bottom of the fermenter thus clearing the beer.

So how much gelatin should I add to my beer?

Many beer brewers have found that between half and a whole teaspoon per 23 litres or 5 gallons will be a sufficient amount. You will probably get diminishing returns if you use much more.

When do I add the gelatin?

You can add it any time after fermentation and word on the street that it actually works best when the beer is quite cool.

A common timing is to add it a couple of days before you intend to bottle your beer.

How do I add the gelatin?

A good trick is to dissolve it in a half a glass of hot water. You then open up the fermenter or carboy, add the liquid and then shut the fermenter back up.

Do I need to use gelatin if I'm making an ale?

For many people, clarity of beer is important to them. If you are making a dark ale, clarity may not be so important to you.

However, finings do remove leftovers that can impinge on the taste of the beer too. The gelatin helps remove the unneeded proteins and polyphenols from the beer.

Where do I get gelatin from?

Most specialist beer shops will stock fining agents such as gelatin. You can also try your local supermarket as it's used in many cooking recipes. You can totally order it online from Amazon for speedy delivery too.

Gelatin can come in powdered form and sheets.

As Robby the Robot would say 'Beware Will Robinson!'

Make sure you buy unflavoured gelatin.

If you use Jello because you know it has gelatin in it, you might be in for quite the taste surprise. That said, we've been known to use gelatin jelly beans from time to time...

Of course, if you don't wish to use gelatin (maybe because you're trying to make vegan beer?) you can try to use other kinds of finings to clear your beer.

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