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Using Irish moss
I've used Irish moss a couple times with some success. Typically my fermentations are quick and dirty. Sometimes skipping secondary fermentation and going straight to the keg. Last time I skipped the secondary and had added Irish moss. The first 3/4 of the keg was very clean. But the last 1/4 was unpleasantly chunky, but with no difference in taste. Normally without Irish moss it is pretty hazy and only chunky at the very end. So from now on I will only use Irish moss if I do secondary fermentation.
Here is my recipe.
4 gallons NC farmers market bought cider
4 tsp diammonium phosphate
1 packet champagne yeast.
ferment 1-2 week and transfer to keg or secondary.
After kegging add one more gallon cider for sweetness. Very good after force carbonating.
Sometimes I just add cider to the yeast bed after I keg an ale. Though it usually ends up spewing out my airlock.
thanks
owen
I intended it to clarify the cider. This is how NB describes it, Irish Moss - A kettle fining derived from seaweed. Add 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons to the last 15 min. of the boil to enhance cold break (protein coagulation).
It did clarify my cider. But I think I had too much solid stuff floating around because I did not go through a secondary. So the massive amounts of solids all coagulated together into large chunks. The chucks must have floated, because I experienced them at the end of the keg. The solids were yeast and what ever solids come in the cider, probably apple pulp. Come to think of it, apples float, so apple pulp should float too.
Moral of the story, the irish moss clarified my cider. But I really should have left it in a secondary for a couple weeks to let the solids settle. Then leave the solids in the secondary, not transfer them to the keg. I only made a post because a search of the cider forum found nothing for "irish moss".
thanks
cameron
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