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The Role of Irish Moss and Whirlfloc Tablets in Homebrewing: What They Are and How to Use Them

For many beer styles, clarity is typically the end result of good brewing practices. Casual brewing does not guarantee a clear beer, so achieving that polished appearance can almost be as rewarding as drinking the beer. Enter Irish moss and Whirlfloc tablets—two trusted partners in the quest for clearer beer. These fining agents are not only simple to use but are also an easy way to elevate the professional quality of your homebrew. Here's everything you've ever wanted to know about what they are and how to use them effectively.

What Are Irish Moss and Whirlfloc Tablets?

At their core, both Irish moss and Whirlfloc tablets are both finings, or additives used to help clarify and stabilize the final beer. Specifically, Irish moss and Whirlfloc tables promote clarity by removing haze-causing proteins and polyphenols during the boil. However, they differ slightly in form and formulation.

• Irish Moss: Despite its name, Irish moss isn’t moss at all—it’s a type of red seaweed (Chondrus crispus for the science geeks out there) harvested from the Atlantic Ocean. Rich in carrageenan, Irish moss is a natural clarifier that has been used in brewing for centuries. When added during the boil, Irish moss causes proteins in the wort to coagulate and form larger clumps, making them easier to separate during the brewing process.
• Whirlfloc Tablets: Think of Whirlfloc tablets as Irish moss on steroids. That's not actually true, but it sounds cool, and who doesn't love a good sound bite? Here's what's true: these pre-measured tablets are made from processed Irish moss and other fining agents, offering a more concentrated and convenient option. We're all about convenience, and after all, who among us doesn't like the idea of adding a pill to their beer? Whirlfloc tablets dissolve easily and work quickly, great for the type-A folks, making them a natural favorite among homebrewers.

How Do Irish Moss and Whirlfloc Tablets Work?

You can't argue with science. The carrageenan compounds in Irish moss and Whirlfloc tablets bind with haze-forming proteins in the wort. During the boil, proteins and polyphenols naturally suspend in the liquid, and when you add Irish moss or Whirlfloc to the boiling wort, the carrageenan causes these compounds to clump together into larger particles, also known among brewing geeks as the "hot break." These clumps settle out more effectively during chilling and fermentation, leaving behind a clearer beer.

When and How to Use Them

Both Irish moss and Whirlfloc tablets are used in the boiling stage, typically in the last 10–15 minutes. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Timing Matters:
• For Irish moss, add about 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons of wort, 10–15 minutes before the end of the boil.
• For Whirlfloc tablets, use one tablet per 5 gallons. Add the Whirlfloc 10–15 minutes before the end of the boil, allowing enough time for the carrageenan to activate.
• More is not better. If you add too much Irish moss or Whirlfloc, you will precipitate too much protein, which will adversely affect your beer's head retention. So don't do it.
2. Preparation:
• Many homebrewers pre-soak Irish moss in a small amount of warm water for 15–30 minutes before adding it to the boil. If you're lazy, you don't have to pre-soak, but pre-soaking enhances its effectiveness, so why not do it?
• Whirlfloc tablets don’t require any preparation—just toss them directly into the boiling wort. If you've been drinking beer while brewing, make sure your aim is true.
3. Post-Boil Clarity: After the boil, some brewers report a sense of elation and an attuned sense of how they fit into the universe. That's not what we're talking about here. When using Irish moss or Whirlfloc tablets, after chilling the wort, you’ll notice a significant reduction in floating particles. The proteins bound by the fining agents will settle during fermentation, making the racking process easier and resulting in clearer beer (and a clearer head, dude!).

Choosing Between Irish Moss and Whirlfloc Tablets

Both options work well. Some claim the choice comes down to preference, but more often poor planning is the result, and you use what you have on hand. But if you need help deciding, then consider this:

• Go with Irish Moss if you prefer a more traditional, natural approach and don’t mind measuring and soaking.
• Opt for Whirlfloc Tablets if you want simplicity and efficiency—perfect for those who prefer streamlined brewing sessions.
• If you couldn't care less (or you don't give a rat's ass) and only want a clearer beer, then use either.

Common Questions

1. Will these affect flavor or aroma? No, neither Irish moss nor Whirlfloc impacts the flavor, aroma, or head retention of your beer. They only act on haze-forming proteins.
2. Can I use too much? Overuse is unlikely to ruin your beer but may lead to excessive sediment and poor head retention. Stick to the recommended amounts, and don't trust your inebriated friend, who will interpret 1 teaspoon to read 1 full package.
3. Are they suitable for all beer styles? Yes, both are versatile and work across most styles, but they’re especially valuable in lighter beers where clarity is more noticeable.

Final Deep Thoughts For Clear-Beer-Deep-Thinkers

Would you like a clearer beer? If you nodded yes to this question, then Irish moss and Whirlfloc tablets are two small additions to your brewing process that can make a big difference. We'd call that a pretty good payout for not much effort. Looking for the brilliance of a golden lager? We've got you covered. Or perhaps want to elevate your homebrew game to make your homebrewing friends look like losers. If so, then Irish Moss and Whirlfloc tablets are worth the minimal effort, and like some '60 era hippy, your head (as well as your beer) will be clearer for it.

Happy brewing!

Have you ever experienced this situation—you've placed a bottle of clear homebrewed beer in the refrigerator, but after it has cooled, it has become cloudy? If so, then you've experienced a common phenomenon in homebrewing known as chill haze. It’s fairly common in homebrewing, and it's fairly annoying. Fortunately, chill haze is flavorless, so it's fine to just ignore it. On the other hand, we're beer geeks, so we want to know why it happens and how to deal with it.

The tldr; of how to deal with chill haze: close your eyes, drink the beer and enjoy!

What Is Chill Haze?

Okay, so if you really want to know, then we have to get a little scientific, but that's okay, because then we can run around using big fancy words that make us seem smart. So..., chill haze in beer is a protein-polyphenol complex that is soluble at room temperature, which is why your beer is clear when warm. These protein-polyphenol complexes generally form from the binding of malts' protein and hops' polyphenols. However, when you chill the beer to refrigerator temperatures, these protein-polyphenol complexes become less soluble and start to clump, forming tiny though visible particles that cause chill haze. Viewed from a distance, the beer looks hazy, but if you have good eyes and look closely, you can see mist-like particles in the beer.

Does Chill Haze Really Matter?

Honestly, it depends on the style of beer you’re brewing and how much you care about clear beer. Some styles, like NEIPAs or wheat beers, are supposed to be hazy. But if you’re brewing something like a pilsner or pale ale, you might want that nice, clear look. Remember, chill haze doesn’t affect flavor, so if your beer tastes good, there’s no harm in a little hazy. But if you're brewing for a competition or you’re after that professional, crystal-clear appearance, these steps can help you eliminate chill haze.

How to Reduce or Eliminate Chill Haze

Chill haze is easy enough to deal with, but like many things with brewing, it involves technique, patience, and a little science.

1. Get a Good Hot Break: When boiling wort, you want a strong rolling boil—not just a few bubbles. This helps proteins clump together and fall out of the wort, which is called a hot break.

2. Get a Good Cold Break: After boiling, you want to quickly cool the wort for a good cold break. The quick chilling causes a different set of proteins and other compounds to coagulate and precipitate out of solution. This also helps remove these haze-causing particles before fermentation.

3. Use Irish Moss or Whirlfloc: Use either Irish Moss or Whirlfloc tablets during the last 10-15 minutes of the boil. These are similar fining agents that bind to proteins and make them settle out faster.

4. Cold Crashing: After fermentation is complete (make sure of this) but before bottling or kegging, chill the beer to near freezing for at least two days. When you cold crash a home-brewed beer, chill haze begins to precipitate within 24 to 48 hours. For the greatest effect, extend the cold crash time to about 3 to 5 days, or longer, if you desire.           

5. Post-Fermentation Fining: If your beer is still hazy after fermentation, you can add gelatin or Biofine to help clear it up. These fining agents bind to particles floating around in your beer (including yeast) and settle them to the bottom.

6. Clarity Ferm: Clarity Ferm is an enzyme that helps break down haze-causing proteins. It also reduces gluten, which is a bonus if you are trying to produce a gluten-reduced beer.

All Said and Done

If your goal is a perfectly clear beer, then yes, chill haze is annoying. On the other hand, chill haze is flavorless, so for the lazy among us, it's easy to ignore. But if you want to eliminate chill haze, then play it by the book: get a good hot and cold break, cold crash, use finings and enzymes. Unless they're brewing for competitions, most home brewers don’t stress about a little haze. They do stress, on the other hand, when their beer glass is empty. And that's easy to fix, too. So, cheers!

Maybe we can help you achieve better clarity in your beer, but we probably won't help you achieve better clarity in your life. Just saying.

I suppose we should begin this discussion by addressing the elephant in the room: does a cloudy beer even matter? Ultimately, the answer depends upon your personal needs. Some beers are naturally and stylistically cloudy, like wit biers and hefeweizens. And of course, we also have the “nouveau cloudy” beers like hazy IPA. And more often than not, our naturally unfiltered home-brewed beers retain a little cloudiness—and for as long as home brewing has been around, we’ve collectively argued that our natural unprocessed (read slightly cloudy) beers retain all of their flavors and thus taste better than heavily processed commercial beers. Significantly better.

Still, for beginning brewers, dealing with cloudy beer can be one of the great mysteries. Imagine pouring your latest batch, expecting that crisp, clear look, only to find a hazy glass staring back at you. Oh, the horror! At this point, I think: "I don't like the way you looked at me," and then I chug that beer just to show it who's boss. But if you've wondered about your cloudy beer, you’re not alone—this is one of the most common challenges homebrewers face. Cloudiness in beer can happen for numerous reasons, and sometimes, it’s part of the style (remember those hefeweizens!). But if you're brewing something that traditionally should be clear, here’s a breakdown of why your beer might be cloudy and some tried-and-true tips for clearing things up. (Ha ha, pun intended!)

1. Suspended Proteins and Malt Particles

   Cloudy beer is often the result of proteins and tiny malt husk particles that don’t settle out. These husk particles are small bits of grain that remain in suspension after the brewing process. This can happen if you've over crushed your grains and too much of this microscopic husk matter makes it into your wort. Certain grains, especially wheat and oats, contribute a lot of protein to the beer. These grains add body and mouthfeel, which is what we want, but they can also increase haze.

   How to Fix It: All grain brewers can use a technique called a “protein rest” when working with high-protein grains. Hold your mash at around 120-130°F for 20 minutes to activate proteolytic enzymes to break down some of those proteins. Also, adding Irish moss or Whirlfloc tablets (a type of kettle fining) during the last 10-15 minutes of the boil works well. These products bind with proteins and help them settle out, reducing cloudiness.

2. Poor Cold Break

   After the boil, you want a good “cold break” to separate out unwanted proteins and tannins. Cooling the wort quickly is the key, because it helps large proteins clump together, become insoluble and drop out of suspension. Without a good cold break, you might end up with more of these proteins in your beer, which leads to haziness.

   How to Fix It: Cool your wort as quickly as possible after the boil—an immersion chiller or counterflow chiller really speeds things up. A simple ice bath works too, but you may need to rotate or replace ice to keep it effective. A good cold break not only improves clarity but also helps by quickly reducing the temperature, which limits the time the wort spends in the temperature range where bacteria can rapidly reproduce. We've also found that while waiting for a cold break is a good time to have a cold one. Just saying....

3. Chill Haze

   Chill haze is a type of haze that appears when your beer is cold but disappears when it warms up. This is caused by proteins and polyphenols (tannins) forming loose bonds when the beer is chilled. While chill haze doesn’t affect the taste of your beer, it can be frustrating if you’re aiming for crystal clarity.

   How to Fix It: The best way to prevent chill haze is to make sure you get a good hot and cold break during brewing. Finings like Polyclar, which binds to polyphenols, help remove chill haze, but Polyclar requires filtration, so it is not popular among home brewers. The enzyme Clarity Ferm from White Labs is also effective at eliminating chill haze. It also has the added benefit of reducing gluten to nearly insignificant levels. Storing your beer cold for an extended period (lagering) can also help the haze-forming particles to settle out.

   If you are totally fascinated by chill haze and want to learn more, then click here

4. Yeast in Suspension

   Especially with young, unfiltered beers, yeast often stays annoyingly in suspension and causes cloudiness. Some yeasts are highly “flocculant,” meaning they clump together and sink to the bottom, but some strains are poor flocculators (no, this isn't a sexual disfunction) and don’t like to settle. If you see a lot of haze right after fermentation, you’re probably looking at yeast particles.

   How to Fix It: Time is your friend here. Let the beer condition for an extra week or two, and you may find it clears up naturally as the yeast settles. If you're in a hurry, cold-crashing your beer (bringing it down to near-freezing temperatures) for 24-48 hours can help the yeast drop out faster. Adding finings like gelatin or Biofine to the fermenter can also speed things up, though some brewers prefer not to use shellfish-derived products like gelatin, so Biofine is a great plant-based alternative.

5. Hop Haze

   Hop-heavy beers, like IPAs, can end up with a lot of hop particles, which are microscopic vegetal matter that stays in suspension after hopping that contribute to haze. In some cases, especially with hazy or New England-style IPAs, that’s actually the goal. But if you’re not aiming for that, hop haze can be frustrating.

   How to Fix It: For beers you want clear, try adjusting your hopping schedule. Adding most of your hops toward the end of the boil or during dry hopping contributes more aroma without as much bitterness or haze. Late hopping reduces hop haze because fewer hop particles are broken down and remain in suspension. By adding hops late, you also reduce the extraction of vegetal matter that can contribute to a cloudy appearance. Some brewers use a hop bag to contain hop particles. You could also try using a small amount of kettle finings to help bind with hop particles.

6. Water Chemistry

   Water chemistry affects many aspects of beer, and clarity is no exception. Hard water with high mineral content can lead to haze in the finished beer because minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, can react with certain compounds in the beer, such as proteins and polyphenols, to form insoluble complexes. These complexes remain in suspension, leading to a hazy appearance. Different minerals can also alter pH levels, affecting protein solubility and stability, which can further contribute to haze. Adjusting mineral content to suit the style can help achieve better clarity.

   How to Fix It: Solutions here often fall into the "Easier said than done" category. Experiment with different water sources or test your water to see if mineral adjustments would help. Many brewers swear by adjusting their water with brewing salts like gypsum to increase calcium levels, which can help with protein coagulation and clarity. This is particularly useful if they have soft water, which lacks sufficient mineral content. If you’re not sure where to start, most municipal water is fine for homebrewing. Charcoal filters remove chlorine and chloramine, improving clarity and taste.

Final Thoughts

A cloudy beer isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and in some cases, it’s just part of the brewing adventure. But if your goal is that brilliantly clear pint, don’t lose hope—small tweaks and extra patience can go a long way. By focusing on your mash, controlling the cold break, preventing chill haze, encouraging yeast to settle, and playing with water chemistry, you’ll be on your way to a clearer, more polished homebrew in no time. Of course, I would rather drink a slightly cloudy yet full-flavored home brewed beer than a heavily processed though crystal-clear commercial beer any day. Happy brewing!

Whether you are making beer, wine, cider, or mead, you undoubtedly love your hobby, especially the making and drinking part, but practically no one likes the cleaning and sanitizing (okay, so there are a few deranged individuals who love cleaning and sanitizing, but we'll leave their care up to the psychologists). However, cleaning and sanitizing your fermentation equipment doesn’t have to be a time-consuming chore—especially if you approach these tasks with the proper strategy. In this article, we are going to outline the easiest and fastest way to clean and sanitize, which will leave you with more time for the fun parts—the brewing and drinking!

The fastest way to clean and sanitize your equipment is based upon two principles, which we will explore in more detail below:

• Clean Immediately After Use
• Sanitize Right Before Use

Clean Immediately After Use

The best time to clean your brewing gear is right after you’re done using it, when everything is still dirty. This makes sense, because it’s after you’ve used the equipment that it’s dirty. This is just like washing dishes after a meal—it’s much easier to get rid of the mess while it’s still fresh. Letting dirty equipment sit around only makes the cleanup more difficult. Cleaning your fermentation equipment follows the same logic. Also, because you’ve just finished using your equipment, there’s a good chance you won’t be using it right away, so you take advantage of this opportunity and let your equipment soak for extended times, such as overnight or even for an entire day.

For the actual cleaning, oxygen-based cleaners like B-Brite or One Step, and caustic cleaners like PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) are excellent choices. They work well by soaking, which means less scrubbing for you. Just fill your bucket or carboy to the top with water and cleaner, and let it soak overnight. Since you won’t need the equipment again until your next brew day, you can save your time by letting the cleaner do its work while you focus on other things.

If you’re cleaning glass equipment like carboys or bottles, feel free to use a brush. But with plastic equipment, avoid using brushes or anything abrasive—scratches can harbor bacteria, and scratched plastic can be tough to get truly clean. For long items like siphons, use a long, narrow tray like a wallpaper tray to soak them properly.

After an overnight soak, give everything a good inspection to make sure it's clean. If not, give the equipment more time to soak. If you have heavy caked-on fermentation residue, then you can pour out the old solution and mix up new cleaning solution. Once everything is clean, it’s time to rinse everything thoroughly. Make sure to let all of the equipment dry completely before storing it. Proper drying is important—you don’t want mildew growing on your gear during storage.

Sanitize Right Before Use

Sanitizing your brewing equipment is quick and easy when your gear is already clean. Star San is a fantastic option for this because it’s fast and doesn’t require rinsing. Unlike cleaning, you don’t have to fill your entire bucket or carboy. Just mix up a gallon of Star San and gently swirl it around inside the container to wet all surfaces. If Star San is splashed around, it will foam up like dishwashing soap. Thus, to keep the foaming to a minimum, swirl gently and avoid vigorous splashing. Let the equipment drain well, but you don’t need to rinse it. If you do prefer to rinse, make sure your water is safe to drink.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Clean

By cleaning your equipment right after brewing and sanitizing right before use, you’re setting yourself up for brewing success without extra hassle. Soak overnight, rinse, dry, and sanitize—a simple routine that makes your next brew day a breeze.

Comparing Caustic Cleaners for Home Brewing: B-Brite, One Step, and PBW

When brewing at beer home, proper cleanliness and sanitization is crucial to producing the best tasting beer. Before we can effectively sanitize our equipment, we must make sure it is clean. There are many cleaning products on the market, but in this article we will focus on three of the most popular brands available for home brewers: B-Brite, One Step, and PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash). Let’s take a look at these cleaning agents to understand which is the best to use based upon your situation.

B-Brite & One Step: Non-Caustic and Easy-to-Use

B-Brite and One Step are very similar in terms of their properties and use, so we’ll discuss them together. Both are non-caustic cleaners, making them user-friendly and safe for most surfaces used in home brewing.

Key Features:

• Non-Caustic: B-Brite and One Step are safe for materials like stainless steel, glass, and plastic. Unlike stronger, caustic cleaners, they don’t require gloves or special handling.
• Oxygen-Based: These cleaners rely on oxygen via sodium percarbonate to break down organic materials, which makes them effective for removing grime and stains.
• No Rinse (for some applications): In low concentrations, they can be used without a rinse step, saving time. However, many brewers prefer to rinse thoroughly to avoid any residue that could affect your beer's taste.
• Environmentally Friendly: Both products are biodegradable, making them a greener option for eco-conscious brewers.
• Low Cost: B-Brite and One Step are inexpensive, which leaves you with more money to purchase brewing ingredients! 

Ideal Use:

• Cleaning fermenters, bottles, tubing, and general brewing equipment.
• Great for light cleaning tasks where heavy-duty grime isn’t present.
• Suitable for smaller homebrew setups where convenience is key.

PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash): The Heavy-Duty Cleaner

PBW, on the other hand, is a stronger, caustic-based cleaner formulated specifically for the tough cleaning tasks. PBW was originally developed for commercial breweries, but PBW has become the go-to cleaner for homebrewers who need something more powerful.

Key Features:

• Caustic Formula: PBW contains sodium metasilicate and other ingredients that break down tough organic deposits, especially dried-on grime, proteins, and hop residues. PBW is not as caustic as sodium hydroxide (lye), but the sodium metasilicate is alkaline enough to effectively clean without the extreme hazards of more caustic substances.

• Versatile: PBW works well in both soft and hard water conditions, making it suitable for almost any brewing environment.

• Safe for Equipment: Unlike B-Brite or One Step, gloves are recommended when using PBW. Although PBW is powerful, it's safe for use on stainless steel, glass, and plastic when used at recommended concentrations. PBW can also be used on copper and brass, but with some caution: prolonged exposure or high concentrations on copper or brass can cause discoloration or damage. Thus, for copper and brass, use the proper concentration, avoid extended soaking times and immediately rinse thoroughly.
• Heat-Activated: PBW works best in warm to hot water, which increases its effectiveness in removing stubborn deposits. Of course, regular precautions apply. Never add warm or hot water to glass carboys, because the sudden thermal shock can cause the carboys to break. 
• More Expensive: PBW does cost more than both B-Brite and One Step, but a lot of home brewers say it's worth it. You can use PBW in every situation, so some home brewers prefer the simplicity of just using one type of cleaner.

Ideal Use:

• Ideal for cleaning brew kettles, mash tuns, and equipment with heavy organic residues. Many home brewers with large stainless fermenters use CIP (clean-in-place) spray balls, so they do not have to completely fill their vessels with solution for cleaning.
• Excellent for deep cleaning or when you’ve let equipment sit dirty for too long.
• Preferred by homebrewers with larger setups or those who brew frequently and need heavy-duty cleaning power.
• Great for other household tasks, like cleaning stainless steel thermoses and water bottles.

Comparison at a Glance:

Conclusion

Choosing between B-Brite, One Step, and PBW depends on your cleaning situation. If you’re looking for an inexpensive, mild, easy-to-use cleaner for everyday cleaning tasks, B-Brite and One Step are great options. However, if you need a more powerful cleaner for larger brewing equipment or stubborn grime, PBW is better.

Proper cleaning requires the proper compounds, and each of these cleaners are good to have in your home brewer’s toolkit. This way you're always prepared for every situation, whether you’re bottling your latest batch or deep cleaning your brew kettle.

If you’ve been brewing beer with extract kits for a while, you’ve undoubtedly heard about all-grain brewing and maybe even wondered if it’s the next step for you. Both methods have their pros and cons, and deciding whether to make the switch isn’t easy. If done correctly, all-grain brewing offers more control and flexibility, but it also requires more time, expensive equipment, and know-how. Extract brewing, on the other hand, is quicker and less complicated, but you sacrifice some of the creative freedom that comes with brewing from scratch, if that is important. For most beer styles it makes no difference. So, how do you know which method is right for you? Let’s break down some key points to consider before diving headfirst into all-grain brewing.

When trying to decide whether to make the jump to all grain brewing, there are both practical and wishful considerations.

Practical Considerations

• Do You Have Enough Time?
• Do You Have the Space?
• Are You Prepared to Spend the Money?
• Are You Interested in All Grain Because of the Process?

Wishful Considerations

• Will You Make Better Beer?
• Will You Actually Save Money?

Practical Considerations

• Do You Have Enough Time? How much time you have (or lack of time) is probably the greatest consideration whether you should pursue all-grain brewing. Anyone can set aside an entire day to all grain brew. And anyone can set aside a second day to all grain brew. Of course you can. It’s currently a priority. But if you are a busy person with a lot of other things going on, then you will inevitably face the following situation: you are running out of beer and you need to brew but you have a million other things that need to get done, and how will you set aside a day to brew and…, suddenly your beloved hobby of brewing beer begins to feel like work, and then it’s no fun, and then you quit brewing. But you loved brewing and drinking your creations, but then it became no fun. This scenario happens to all grain brewers all of the time. If you truly do not have enough time to all grain brew, then don’t. Keep your life simple and continue making great beers with extracts.
• Do You Have the Space? All grain brewing is not particularly feasible for people living in apartments. If you live with a significant other, they will likely protest when your all grain equipment takes over the kitchen.
• Are You Prepared to Spend the Money?  Even “inexpensive” all grain setups are at least four times the cost of basic extract brewing equipment. Part of this is the nature of all grain. When brewing all grain, you must boil at least the total volume of the batch. In other words, if you are making a five gallon batch, you typically begin with 6 gallons and boil it down to 5 gallons. Thus, you must have a large kettle, gas burner, and wort chiller. These can also be combined in the popular all-in-one systems.
• Are You Interested in All Grain Because of the Process?  Over the years we have found that the worst all grain brewers are the paint-by-the-numbers type. By “worst” we mean brewers who have inconsistent results and have no idea why they have inconsistent results. By “paint-by-the-numbers” we mean brewers who have no theoretical knowledge of what they’re doing but instead only blindly following some recipe. They do not understand how one’s brewing efficiency determines their original gravity but how precisely controlled mashing temperature determines their wort fermentability and thus their final gravity. They believe that in a HERMS system they have a homogeneous flow of sweet liquor through the mash bed instead of flowing through cut channels, and then they wonder why their efficiency is poor. They know nothing of fully modified malts, proteolytic enzymes, wort turbidity, β-glucans or the difference between beta- and alpha amylase. All grain brewing is not difficult, but like any hobby it requires learning. All grain brewing is like flying a plane. You are turning off the auto-pilot, so you need to know how to fly the plane. If you are fascinated by the process, then you should definitely pursue all grain brewing, but if you don’t understand what you are doing, then don’t set your expectations very high.

Wishful Considerations

• Will You Make Better Beer? For some reason many all grain brewers want you to believe this, and they will go to great length on homebrew forums to drive this point forward, but it is not true. An experienced extract brewer brewing the proper beer styles and using optimum techniques will achieve results on par with all grain brewing. Sure, some styles lend themselves better to all grain brewing, such as delicate pilsners or helles, or decoction focused brews like dunkel, bock or marzen. But extract brewers making hefeweizens, pale ales, IPAs, stouts, porters, amber ales, red ales, altbier (this list goes on and on), can easily produce beers indistinguishable from their all grain counterparts.

By the way, we have a theory as to why the all grain brewers tend to push their opinions so heavily on forums: all grain brews are arguably the most enthusiastic brewers, and by default all grain brewer they have more time. Thus, they have the time and enthusiasm to spend exorbitant time posting on forums. Most casual brewers who just want to have fun and make tasty beer could generally care a less.

• Will You Actually Save Money? The answer to this question is an overwhelming no. Sure, all grain brewing saves money on the cost of ingredients, but that’s where the savings immediately end. If you are financially-minded and amortize the ingredient-cost-savings of all grain brewing, you would discover, depending on your equipment type that you would need to brew between 50 – 100 five gallon batches of beer just to break even compared to brewing with extracts.  Most people never brew that many all-grain batches in their lifetime. Also, unless you’re unemployed, home brewing has never saved money. If you compute your income’s hourly time value, you always see that if you work the same hours you spent brewing, you could purchase way more beer than you have produced. So, moral of the story: don’t all grain brew to save money. In fact, don’t brew any beer to save money. It’s your hobby, so do it because it gives you joy.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, whether you brew with extracts or pursue all-grain really depends on what you’re looking to get out of the hobby. Extract brewing is fun, quick and convenient. But if you’re drawn to the process and brewing techniques—and you don’t mind the extra time, money and effort—then all-grain is worthwhile. Whichever path you choose, the most important thing is to keep brewing beer you enjoy and having fun with it. There’s no “right” way to brew, just the way that works best for you.

By its very nature, home brewing your own beer is a rewarding hobby, because come on – when you’re done, you have beer. What couldn’t be great about this? But like other hobbies, many home brewers seem to revel in making the process as complicated as possible, and their expensive, exotic brewing rigs become a badge of honor and bragging rights, which they then promote over all avenues of social media and then preach how everyone needs to use fancy equipment to make good beer. In reality, however, this is not true. Home brewing beer doesn’t have to be complicated or involve elaborate, expensive equipment. In fact, many if not most home brewers who have continued to brew for years if not decades do so because they’ve found ways to keep their process as simple as possible.

Here are 10 tips to help you streamline your home beer brewing to keep things easy and keep you brewing.

1. Use a Big Fermenter
   One of the easiest ways to prevent a mess during fermentation is to use a larger fermenter, such as a 9-gallon bucket, even if you’re brewing a standard 5-gallon batch. High-alcohol and wheat-based beers are notorious for foaming over smaller fermenters. Having the extra space of a 9 gallon bucket dramatically prevents the risk of the krasusen produced during fermentation overflowing the fermenter and spewing out the top. Though using a larger fermenter is a small change, it can save a lot of cleanup headaches and ensure your brew stays where it belongs – in the fermenter and not on the ceiling!
2. Use a Plastic Bucket Fermenter
   Yes, we admit it. Stainless fermenters look cool, but they’re expensive, and sure, glass carboys seem wholesome, but they’re heavy, breakable, and a pain to clean. Plastic bucket fermenters, on the other hand, are inexpensive, lightweight, and much easy to manage. You don’t have to worry about them shattering, and they’re just as effective at keeping your beer safe during fermentation. Plus, cleaning them is easy compared to dealing with the narrow neck of a carboy.
3. Skip the Secondary Fermenter
   Although old habits are hard to change, and a lot of old information keeps floating around the internet, an increasing number of home brewers are skipping using a secondary fermenter unless they’re brewing a beer with special requirements, such as dry hopping. While aging a beer in a secondary fermentater allows time for extra clarification, for most styles it’s unnecessary. If you’re brewing most non-dry hopped ales, you can leave the beer in the primary fermenter the entire time and still get the same results as if you had used a secondary. This saves your time, which is precious, and it eliminates one more piece of equipment to clean and sanitize. For more information about using a secondary fermenter, click here.
4. Use an Auto-Siphon
   Manually siphoning beer with a hose can be a major annoyance, but an auto-siphon makes the process simple. Most home brewers use auto-siphons these days, and for good reason—it helps you move your beer from one container to another without disturbing the sediment or introducing oxygen, which can deplete the fresh flavor of your beer. It’s a simple tool that’s well worth having as a part of your brewing equipment.
5. Skip the Bottling Bucket
   Yes, you read that correctly – just siphon the beer onto the floor. Just kidding – and checking if you are still paying attention or just TikToking. For most home brewers, bottling the beer is a tedious, time-consuming step. Some might even call it a pain in the ass. However, you can simplify the bottling process by filling your bottles directly from the fermenter. Use carbonation drops instead of fussing with powdered priming sugar. Just make sure to siphon carefully, especially towards the bottom of the fermenter, to avoid getting too much sediment into your bottles. This approach reduces the number of steps and equipment needed, making cleanup easier too.
6. Use Bigger Bottles
   Filling bottles is one of the more tedious parts of home brewing, so why not make it quicker? Using larger bottles, like 22-ounce bombers, means you have fewer bottles to fill. It’s the same amount of beer, but you’re cutting your work in half. You can still fill a few 12-ounce bottles if you like giving them as gifts, but for your personal stash, bigger bottles are the way to go. And don’t kid yourself: you would’ve drank two of those 12 oz beers, so just cut out the middle man and go bigger.
7. Keg Your Beer
   If you’re really serious about simplifying your home brewing process, kegging is the way to go. While it does require a bit of upfront investment, once you’re set up, kegging is much faster than bottling. Instead of filling, capping, and sanitizing dozens of bottles, you just transfer your beer to a keg, and you’re ready to go. Plus, there’s nothing quite like pouring your own beer from a tap at home, meaning it’s good for the psyche, so if you want to do something favorable for your mental health, then keg your beer.
8. Skip the Hydrometer
   Taking gravity readings can be useful for measuring how much alcohol is in your beer, but it’s not always necessary to take an original gravity reading. Most reliable recipes will list the expected original gravity, so unless you’re really into tracking every detail of your brew, you can skip this step and save yourself a bit of time and effort. Plus, most chill brewers drink a couple of beers while brewing, and after that, they could care a less about gravity readings, so why bother.
9. Use Time-Efficient Cleaning and Sanitizing Strategy
   Cleaning and sanitizing are essential parts of brewing, but they don’t have to be a hassle. Get into the habit of cleaning your equipment right after using it, while any residue is still easy to remove. A good cleaner, like PBW, B-Brite or One Step, works wonders. For sanitizing, use a no-rinse sanitizer like Star San just before you need your equipment. Disassembling parts like siphons and bottle fillers, and soaking them overnight if necessary, will keep them in good shape and ensure your beer stays uncontaminated. For more information about cleaning and sanitizing, click here.
10. Brew with Extracts
    All-grain brewing can be fun and gives you more control over your beer, but it’s also time-consuming. If you want to save time without sacrificing quality, brewing with malt extracts is a great option. In fact, experienced extract brewers win as many competitions as all-grain brewers. While certain styles like pilsners or lagers might benefit from the all-grain process, most styles turn out just as well with extracts. If you’re a skilled brewer, you can achieve professional results regardless if you are brewing all grain or extract, but extract can give you all of the rewards without all the extra effort.
11. Use Dry Yeast
    Hey, this is a rip-off! This blog post says "10 Tips", and you've thrown in an extra! You people are dishonest, and I want my money back! No, seriously, fellow brewers, dry yeast makes life easy. Its quality is equal to liquid yeast, it's cheaper (at least half the price of liquid yeast), it has the same or greater cell count, it survives just fine without refrigeration, it doesn't require a starter, and the list goes on and on. Many brewers believe liquid yeast is better because it costs more, but this is not true. Years ago liquid yeast had been better, and this reputation still follows liquid yeast to this day, but the results say otherwise. If you want to learn more about using dry and liquid yeast, click here.

So remember, there are many ways you can simplify your brewing process and spend less time worrying about equipment and procedures, and more time enjoying the fruits of your labor—delicious home-brewed beer!

Do I Need to Use a Secondary Fermenter?

Tl;dr  Screw it, don’t use a secondary. Unless you need to. (Thanks Jeff! Like! Thumbs up! What an Award winning blog!)

A hotly debated topic in home brewing is whether or not you need to use a secondary fermenter. As human beings, naturally, we prefer things do be black and white. We want a definite answer. But unfortunately, like many things in brewing, the answer isn’t black and white—it depends on your goals and the type of beer you’re brewing. Let’s dive into the pros, cons, and alternatives so you can make an informed decision for your next batch. Or just screw it and not use a secondary.

But before we begin, let’s address the elephant in the room. What is secondary fermentation? Is there really a second fermentation? Generally speaking, no. There’s just fermentation. Now, if you want to feel haughty, then we can call it primary fermentation, which somehow implies a secondary fermentation, but there’s still just the single fermentation. Fermentation generally begins slow, goes like a bat-out-of-hell, and then fizzles out. If you’re a math geek, then you’d plot it out and admire something like a bell curve. But unless you are adding extra fermentables to your already fermented beer, like fruits or syrup feeding, which will indeed kick up a second fermentation, then there is truly just one fermentation. (BTW, adding priming sugar and bottling beer is a bona fide example of a second fermentation.)

So from here on out, if we say secondary fermentation, we are referring to the act of using a secondary fermenter, where, coincidentally, the primary fermentation may working on its way to fizzling out.

(By the way, if you really want to geek out about true secondary fermentation, then consider cider or wine. Natural unpasteurized cider or wine often harbors beneficial malolactic bacteria, which indeed produces a secondary fermentation that can last for months. But that’s another story, and if you want, you can read about it here.)

What is the Purpose of a Secondary Fermenter?

The idea of a secondary fermenter comes from the professional brewing industry. Originally, professional brewers used secondary fermentation to clarify beer, reduce sediment, reduce autolysis risk and allow for extended aging, such as with lagers. Using a secondary fermenter is also useful when you plan to add extras like fruit, dry hops, or oak chips to your beer. In these cases, racking your beer into a secondary fermenter gives you a greater ability to deal with the extra additives, like hops, that you’ve added to the beer.

As a side note, home brewers for generations had been using secondary fermenters in an effort to avoid the dreaded yeast autolysis, which, in the context of home brewing, turned out to mostly be a myth. To learn more about the autolysis myth, click here.

Pros of Using a Secondary Fermenter

So, why might you want to use a secondary fermenter? Here’s what you get:

1. Clarification: If you’re aiming for a crystal-clear beer, using a secondary fermenter can help by separating the beer from the sediment that forms during primary fermentation. The longer you let the beer sit, the more the sediment settles, leaving you with a clearer final product.
2. High Gravity Flavor Development: For select styles of beer, typically of the high gravity sort such as barleywines, imperial stouts, Belgian abbey beers, wee heavies and so on, secondary fermenter extended aging gives the beer time to mellow out and let those flavors integrate fully.
3. Lagering: While in home beer making the risk of autolysis has been greatly overestimated, most lager brewers prefer not to cold age the beer for weeks or months in the primary fermenter, and real things happen during this extended secondary aging, such as chill-haze-protein-polyphenol precipitation, ester, sulfur and diacetyl reduction, to name a few.
4. Dry Hopping: Historically, IPA brewers always used a secondary fermenter for dry hopping. Using a secondary fermenter can make dealing with the floating hop mass more manageable, though many brewers are simply dry hopping in the primary fermenter and then later carefully siphoning to leave behind the extra hops.
5. Timing: If you’re brewing back-to-back batches, moving beer to a secondary fermenter frees up your primary fermenter for the next brew. This allows you to continue brewing without waiting for your beer to finish conditioning. Of course, you could just buy another primary fermenter instead of buying that secondary fermenter.

Cons of Using a Secondary Fermenter

But, like all things in brewing (and in life), there are some downsides:

1. Risk of Contamination: Every time you transfer beer, you introduce a risk of contamination. Bacteria and wild yeast love to sneak in during transfers, which can spoil your batch. If your sanitation isn’t on point, this could lead to off-flavors or, worse, a ruined batch.
2. Oxidation: When transferring beer to a secondary fermenter, it can come into contact with oxygen. Oxidation can lead to stale flavors or a papery taste, which isn’t something you want in your finished beer. Certain beers like hazy IPAs are especially susceptible to oxidation. Home brewers with CO2 cylinders can flush out fermenters with CO2 so their beer never contacts oxygen, but of course this requires extra advanced equipment.
3. Unnecessary Step: For many beers, especially those meant to be consumed fresh, secondary fermentation is simply not necessary. With modern brewing practices and improved yeast strains, most brewers these days skip the secondary fermenter altogether without any loss of beer quality. And let’s face it, transferring the beer to a secondary fermenter takes additional time, and everyone is busy, so I you can same an hour or two in the brewing process, why not take advantage of it?

No Secondary Fermenter? What Am I Going to do Now?

If you are going to skip using a secondary fermenter, just remember: you are not alone. You have alternatives:

1. Extended Primary Fermentation: Instead of transferring to a secondary, you can simply leave your beer in the primary fermenter for a longer period. This allows more sediment to settle, essentially achieving the same results as a secondary fermenter without the added steps.
2. Cold Crashing: Cold crashing involves chilling your beer down to near-freezing temperatures before bottling. This causes sediment to drop out quickly, giving you a clearer beer without the need for a secondary fermenter.

So in Practice, When Should You Actually Consider Using a Secondary Fermenter?

Ultimately, you make your decision based upon the pros listed above:

• Complex Beers: High-ABV beers, heavily hopped brews, or those with added fruit or spices often benefit from the extended aging and flavor development a secondary fermenter provides.
• Dry Hopped Beers: Some brewers swear on using a secondary to manage the chaos of dry hopping.
• Clarity: If you’re entering a competition or simply want a beautifully clear beer, aging the beer in a secondary fermenter can help with this requirement.

The Consensus in Modern Homebrewing

Times have changed, beer styles have evolved, and so have our home brewing practices. Most homebrewers now skip using a secondary fermenter unless they have a specific reason to use it. We’ve learned that in most cases, we can achieve the same great beer without the extra step, so why spend the extra time?

Ultimately, whether or not you decide to use a secondary fermenter depends on your specific situation and goals. For some styles and situations, it’s a useful step. For others, it can be an unnecessary time-consuming drudgery that makes home brewing feel more like work than a fun hobby that leads to phenomenal beer. The more you brew, experiment and gain experience, you will find what methodology works best for you. Happy brewing!

Is Yeast Autolysis Really a Problem with Home Brewing Beer?

Yeast autolysis. The dreaded condition whereby the diseased and mutated yeast violently explodes and spews foul flavors into our beers before permeating the room, the house and eventually our souls! Okay, that’s hyperbole, but hey, isn’t it fun? In terms based on reality (a place where I prefer not to be), yeast autolysis is the process where yeast cells die, burst their cell walls (autolize) and release unwanted compounds into the beer. I like the dramatic explosion analogy better. High degrees of yeast autolysis lead to off flavors such as sulfur, rubber, soap, or even meaty notes, and unless you’re tossing meat into your fermenter, we’re guessing you probably don’t want the meaty notes in there.

Yeast autolysis has long been a concern among home brewers – the concern about leaving beer in the primary fermenter for too long, the yeast dies, and… you know the rest of the story. However, our understanding of yeast autolysis in the context of homebrewing has evolved significantly.

The History of Exploding Yeast (Or, Autolysis in a Nutshell)

Professional breweries think they’re so mighty. They look down upon us with their towering, conical fermenters, where we cower below, fearfully peering up beside our 7-gallon buckets. But professional breweries have an Achilles heel. Their fermenters are gargantuan, and their yeast sediment depth is measured in feet. And the pressure at the bottom of their haughty, towering fermenters is tremendously high, and this pressure can cause yeast death and autolysis if the beer is left on the yeast cake for too long.

In the early days of homebrewing, and long before the internet, home brewers relied on books to learn about the craft. Few books existed on the topic, and many were based upon a combination of lore with an integration of practices adopted from the professional brewing industry. Professional breweries, because of their tall fermenters, absolutely had to be wary of autolysis, so these early beer writers assumed home brewers had the same concern. We read these books and took the information as gospel. Thus, home brewers manically racked their beer from the primary fermenter to a secondary fermenter—often within a week—to avoid this dreaded autolysis. Now that the beer was safe from autolysis, as home brewers believed, they could safely allow the beer to settle and clarify in the secondary for a longer time.

Our Modern Understanding of Autolysis and Homebrewing

Home brewing has come a long way since its early beginnings when we sprinkled mostly dead yeast over our oxidized wort made from bulging cans of malt extract. Today, home brewers actively research new brewing techniques, which has expanded our collective homebrewing knowledge exponentially. And while today it may sound obvious, we have learned that our homebrew environment does not resemble commercial breweries:

1. Fermenter Size and Pressure: Compared to professional breweries, homebrewers fermenters (5 to 10 gallons) are laughably smaller. The pressure on the yeast cake at the bottom of our fermenters is fractionally less than at professional breweries. Thus, we have a low risk of yeast autolysis.
2. Improved Yeast Health: Compared to the abysmal yeast quality of yesteryear, the quality and viability of modern yeast strains have improved by orders of magnitude. Our modern yeast is robust and less prone to autolysis. This is true for both liquid and dry yeasts.
3. Extended Primary Fermentation: Many experienced homebrewers now, if desired, leave their beer in the primary fermenter for three to four weeks, sometimes even longer, without experiencing any autolysis-driven off flavors. Conversely, this extended aging time allows the yeast to clean up byproducts of fermentation, such as diacetyl (movie theater popcorn butter) and acetaldehyde (green apple), leading to a cleaner, more polished final beer.
4. Reduced Need for Secondary Fermenters: Today for most styles of beer, homebrewers do not use a secondary fermenter. Of course, exceptions apply. When brewing IPAs, homebrewers find using a secondary helpful to manage the various stages of dry hoping. Also, homebrewers will commonly use secondary fermenters for aging beer on fruit, wood, or other adjuncts. 
5. Increased Need to Make Life Easy: So maybe this plays to the laziness in all of us, but if you don’t need to use a secondary for a specific purpose, then why bother? We all appreciate saving time, and having more time means we have more time to drink beer, and if a secondary’s use is unnecessary, then skip it. After all, each time you transfer the beer between vessels, you increase the risk of oxidation and the omnipresent risk of bacterial contamination.

Final Thoughts on Maniacal, Suicidal Exploding Yeast (Okay, Autolysis)

Among the modern homebrewing elite (and if you want to be elite, then think like us!), our consensus is that leaving beer in the primary fermenter for extended periods—up to a month or more—is safe and can even be beneficial. Homebrewers’ fear of autolysis was overblown, because we assumed professional breweries’ methodology also applied to us, which it didn’t. And with this paradigm shift, we can spend less time worrying about non-issues and unnecessarily transferring the beer and spend more time drinking the beer, which is where our priority should be!