Whirlfloc Tablets

[Wez]

My whirlfloc has arrived from leyland HB but there are no guides as to how many to use, is it 1 tablet per 5 gallon boil?

[oblivious]

I use a half in the last 5 minute, that’s the info I got from northern brewer where I believe Denny Conn had done some comparisons

[Wez]

Have I started another debate!

[Vossy1]

I used 2 tabs in a 10 gallon brew, but I do remember reading that one tab will do a lot more

I did link the spreadsheet on the forum..I'll try and find it...

[Vossy1]

Here it is from the manufacturers themselves, shamelessly nicked from another forum

Here’s some interesting advice from a lab tech who helps to create whirlfloc tablets:

- Whirlfoc is refined kappa carrageenan with some talcs to help in tabulation.
- pre-hydrating whirlfloc does nothing at all to increase effective-ness. In fact it’s not even water soluable at lower temperatures.
- Do NOT add whirlfloc any earlier than 10 minutes before end of boil. It acts immediately and only needs 5 minutes in the boil. If you add it earlier you will denature the carrageenan

- If you are adding any more than one tablet for 5 gallon batch, don’t bother. One tablet is 2.5 times the dosage they recommend. Recommended dosage is 5 grams per hectoliter (2 tablets to about 25 gallons) and one tablet is 2.5 grams.

[Wez]

Here it is from the manufacturers themselves, shamelessly nicked from another forum

Here’s some interesting advice from a lab tech who helps to create whirlfloc tablets:

- Whirlfoc is refined kappa carrageenan with some talcs to help in tabulation.
- pre-hydrating whirlfloc does nothing at all to increase effective-ness. In fact it’s not even water soluable at lower temperatures.
- Do NOT add whirlfloc any earlier than 10 minutes before end of boil. It acts immediately and only needs 5 minutes in the boil. If you add it earlier you will denature the carrageenan

- If you are adding any more than one tablet for 5 gallon batch, don’t bother. One tablet is 2.5 times the dosage they recommend. Recommended dosage is 5 grams per hectoliter (2 tablets to about 25 gallons) and one tablet is 2.5 grams.

Nice work Vossy - cheers!

[Vossy1]

The bit I found confusing was the de-naturing bit

Does this mean if you add it at 15 minutes like I did, that the de-naturing action of the heat will allow the proteins back into suspension

May explain my haze...along with a million other things

[Wez]

The bit I found confusing was the de-naturing bit

Does this mean if you add it at 15 minutes like I did, that the de-naturing action of the heat will allow the proteins back into suspension

May explain my haze...along with a million other things

Off we go again........

[Vossy1]

They all say 10 minutes though

http://www.deltagen.com.au/DATA/WHIRLFLOC%20T.pdf

[bloodoaf]

I notice the ingredients include arsenic and lead?!!!!

[delboy]

I doubt they are in it as ingredients, when a product is sold as a 'chemical' they have to provide all sorts of info on the levels of possible contaminants.
The are usually listed to let you see that they are very, very low, (even a small amount of a metal might screw up an expt).
It probably does have slight trace amounts of arsenic and lead in it but probably no more than a bowl of cereal of a can of beans etc, its just that the manufacturers of the cereal/beans don't have to list such things.

I haven't got the data sheet in front of me but i'd be reasonably confident thats what is happening in this case.

[Ross]

Yes, just half a tablet needed for a standard batch & add 10 mins from the end. it's a shame they don't supply it in a half size tablet. these days i prefer to use a commercial grade fining like "koppafloc", the difference in drop out is amazing...

Cheers Ross