Irish Moss

[Beej]

Never used this before, but since i live in Clare and there's a little bit of seaweed around these parts, can you use it in the boil raw or do you have to have it dried (presumably it needs a fresh-water soaking first too or it'd add salty flavour) first? Any ideas on quantities etc or anyone used the 'real thing' before? Thanks.

[johnrm]

Clare ex-part living in Cork here.
What part of Clare are you from Beej?

I've used this, with no issues.
A quick rinse, then dry it between paper towels, keeps flies and such off.
Your looking for carageen moss, not any old seaweed you find.
Google it, but go for it.
Biddy Earley in Inagh used to collect their own.

[Beej]

Thanks John, I'm near Lahinch. (Moved here just after Biddy Earley closed down/moved sadly. Wonder if 'all the gear's' still inside the old place?) Did it work alright as well? I'll ask one of the local ladies into collecting all the different weed which one. (I'm a SA/UK transplant and miss my affordable real ale). Any other Clare brewers around?

[johnrm]

The gears long gone.
It spent some time in mothball in White Gypsy, then off to Metalman, where it is their production kit.
They are talking about upgrading but they're supposed to be holding on to the kit for test batches.
Not many around Clare that I am aware of. There was a lad in Mullagh, he was on Beoir, not here though, he seems to have disappeared.
Do you know of any other brewers?
Would you travel to Ennis for meets?
Given that it's the main town, there might be a chance of getting a local club going.

[Beej]

HI, nah, not met anyone. Heard of a lad in Miltown who's into AG apparently but not been introduced. I'd def. go to Ennis for meets, as considering Limerick ones too. Need to build some stock up first as I ducked out for a couple years after a couple lost batches and ran out of rolling stock! Working on that now ...

[johnrm]

The Miltown lad might be one and the same...
Micheál something.
Keep an eye out for Limerick I'rd you don't mind the trek. Tie in a shopping trip or something.

[johnrm]

Donnellan was the surname.

[Beej]

Thanks John will ask around.