Isinglas... from the fish's mouth...

Physics, chemistry and biology of brewing. The causes and the effects.

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Mesa Maltworks
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Isinglas... from the fish's mouth...

Post by Mesa Maltworks »

A while back a thread was going about the origins of isinglas and the specie from which it is derived. Most had posed that Sturgeon is the source. While true that some comes from Sturgeon, it is far from the most favored for beer uses. I replied that I would attempt to contact Dr. Ian Ward of Savilles who is one of the experts on this topic. I finally tracked him down at this years Association of Brewers Craft Brewers Conference in New Orleans. I told him of our thread and he promised to forward the specie list to me. For those that were participating and those who have interest, watch here and I will summarize what he provides to me.

See... I didn't forget !

Eric
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Fish Stories

Post by Gravity Thrills »

I was probably the only person on the site actually interested in tehse gory details, Eric. And I still am. I will anxiously await the isinglas inventory, and no I figured you never did forget.

I want to know these silly things out of professional curiosity. The oceanographic instutution where I work has a whole marine biotechnology division involved in "drugs from the sea" types of research, and I like to collect these kinds of practical discoveries to use in lectures, drunken trivia contests, and whatnot. If you ever go diving with me I can show you the right fish to catch and how to extract their brains to be ingested as a mild halucinogen (so insist the local commercial fishermen). We can also go to the Bahamas where the locals insist if you eat the digestive gland of the queen conch (called the 'style'), It'll "Put lead in your pencil, ya mon!"

See, practical stuff...

Cheers,
Jim
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I did too

Post by fitz »

I was interested in the origin too. I almost felt bad for buying the stuff before since it came from sturgeon. Aren't they supposed to be on the endangered list. But since I know it comes from many sources, and mainly salt water fish I'll have crystal clear beer all the time.
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