I've been thinking about a bunch of forum conversations.
I've been having trouble getting beer to drop bright as well as I would expect/like, and realize this may have started when I started using Brewtan B. It's been brought to my attention that it chelates calcium, and I'd already dropped that level lower than I customarily had it in the past. Might not be just a mysterious floc issue or fining failure.
Got me thinking of other topics, like the Stone experiment (MBAA podcast) and some Brulosophy xbmts that found trub carryover improved clarity. (And whatever else trub does with fermentation, flavor etc.) Also discussions here and elsewhere of whether Irish moss is really needed (especially if trub separation is not a priority.) This brings things around to that constant theme of process simplification/not being all OCD.
So I have a plan for this weekend: I'll do the identical SMaSH Pilsner as last week (Floor malted Bohemian Pils and Sterling.) Water will be RO with gypsum and CaCl2 to bring Ca, SO4, and Cl all to just about 100ppm (where I think Ca is ideal for lautering efficiency, kettle coagulation, and yeast flocculation) and no other minerals. No BrewTan B. No mash acid will be needed (goes to the simplification theme.) No Irish moss. And no OCD-level efforts to keep trub out of the fermenter, but no special effort to carry trub over either. I will use Servomyces for the zinc, but no other additives in the kettle. Yeast usual repitch of 2124.
I will fine with gelatin (or isinglass) as usual, and see how fermentation, clarification, flavor, foam, etc are affected.
(This is not just about clarity, that and the role of Ca in it was just the catalyst bringing all these ideas together.)
Thoughts welcome on any point, and I'll report results as the beer journeys to my tap in about 5 weeks.