First Time Finings

[Aaron86]

Hi all. I am just preparing my finings for the first time.

I noticed after i poured the finings into the warm water that it absolutely stinks. Like smelly cheese almost.

Is this normal?

Im not sure if I can bring myself to pour this rank smelling shit in my brew?

 

[Wolfy]

What are you using for finings and when are you proposing to use them?

 

[Aaron86]

Wolfy. LHB told me it is Gelatin finings.

And is currently dissolving in medium to hot water. Planning on using within the next 10 mins


Need to know if this smell is normal or to throw it out....

 

[Aaron86]

I just checked the finings. Completely dissolved and that cheesy smell has subsided a fair bit.

Im assuming this is probably normal for gelatin.

F*ck it ill think ill just dump it in.

 

[booyablack]

Yeah, no problems there. When making up finings using gelatine it does have a reasonably rank odour. It is an animal by-product made from bones and skin and stuff so no surprises that it smells a little funky.

Should work fine though. It does for me!

 

[Fireman Sam]

an animal by-product made from bones and skin and stuff

don't know if the smell or what's inside it that is putting me off more !! lol

:icon_vomit:

 

[boobiedazzler]

I wouldn't worry too much Sam, many commercial beer & wine makers use collagen finings, particularly fish bladders. So for the homebrewer, cattle bones, skin and organ tissue is as good as anything, and its cheap. Just dont tell your vegan mates lol.

As a side note, this is the second thread in recent days about the stink of gelatine. Another guy posted that his whole beer tasted like the gelatine that he added for fining purposes. I wonder if its worth contacting the manufacturer and see if they have changed the formula in any way or had a funky batch recently ?

To the OP, what brand did you buy, and how long ago did you buy it? I have some that I bought ages ago (McKenzies) and it doesnt impart any nasty aroma or flavor in the beer.

 

[Wolfy]

Wolfy. LHB told me it is Gelatin finings.

Have a read of the 'How to Gelatin' thread, it seems there may be some differences in flavour for the various brands of gelatin available at the supermarket, you may find a different brand more to your liking. I've never noticed the stuff I use to smell/taste offensive (and I often use it in cheese cakes and the like, where you have a much larger dose of gelatin in a much smaller volume than you'd use in beer).

 

[booyablack]

This is the gelatine that I use for finings. It does smell a little bit when you mix it with warm water but it does not impart any flavours into the beer. I just buy it from my local Coles.

And yeah, I wouldn't be worried about what's in it because you will have already consumed several animals worth of this stuff in your lifetime already through jelly, marshmallows, gummy bears and even medication capsules. Plus I don't think much of it remains in your beer since you're using it as a fining agent and it drops out suspended yeast to become part of the trub at the bottom of the fermenter which you leave behind when you bottle/keg.

 

[Aaron86]

Hi guys thanks for the responses.

Wolfy, I read how to gelatin several times over and over so I didnt need to ask anything. But I never found anything relating to gelatin smells. It literally smelt like funky cheese or a yeast infection when I put the finings in the jug, but when it was completely dissolved the smell just dissipated. I always thought gelatin was completely odourless, hence what worried me.

I checked the fermenter an hour ago, and noticed a whitish film stuck to the sides of the fermenter just above the yeast cake, one would assume this is normal? Several darker patches in the yeast cake also appearing.

 

[Aaron86]

This is the gelatine that I use for finings. It does smell a little bit when you mix it with warm water but it does not impart any flavours into the beer. I just buy it from my local Coles.

And yeah, I wouldn't be worried about what's in it because you will have already consumed several animals worth of this stuff in your lifetime already through jelly, marshmallows, gummy bears and even medication capsules. Plus I don't think much of it remains in your beer since you're using it as a fining agent and it drops out suspended yeast to become part of the trub at the bottom of the fermenter which you leave behind when you bottle/keg.

Thanks for that booya. Im heading down the shops now I might see what they have. No use buying individual packets from the LHB everytime I start a brew.

:beer: