Gelatine In Keg

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jkirky

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G'day everyone...

Ive looked through the search feature but haven't found a clear answer...

I'm keen to try gelatine as a fining, but not sure if I should put it in the primary, or rack onto it in my serving keg...

I can't cold crash the primary as it doesn't fit in my fridge, hence my query...

I would prefer to use the gelatine in the primary, but I'm not sure if it will work? Ive read that it needs to be cold to work.

When using straight in the keg, does it produce a hard to clean film or sludge in the bottom of the keg? Is there a chance of getting the dip tube blocked? I've also read that some people cut the dip tube but I'm not keen on that idea... My dip tubes have been bent though...

Any advice much appreciated... I'm familiar with how to bloom the gelatine, btw...
 
I am it straight to serving keg and then rack onto it... No issues with cleaning when empty.
 
Up until I started filtering I always added gelatin to the keg. Like you I have bent my dip tubes and I never had a problem with blockages. Mind you I always cold crash my primary for a couple of days and add either isinglass or polyclar to sort out chill haze before I rack to kegs, so a good deal of yeast has dropped out. I found with adding gelatin to the primary you always tend to stir up a bit of sediment when racking so fining the keg is a lot more effective. The sludge is very easy to clean out so no problems with the cleaning.
 
I find gelatine produces fluffy bottoms and is quite easy to disturb when moving the fermenter around. I bottle so not sure about kegs.
 
I gelatine straight in the keg with no problems at all. If you do move the keg around it will go cloudy again but this is no different than if you didn't gelatine anyway and it will soon drop out again.
 
I find gelatine produces fluffy bottoms and is quite easy to disturb when moving the fermenter around. I bottle so not sure about kegs.
if your getting fluffy bottoms try using less.
 
G'day everyone...



I would prefer to use the gelatine in the primary, but I'm not sure if it will work? Ive read that it needs to be cold to work.

When using straight in the keg, does it produce a hard to clean film or sludge in the bottom of the keg? Is there a chance of getting the dip tube blocked? I've also read that some people cut the dip tube but I'm not keen on that idea... My dip tubes have been bent though...

Any advice much appreciated... I'm familiar with how to bloom the gelatine, btw...

IMO your best to try and get your beer as clear as possible before kegging.

Your beer does not need to be cold for gelatine to work. IF you were to cold condition primary in the future the best time to do it is just as you start to drop the temp.

Even at ferment temps if you gelatine(or not) and let it sit for another week, you will be surprised how much yeast will drop out. You just need to be careful racking to the keg, i would suggest siphoning form the top.
 
I've found (thanks to a random post by Nick_JD) that if I move my fermenter into bottling position at the start of the day, and bottle at night (in my case after gelatin), then I stir less gunk up, and therefore less gets reintroduced into the beer and makes it way into the bottle/keg.

But directly answering the OP question, I have gelatined into the keg. The best thing I've found is leave the gelatined beer for at least 2 days, then pour off the first pint, that deals with 95% of the crap.

If I move the keg, it will stir up, but it's worse on only one of my kegs where the diptube is shorter. If I'm really careful with transportation and I leave a couple hours before serving to settle down, then all is well.

Again slightly OT - I reckon that the worse stuff that reintroduces is hop bits. So whatever you do, either ensure that this doesn't make it in, or if it does (the old commando dry hop), ensure you do as I say above and don't stir up the hoppy yeast.
 
gelatine works better in cold beer than warmer, as with many fining agents (or methods and I include filtering) it is best done below serving temperature.
what I do, and its just me, is to cold crash to nearly zero, CO2 transfer to serving kegs and add gelatine dissolved in warm water and rested for about 5 minutes
i inderstand that if left for a week the beer will become quite clear (not a lot of experience with this though.)

k
 
Hi Jkirky.
There is a lot that can be written about this topic... Anyway, so straight to the OP. I am a big fan of gelatine becuase it works great and is simple and quick! I use it in the primary when fermentation is complete - 100%. You could also add to the secondary. I add 48Hrs before kegging, whether that be at 22 Deg.C or for a lager at 1 Deg.C. Gelatine is not what I always use but it is my simple quick option that works.

Logic. Clear you beer before kegging I am not fan of any finning agent in keg since this is the serving vessel, but that is just me, particularly kegs as they draw from the bottom. (Not saying it will not work, but it's just not my thing). And bye the way I would not modify your kegs, resist that suggestion IMHO.

Fear_n_loath
 
gelatine works better in cold beer than warmer, as with many fining agents (or methods and I include filtering) it is best done below serving temperature.

k

Quite correct, and independent of the finning agent in my experience. When the beer is chilled, hazes can form, and these must be present when the finning is introduced if you want to remove them. Not saying you can't get a beer clear without this, but if you are getting chill haze, then the temperature at which the finnings is added must be below serving temp. Otherwise the chill hazes will just have to slowly drop out of the keg in the fridge - like the last few glasses off a keg are crystal clear.

Fear_n_loath
 
gelatine works better in cold beer than warmer, as with many fining agents (or methods and I include filtering) it is best done below serving temperature.
what I do, and its just me, is to cold crash to nearly zero, CO2 transfer to serving kegs and add gelatine dissolved in warm water and rested for about 5 minutes
i inderstand that if left for a week the beer will become quite clear (not a lot of experience with this though.)

k


Quite correct, and independent of the finning agent in my experience. When the beer is chilled, hazes can form, and these must be present when the finning is introduced if you want to remove them. Not saying you can't get a beer clear without this, but if you are getting chill haze, then the temperature at which the finnings is added must be below serving temp. Otherwise the chill hazes will just have to slowly drop out of the keg in the fridge - like the last few glasses off a keg are crystal clear.

Fear_n_loath


I am just parroting the following links i have saved, some good reading from TB on finning in general, but also in my limited experience gelatine works better on yeast which is its intended targetr at ferment temps just before cold conditioning.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=787451

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=669388
 
Tip plenty on AHB on gelatin as a fining
1 tsp : 100ml mixture per corny keg
Make up, put in leg, then put beer in keg so it mixes. You'll pour 2 or 3 pints of gelatinous beer then it's crystal clear
 
Thanks heaps for all the replies!

If I add gelatine straight to keg, how long should I leave to condition before serving?

I don't normally keg condition for long, maybe 4 days before drawing off first pint- will that be enough?
 
Should be fine only takes a few days even better if the keg is refrigerated.
 
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