How To - Gelatine

[manticle]

Will work - optimum is when the brew is chilled. Considering the nightime weather in Melbourne at the moment though, you could put it in an ice bath overnight then leave it outside to condition a bit.

I only have space in the fridge for one fermenter but have been running up to 6 fermenting vessels at the moment. During winter it's as cold in my laundry as it is in my fridge.

 

[Acasta]

thats a great idea! haha. I used to brew in the laundry but then i realized it was too cold.

 

[jakester]

Has anyone added the gelatine after carbing in the keg? I was hoping it would have cleared a little by now but hasnt. I done my first Kolsch using the liquid wyeast and wish i read this thread before i had made it. Will make another one soon and definately gelatine the secondary so i can see what the difference is like.
So is it too late? Or can i add some gelatine now and see how it goes?

 

[herbo]

Has anyone added the gelatine after carbing in the keg? I was hoping it would have cleared a little by now but hasnt. I done my first Kolsch using the liquid wyeast and wish i read this thread before i had made it. Will make another one soon and definately gelatine the secondary so i can see what the difference is like.
So is it too late? Or can i add some gelatine now and see how it goes?

Ha, just posted the same query in the other current gelatine thread. Beat you by 2 mins!

 

[Thirsty Boy]

YES

You can gelatin a keg that's already carbed. I like to pop the pressure relief valve on the keg to vent the pressure, then I use a syringe body to inject the gelatin through the gas in post. That means I don't have to open the keg and expose it to potential infection or oxygen.

Come to think of it.. You could probably just screw the pressure relief valve out a inject it into there... Much the same effect and easier.

Gelatin in, wait a week, suck out a glass or so of murk and then pour clear beer.

 

[jakester]

Ha, just posted the same query in the other current gelatine thread. Beat you by 2 mins!

Well i hope we get the same answers then Herbo, will have to look for your post.
And thanks Thirsty, will give it a run on the weekend when i get some spare time. Cant wait to taste and see the results.

 

[drtomc]

After a comment elsewhere by TB about using finings with the Wyeast Kolsch strain, I thought I'd better read this thread, having not used anything but time to brighten by beers. Since I don't have a fridge I can crash chill my beers in, I was particularly interested in the non-fridge angle.

Which brings me to an observation about agar. If you read this page about agar, they note that it is asymmetric in its melting and solidifying temperatures: it melts at 85C and solidifies round 32-40C. The latter is interesting because that's a much higher temperature than gelatine sets at, um, something less than typical room temperature.

It strikes me that this could go either way in terms of its usefulness as a fining agent. If could mean that it solidifies too quickly and neither compacts nor pulls out as much crap, or that especially in the fridgeless case, it is particularly effective because it will be in its solidified phase, well and truly.

From what 4* mentioned earlier in the thread, it sounds like the latter is probably the case.

I guess I'll try agar, then. Especially good, since I have numerous vego and vegan friends.

T.

 

[itguy1953]

There is talk in this thread re first adding the gelatine, then leaving to clear hops and yeast, then adding Polyglar and leaving to settle and clear chill haze.

Has anyone tried using Gelatine and Polyglar at the same time in a chill primary or secondary beofre racking to a keg or bottling?

Barry

 

[manticle]

I used to add at the same time but got better results with gelatine first, then polyclar.

I'm currently not fining my beers at all (except kettle finings but that's separate)

 

[itguy1953]

I used to add at the same time but got better results with gelatine first, then polyclar.

I'm currently not fining my beers at all (except kettle finings but that's separate)

Adding to the primary, secondary or keg?

 

[manticle]

Back then it would have been secondary. At the moment I'm not using secondary at all except for ageing particular beer but I'm also not fining at the moment.

CC and rack to bulk prime currently.

I don't keg.

 

[seanokil]

OK i have read nealy all this thread im still a little confused . This is the way im thinking.
I have no secondary to rack to YET.
So i wait till fg is stable mix 2 teaspoons of gelatne into a cup of hot water and pour over my brew.
I have a fridge but its a little dodgy atm to crash chill so i am goin to turn it off and put the primary into it should be stable 5-10 degrees.
Then wait 3-4 days and bottle.
Any hints would be much appreciated
Cheers
Seano

 

[Fents]

2 teaspoons is too much imo. i only use 1 teaspoon in about 100ml of water.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Yeah, 1tsp into 100mls seems to be the way to go.

Did it for the first time this weekend, and even after 24hrs the beer was a lot clearer. (1tsp + 100mls of water into the keg prior to filling as per Dr Fents prescription)

Cheers SJ

 

[chiroman11]

I'm with you Seano. I was thinking of doing exactly what you described, but I'm not sure either.

does anyone have a comment for Seano's method?

cheers

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Necro alert.

Few caveats to start:

I have read the full 11 pages, but I have a nasty cold with an even nastier sinus-headache, so if I've missed something, hold the flames. And if I ramble as well.

Don't want crystal clear beer, a la BribieG's coke bottle. Just something bearable.

Kegged on Friday (IIRC) after CCing and racking my beer (s189 after a failed Notto, so no a 'non floc' strain) for 3 days (and the loose flowers trapped most of the yeast).

Poured about a pint of crap on Saturday. Heavy, yeast nastiness. Barely drinkable.

Poured another pint today. Crap, but probably a little less crap. Didn't drink it all, just tasted it, as I wanted to see if it improved.

Got frustrated (another by product of my cold), and gelatined in the keg. I've only done this once before with a BB with Windsor (far less flocculent strain).

I'll leave this for 4 days or so (I don't like drinking when I'm sick, unless it's medicinal brandy).

I'll pour the inevitable pint of crap from the bottom on Friday and get pretty clear beer after that.

But - this is a backup keg for a poker party (I probably "tested" about 5L out of a Belgian). I should have enough of the Belgian, but kind of wanted to offer another type of beer. It's my stupid fault for being talked into supplying a little beer, without getting my stocks back up first.

This keg will need to be moved to my mate's place for serving. That will stir up the keg. As I mentioned, I don't need crystal clear beer, just not the yeasty nasty crap that were in it.

Question is - if I've gelatined and let it sit for those 4 days and poured the requisite pint o' crap, and I then move it - will I go back to pouring yeastiness? Or will the gelatin, plus the clearing of the pint o'crap, be enough to clear the majority of the nastiness from the keg, and I just end up with not that clear beer, but perfectly drinkable?

Over to you all.

Goomba

 

[iralosavic]

If the gelatin doesn't bloom when rested is this indicative of anything? I recently added 2tsp in 200ml to a chilled keg, got a few chunks in the first pour 24 hours later, but the clarity hasn't improved at all. Cheers

 

[Dazza88]

No kegging gelatine experience but I would guess that if you got it to the stage where it was pouring clear at home after the gelatine treatment because you pulled some sludgy pints full of gelatine-yeast crap, most of the sludge will be removed and it will be ok for the party, not much to resuspend into solution etc.

I just gelatined last brew in the fermenter for 36 hrs (less than optimal), probably CC'd for 5 days in total, the beer was clear in the fermenter (10L blue cube small batch). I suppose you should be reviewing if your brew in clear in the keg? How long do you CC in fermenter for?


I kegged by racking, and accidently picked up some sludge trying to get every last bit. The beer out of the keg was dirty; yeast haze and some hop material. Drinkable but unpleasant yeastiness. Four days later its clear (and tasting very good, SWMBO agrees) so the gunk did drop out with time and me spending the weekend away from the keg. This was 1272 yeast in a dry hopped pale ale. IIRC i have had success with s-189 being clear from the keg as well. My Landlord with 1469 never cleared properly for me unfortunately, but i think i rushed that one with CCing etc. 3787 took ages, months even, must hook it up and see what's happening

I think it would help if you could get the beer to your mates a day before the party to settle out again, if possible.

IRA: Did you dissolve into hot liquid first?

Found this off a cooking website, :

Hydrating Gelatin (blooming?)
Powdered gelatin
1. For the equivalent of each 30 g of gelatin, place it in 125 ml of cold water ( cup). 2. Allow the gelatin to hydrate for about 5 minutes.
3. Dissolve by pouring the gelatin and cold water into one litre of hot/boiled water.
Leaf gelatin
1. Place the leaves individually in cold water and allow them to swell for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove them and gently squeeze them out.
3. Proceed to dissolve the gelatin in hot/boiled water.

Dissolving Gelatin to Form a Gel Solution - I just do this? straight into 70C water.
To achieve easy blending with ingredients, gelatin must be dissolved in hot water to form a concentrated gel solution. The gel solution will dilute when added to liquids in a recipe.
1. Measure amount of hot water into a measuring jug.
2. Measure required quantity of gelatin and, for speedy absorption, add it immediately to the hot liquid.
3. Briskly beat the hot liquid with a fork or wire whisk.
4. When all the gelatin has been absorbed, the hot gel solution will be a clear golden liquid ready for use.


Retaining a Gel Solution
If a recipe is extensive, requiring retention of the solution for a period of time, stand the solution in a bowl of warm water. This procedure can also be used to re-liquefy the solution if it sets before time.

 

[iralosavic]

Not all the gelatin gunk will be poured out in the first pint - some of it settles further back from the pick up tube. When you disturb the keg, it resettles under the pick up again. Setting it up (refrigerated) 24 hours before you plan to serve is sound advice. If you'd care to take advice from someone whose gelatin doesnt work haha

 

[Glot]

How does Irish Moss compare?