11 replies to this topic

[garageBrew30495]

On another post I asked how to get clearer beer and there were several responses (thanks for the help) regarding adding gelatin. My question is how do you add gelatin; such as what gelatin (regular from grocery store), how much, when do you add (right when you keg or later), before or after 1st carbonating?thanks in advance-ttm

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

On another post I asked how to get clearer beer and there were several responses (thanks for the help) regarding adding gelatin. My question is how do you add gelatin; such as what gelatin (regular from grocery store), how much, when do you add (right when you keg or later), before or after 1st carbonating?thanks in advance-ttm

what gelatin: My linkhow much: My linkbasic overview: My linkken's overview: My link (scroll down to the clear beer section almost all the way at the bottom of the page)ETA: I gel when I rack to 2ndary or after the beer is in 2ndary. I've never tried doing it in the serving keg but some people do that.

[Big Nake]

I know there's probably a description of this elsewhere, but this is probably a good place to put it so it can be searched. I always use gel from the LHBS but many people use KNOX unflavored gelatin from the grocery store with good results. All of the various products will tell you to use different amounts and to prepare it in various ways. I take some cold water (maybe 2-3 oz?) and put it in a bowl and sprinkle about 1 tbsp (the amount doesn't really matter much... sometimes I pour more in than I should... it's not critical) of the gel into the water. I put a fitted lid on the bowl and shake it every once in awhile over 15-20 mins. Then I take that and add it to a pot and heat it on the stove (some people use the microwave) and heat it until I can't see the gel granules any longer. It might get to 160-180° but I really don't worry as long as I can tell that everything is dissolved. I have accidentally allowed it to boil and IT WILL NOT TURN YOUR BEER INTO JELL-O. Let the gel solution cool a little bit and then add that to your secondary and rack the beer on top. If you don't secondary, then get your beer into a serving keg, get it cold, then add the gel solution, then carb. If you bottle, you could add the gel directly to the primary and allow to sit for a few days and then carefully rack the beer to the bottling bucket. I happen to make a gel solution twice for each beer... once when the beer is going from primary to secondary and then again when the beer is cold & flat in a keg, then I force-carb. It's the keg addition that really seems to work wonders. Cheers.

[garageBrew30495]

thanks for the great information I will try it on next next brew

[Fatman]

I know there's probably a description of this elsewhere, but this is probably a good place to put it so it can be searched. I always use gel from the LHBS but many people use KNOX unflavored gelatin from the grocery store with good results. All of the various products will tell you to use different amounts and to prepare it in various ways. I take some cold water (maybe 2-3 oz?) and put it in a bowl and sprinkle about 1 tbsp (the amount doesn't really matter much... sometimes I pour more in than I should... it's not critical) of the gel into the water. I put a fitted lid on the bowl and shake it every once in awhile over 15-20 mins. Then I take that and add it to a pot and heat it on the stove (some people use the microwave) and heat it until I can't see the gel granules any longer. It might get to 160-180° but I really don't worry as long as I can tell that everything is dissolved. I have accidentally allowed it to boil and IT WILL NOT TURN YOUR BEER INTO JELL-O. Let the gel solution cool a little bit and then add that to your secondary and rack the beer on top. If you don't secondary, then get your beer into a serving keg, get it cold, then add the gel solution, then carb. If you bottle, you could add the gel directly to the primary and allow to sit for a few days and then carefully rack the beer to the bottling bucket. I happen to make a gel solution twice for each beer... once when the beer is going from primary to secondary and then again when the beer is cold & flat in a keg, then I force-carb. It's the keg addition that really seems to work wonders. Cheers.

I am lazy. I dump 1/2 tbsp. of gelatin in 1/2 c. of water. I put it in the microwave for 1 minute (it usually boils) and I dump it in a keg and rack on top of it. My beers seem to get clear by the 3rd or 4th pint. Am I doing it right?

[Humperdink]

I am lazy. I dump 1/2 tbsp. of gelatin in 1/2 c. of water. I put it in the microwave for 1 minute (it usually boils) and I dump it in a keg and rack on top of it. My beers seem to get clear by the 3rd or 4th pint. Am I doing it right?

Only thing I would do different is make sure you are adding the gelatin to serving temp beer if possible. I generally keg, let it sit overnight to chill, then add gelatin and shake once at serving temps.

[Fatman]

Only thing I would do different is make sure you are adding the gelatin to serving temp beer if possible. I generally keg, let it sit overnight to chill, then add gelatin and shake once at serving temps.

Cool. I usually crash below 40 before transfer to the keg, so I'm at serving temp already.

[djinkc]

I do this occasionally. I had a habanero beer that had been doing a room temp d-rest - kegged last Thursday. I don't know if it was the habs or what - this was super cloudy going into the keg.I use a full packet of grocery store gelatin and mix it in 1 cup of water that was brought to a boil in the microwave. Put the keg in the kegerator Monday, gelatin Tuesday, 35PSI after work yesterday. After work today I released the C02 and went back to serving pressure. Carbed up nicely and pretty clear. It's for T-Day weekend so it should be brilliant by then.

Edited by djinkc, 18 November 2010 - 04:37 PM.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I do this occasionally. I had a habanero beer that had been doing a room temp d-rest - kegged last Thursday. I don't know if it was the habs or what - this was super cloudy going into the keg.I use a full packet of grocery store gelatin and mix it in 1 cup of water that was brought to a boil in the microwave. Put the keg in the kegerator Monday, gelatin Tuesday, 35PSI after work yesterday. After work today I released the C02 and went back to serving pressure. Carbed up nicely and pretty clear. It's for T-Day weekend so it should be brilliant by then.

DAMN! A whole packet! I've never used more than 1/2 and people were telling me that was too much!ETA: I don't think it will hurt anything I just think it might be overkill.

[tag]

I plugged up a beer-out diptube with too much gelatin.

[Flashman]

I had never used gelatin until I saw this thread. I followed Ken's instructions using the unflavored Knox gelatin and it worked great...I'll definitely be using it from now on.

[MakeMeHoppy]

Yep I got my brown ale on tap now and that was my first gelatin experiment. Much clearer after this short time (brewed 3 weeks ago) than any other beer I did. I have another version of the brown almost ready to cold crash and I brewed an APA today that I also plan to use gelatin on.