How do 'you' use gelatin before bottling?

This is more of a list your method, not discuss your method kind of thread.

There is a lot of mixed discussion, but not many clear answers.


I am looking for answers from those who use gelatin to clear their beer before bottling, not before kegging(that could be an entirely different thread, since kegging appears to clear beer better anyway).

So...

What kind of gelatin do you use?

How do you use it? (How much do you use, how do you rehydrate, dissolve, heat, and add to your beer, and how long each step takes, and so forth)

Have you ever had any problems with gelatin? such as jello in the beer, or problems with carbonation?

And finally what are your results?

Again, don't need a discussion here, there are already a ton of threads about how does gel work, and why my method is better then yours. I want something a little more condensed.

I use Biermuncher's method. Its documented on this site.

One word.....Whirlfloc. No fussing around with gelatin after the fact. Just boil it and then wait as usual.

WrongCoastBrewery said:

One word.....Whirlfloc. No fussing around with gelatin after the fact. Just boil it and then wait as usual.

Click to expand...

whirlfloc is good, but it's not a substitute for gelatin.

This is kinda of what I was trying to avoid fellas.

First things first, get the beer cold. I mean like under 40*. Preferably, close to freezing. If you don't have a method to chill down your 5 gallons, don't bother with gelatin, it won't work well.

Next, get a glass (measuring cups are nice for this) fill it with a cup of filtered water. Then sprinkle in about a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin. Wait 10 minutes, then put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then stir and check the temperature. repeat the 30seconds and stir until your gelatin hits 130-150* (absolutely do not boil it.) Then simply pour it into your 5gal of beer.

Wait 1-2 days and then rack your crystal clear beer to your bottling bucked or keg. So to recap, make sure the beer is ice cold before using gelatin, heat the gelatin to no more than 150* and give it a couple days to do it's thing.

Your beer will still carb up ok, it just will take a couple more weeks than normal.

Gelatin could use for second fermentation or carbonization or will we use extra sugar for bottling or keggin?

I use it at room temperature. It will not remove the proteins that come out at lower temps, but does help clear the beer.

I place about 8 ozs water and 1 ozs sugar in a pan. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin on top, and leave for 30 to 45 minutes. Then stir and heat to about 160 F (I usually just look for bubbles starting to form and do not measure the temp). Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes while I get the beer ready to rack.

As the beer is racking to secondary, I pour the gelatin solution in (no need to cool). install airlock and leave it alone.

Why add the sugar? It is just a habit I have gotten into. It serves two purposes: 1) Guarantees I generate CO2 in the fermenter to protect the beer. 2) Gets movement in the wort to ensure the gelatin is thoroughly mixed.