Gelatin Didn't Settle

I've got a lager in secondary that I'll be racking to a keg tomorrow. I want this beer to be pretty clear, but of course I forgot the Irish moss, so I used Gelatin for the first time.

Reading around, it sounded like good incorporation of the gelatin was best; that just pouring it in could work though not as well, with the gelatin possibly dropping out in clumps. I wasn't hip on stirring the beer, so after hydrating and heating a packet (about a tablespoon) in a cup or so of water, I poured the gelatin into the carboy using a funnel. I did try to get the gelatin somewhat dispersed by moving the funnel around as I poured.

In a day or so, it was apparent things didn't go quite as planned. I now have what look like gelatin strands in the center of the carboy that extend down as far as I can see. The beer has gotten pretty clear, but I don't know if that's from the gelatin or just the normal progression of lagering.

I imagine I probably should have stirred the gelatin in a little better. However, is it possible the beer was too cold? It's lagering at 35 degrees. It looks as if the gelatin solidified as it sank to the bottom, possibly becoming a self-supporting structure of sorts. When I rack, I guess I'll just have to work around the gelatin.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

Chris

I had the same "scare" when I first used gelatin. I thought I froze it on the spot.

Actually, it's not a solid and not really that much of a gel. When you rack it'll just lower itself (it's just floating now) as it is not strong enough to stand on its own.

No need to rack around it.

Alrighty then! Thanks!
I didn't think the gelatin would stand on its own without support from the beer. It just looks kinda funky, and kinda cool in a way.

Yep, kind of reminded me of a beer lava lamp...

You really don't want to heat the gelatin, as it tends to make beer jello when you dump it in.

EvilTOJ said:

You really don't want to heat the gelatin, as it tends to make beer jello when you dump it in.

Click to expand...

Yes you do. If you don't heat the gelatin mixture it will not fully dissolve. A tablespoon of gelatin in five gallons of beer is nowhere near enough to gel that amount of liquid.