Who does this? My question is if I go straight from primary to keg do I transfer, purge with CO2, chill, release pressure, add gelatine, re-purge, and cold condition/force carb, then pull first pint of gelatine junk, then have clear beer?
Using gelatine in kegs
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Are you cold-crashing the primary before going straight to the keg? That seems to me to have more of an effect than the gelatin.
The times that I've used gelatin, I add the warm water/gelatin mix over top of the cold (from crashing) beer right after I've racked it from the primary to the keg. Afterwards, I'll seal, purge and let it sit and gas up a couple of weeks on service pressure (12psi). Pull off a few cloudy glasses and you're good to go.
The times that I've used gelatin, I add the warm water/gelatin mix over top of the cold (from crashing) beer right after I've racked it from the primary to the keg. Afterwards, I'll seal, purge and let it sit and gas up a couple of weeks on service pressure (12psi). Pull off a few cloudy glasses and you're good to go.
No I don't cold crash the primary. I have it in a big primary bucket so won't fit in the fridge at all. I could go to a carboy secondary and cold crash that then add gelatine and put in the keg. Wanted to try and avoid the secondary though. I can get 3 kegs in the fridge, 1 carboy and my primary won't fit.
If you don't have the means to cold crash the primary, the way you initially described would be the way to go. It would help lessen the gunk if you leave the primary sit an extra week after it's finished fermenting.
I'll add that the method BigFloyd is my preferred method, too. It provides the best results, but I still get really good results from doing it in the keg, too.
Either way I, what I've done is stir 1/2 tsp of gelatin into 150 degree water (careful not to go much warmer!). Then dump that into the chilled keg or primary. The key here is the beer needs to be cold for the gelatin to work, I think.
Either way I, what I've done is stir 1/2 tsp of gelatin into 150 degree water (careful not to go much warmer!). Then dump that into the chilled keg or primary. The key here is the beer needs to be cold for the gelatin to work, I think.
I have heard many times that it is best to add the gelatin to cold beer, so you can still add to the keg once chilled.
I stopped using gelatin a while ago, I still find the beer nice and clear, just takes a week longer.
FYI I do use whirlfloc cause it's easy cheap and effective.
I stopped using gelatin a while ago, I still find the beer nice and clear, just takes a week longer.
FYI I do use whirlfloc cause it's easy cheap and effective.
+1 on the whirlfloc. I really like that stuff.
Even though I have gelatin in my stock of brew supplies, I don't use it much anymore either. A good cold crash at 35*F for 5-7 days and careful siphoning gives excellent clarity.
Welcome to kegging. I have found that kegging and storing your beer cold works wonders for clearing beer. I wouldn't bother racking to a carboy and cold crashing....just cold crash in the keg. I have racked some god awful murky messes to a keg, and with time have gotten nice clear pours.
No need to complicate it IMO, just rack to keg and chill, the beer will take care of itself and clear nicely in the keg without any help...use gelatin if you like or your in a hurry, otherwise just keg it and be a little patient. Not a big deal to me if the beer is a little cloud the first week, big whoop really
The only time I would bother with gelatin now is if I wanted to clear a beer out in a few days, perhaps if I was taking a keg to a party and wanted to serve a clear beer and I was pressed for time...easier just to be patient.
mbbransc
Well-Known Member
I don't gelatin IPAs or pitch black stouts but do almost everything else. Cold crashing clears decently but I've never gotten commercially crystal clear beer like I do from gelatin. I prefer to gel in primary post-cold crash but have done it in the keg too. You could always transfer to another keg post-gelatin if you're worried about moving the keg around kicking up sediment.
