Gelatin Question for IIPA

I made a monster IIPA a few weeks back, kegged it this weekend and am going to dryhop the keg... I want to clean this batch up with some gelatin but wasn't sure if that's a pre, post or irrelevent decision when dry hopping? If I do it post dry-hop will the gelatin remove any of the delicious hops from the dry-hoping? I didn't think so since it's supposed to bind to the proteins... anyone with gelatin experience post dry-hop?

According to the BJCP, an IPA or IIPA "should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy."

If you are just trying to shortcut proper aging and allowing the yeast to drop on it's own, the beer will still be green.

Be sure to put those keg-hops in a fine mesh bag or strainer ball. Nothing worse than picking hops outta yer teeth during a pint.

Mad_Milo said:

According to the BJCP, an IPA or IIPA "should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy."

If you are just trying to shortcut proper aging and allowing the yeast to drop on it's own, the beer will still be green.

Be sure to put those keg-hops in a fine mesh bag or strainer ball. Nothing worse than picking hops outta yer teeth during a pint.

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why do people feel the need to reply with irrelevant comments that have nothing to do with a question....

Jeez. Sorry to provide a bit of guidance and a couple of tips.

Maybe if you explain WHY you are trying to clean it up after only a "few weeks."

Or just never mind.

IMO, gelatin before the dry hop. For a couple reasons...
1. Hop resins tend to "stick" to yeast and gelatin is primarily aimed at removing yeast, getting the yeast out before dry hopping will prevent any loss to the yeast.
2. You would hate for the gelatin to take any of the good dry hop character out (if you did it after). Not sure if this would happen, but you never know.
3. The gelatin needs to a while to sit and let it drop clear. I like to start drinking IPAs/IIPAs after they are done dry hopping.

I would geletin fine prior to dry hopping as well because it will remove some of the hop flavor. I personally don't care about a little yeast in my beer, and so don't like to fine it. If you just chill it down at the end of dry hopping, prior to racking into your bottling bucket or keg, then you will get rid of most if not all of the yeast.

Since you are already in the keg though, time is your best friend. Geletin in the keg is not going to work too well because the geletin will settle to the bottom and that will be what you drink when you pour a pint...Typically geletin is done in the fermenter and then racked off of.

Matt Up North said:

Since you are already in the keg though, time is your best friend. Geletin in the keg is not going to work too well because the geletin will settle to the bottom and that will be what you drink when you pour a pint...Typically geletin is done in the fermenter and then racked off of.

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Gelatin in the keg works just fine. Your first pint or so is going to be weird. But you can just dump it.

After fermentation is complete (11 days with WLP001), I chill the primary down to 50F to flocculate the yeast for 2 days, then transfer to a secondary on top of the hops and keep it at 68 for the duration of dry hopping. Then crash cool to 32 and add gelatin for 3 days. Then keg, carb and enjoy. 28 days after brewing gives a fresh and tasty IPA, you may want to age a double IPA a little longer but always dry hop as close to consumption as possible. Gelatin is easier on dry hopping than filtering.

Beerrific said:

Gelatin in the keg works just fine. Your first pint or so is going to be weird. But you can just dump it.

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It works, your first couple pints are strange. But if you are going to be fining, wouldn't you rather lose it while in the fermenter where you are going to be losing the bottom layer to trub? In a pinch you can fine in a keg, but it just means more loss in the end.