Gelatin Procedures for Clearing Beer

just a quick question, where should I add my gelatin before kegging?

1. In the primary fermenter, let it settle for a week or so and siphon to keg
2. Siphon beer to secondary, add gelatin, let settle for a week and keg
3. Siphon directly from primary to keg, and add gelatin to keg and put on the gas


They all seem like legitimate options.

I do #3, because the gelatin works best when cold, and I put my kegs in the kegerator to carbonate. I've found it doesn't matter if you add the gelatin to the keg and rack on top, or rack the beer and pour the gelatin on top.

Of course, words of warning:

1) add gelatin to cold water, let sit 20 minutes to "bloom"
2) stir and heat water to ~190F, (DO NOT BOIL!!!)
3) dump it in, (I don't even bother cooling it).

here is what i do. i get really clear beers. I dont get the layer of beer gelatin that some people do but i get a good amount of settling.

1. All me beers sit in my primary container (fermenter) for 3-4 weeks.
2. I transfer from a 6.5 gal primary to a 5 gal secondary container with air lock for further settling. ( the lower volume bucket allows for less head spae for O2.
3. After 2-4 weeks in the secondary i put the container in my keezer (around 40 F)
4. let cold crash for 3 days.
5. a. i let gelatin "bloom" in about 1 cup cool water.
b. i pour 1 cup boiling water over bloomed gelatin to disolve.
c. i add disolved gelatin to the bottom of another 5 gal container (tertiary)
d. i rack cold beer over the gelatin add a no vent lid.
6. Cold crash for 3 more days.
7. Add to corny

I add the hot, dissolved gelatin to the keg before racking so that the filling action mixes the gelatin solution with the beer.

Here's my process, it's been successful:

1.) Transfer beer from primary to my kegs.
2.) Chill kegs overnight to below 35F, usually overnight.
3.) For 5 gallons, add a heaping 1/2 tsp. of gelatin to 1/2 cup of cold water and let bloom for at least 10 minutes.
4.) Heat to 150F while stirring, continue to stir until all gelatin is dissolved.
5.) While solution is still hot, add to cold keg.
6.) Tilt keg back and forth to mix the gelatin well.
7.) Purge keg, put on carbonation.
8.) Wait ~ 1week.

I usually wait longer just because I'm usually not waiting on the beer to be ready. I also use bright tanks, so after all the gel settles out I transfer the clear beer to a serving keg.

What about when dry hopping? Does the gelatin work against the dry hopping in secondary? Would it be ok to use gelatin in the primary then transfer to secondary then dry hop?

I use this technique, with great...I mean GREAT results...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/gelatin-finings-53912/#post543966

bctdi said:

What about when dry hopping? Does the gelatin work against the dry hopping in secondary? Would it be ok to use gelatin in the primary then transfer to secondary then dry hop?

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I've never seen an issue when adding gelatin and hops at the same time...

I know you keg guys can't answer this but have any of you ever had or, heard of an issue with poor bottle carbonation as a result of good clarification via cold crashing and gelatin?

Sudz said:

I know you keg guys can answer this but have any of you ever had or, heard of an issue with poor bottle carbonation as a result of good clarification via cold crashing and gelatin?

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Like you said, most of us keg guys don't naturally carb, (some here do, maybe they'll speak up)...but from what I've read, most people say it's no big deal.

Sudz said:

I know you keg guys can't answer this but have any of you ever had or, heard of an issue with poor bottle carbonation as a result of good clarification via cold crashing and gelatin?

Click to expand...

I have used gelatin while bottle conditioning and it carbonated with no issues.