The science behind gelatin?

[klinus]

hello! First of all, I know literally nothing about science etc so... sorry if I'm asking stupid/weird questions.

I've bee thinking about the thing with adding gelatin to your wort for clearing it.
What exactly is it that makes it work? Is it something on a molecular level or something that only exists in gelatin, or is it just that it is a sticky gooey substance that the gunk sticks to?

Im asking because if its just the fact that it is a sticky jelly, then maybe there are other substances that might work as well? For example the jelly that flaxseeds create if you leave them in water?

Im no vegetarian myself, and have no problem with gelatin, but I have friends who are, and it just feels stupid to add anything from an animal to an otherwise fully organic beer, when it's just cosmetics.




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[lthendricks8]

In lower pH solutions (like beer), gelatin proteins exhibit the two characteristics of good fining agents - they're large/heavy (so they'll settle out), and they're positively charged (so they'll attract negatively charged molecules on the surfaces of organic materials like yeast). Anything that fits these two characteristics in theory would make a good fining agent, but some things obviously work better than others. I'd err on the side of known entities, because some things that fit the above criteria are a little indiscriminate and can strip peptides and other desirables that create body and promote head retention from your finished beer. No good.

You might want to look in to silica gels (silicone dioxide) or PVP, which is sold under the name Polyclar - fairly certain both are vegan. I can't get any of the fancy stuff and have used carageenan (which is typically extracted from seaweed) before with moderately decent results, too, but only for proteins - still leaves plenty of yeast in suspension.

Also, pitch for the best fining agents of all - time and cold!