Adding Gelatin to Fermenter or Keg?

[Brewmegoodbeer]

Hello,

I have always cold crashed and added gelatin to my fermenter. When this is done, I have to open my fermenter, exposing my fermenter to oxygen, and pouring in the gelatin solution, which contains oxygen, which causes mild splashing, which promotes oxygen. Im thinking about instead just doing this in the keg because i can flush the entire keg with co2 after adding the gelatin, before transferring the beer into it. I just dont like the idea of sludge in my keg and having to pour out pints of beer because they have sludge in it. In a brewery, they would do this in a bright tank, then transfer to kegs. What methods do you guys use?

 

[Blackwagon]

I haven't tried it your way (I'd like to) and I'm pretty new to kegging. Because I don't have the equipment volume to be transferring beer between multiple containers after fermentation, I've simply added gelatin directly to the serving keg (after chilling for 24 hours or so) and have been really impressed with the results.

I'm not really concerned at all about cracking the keg just for a few seconds to pour in the dissolved solution - I flush it with CO2 anyway afterward. On my last brew, I had one massive glassful of sludge after 24 hours and then it gradually got clearer over the following 3-4 days. It was clear all the way up to the very last glass - then I got another glassful from material that settled out on the bottom.

 

[TimmyWit]

Clear Beer Draught System is the answer. When you pull from the top, you don't need to toss a drop of beer.

 

[NTexBrewer]

1. Do what you suggested and draw the first couple pints of sludge before serving

2. Push the clear beer to a second serving keg. If you have normal length dip tube you will still have to pull the first few pints of sludge before transferring to serving keg. Im guessing some people may cut their dip tube to prevent the sludge pick up. You could also use a shorter dip tub for option 1.

3. Use something like this http://www.clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/

If you don’t move your kegs after you start serving option 1. is the simplest. If you typically move half full kegs around or take them to parties etc then option 2 will give you clear beer even with the keg getting moved around.