Gelatin question

[akthor]

So I want to have this beer as clear as possible so I want to use gelatin in a batch of Blue Moon Clone I am making and I want to cold crash and transfer to a new keg. I've been reading around and I am still confused.

I got knox gelatin at the grocery store. Hydrate it at near boiling 170F or so water but from there????

Could I add it to my primary before I keg the beer?

or add it to the keg and rack from primary onto it? Or rack into keg then add the gelatin?

Whichever way how long do you allow the gelatin to work before I transfer to a new keg?

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

my method is:

microwave 1 cup water till boiling.
cover with sanitized foil and let cool off for about 15 minutes or so.
add one pack gelatin, recover with foil.
wait 30 minutes
pitch into carboy that is already cold crashed. (primary or secondary, whichever you cold crash in)
wait 4-5 days, keg.

Of course, there's probably a million people who do it a million different ways, but my beers always go into the keg really clear. Clear enough that the first pint is clear and i can shake the keg and not kick up any cloudiness.


Why do you want a Blue Moon clone to be clear? Isnt that beer hazy?

 

[beninan]

i don't mean to hijack, but its not too often I see a neighbor here.
to akthor- hello neighbor!

 

[akthor]

Yup but when it's homebrew people seem to have issues with unclear beer, cept for the browns and stouts ect.

 

[akthor]

I sent you a PM!

i don't mean to hijack, but its not too often I see a neighbor here.
to akthor- hello neighbor!

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Yup but when it's homebrew people seem to have issues with unclear beer, cept for the browns and stouts ect.

Do you have a house yeast strain you like to use alot? I find that if you select a very flocculant yeast (with an acceptable flavor profile to the style) and combine it with whirlfloc in the kettle and gelatin in the carboy you can produce homebrew that looks so clear you'd think it was filtered.

 

[beninan]

I sent you a PM!

your box is full and won't accept

 

[akthor]

No just Muntons ale yeast. I did use whirlfloc in the boil just trying to figure out the most efficient way to use the gelatin, with the least amount of steps My "carberator" is full of kegs. I can remove one for this brew but I can't cold crash the primary. I use buckets.

Do you have a house yeast strain you like to use alot? I find that if you select a very flocculant yeast (with an acceptable flavor profile to the style) and combine it with whirlfloc in the kettle and gelatin in the carboy you can produce homebrew that looks so clear you'd think it was filtered.

 

[akthor]

Fixed it!

your box is full and won't accept

 

[akthor]

So You use 1 package? See I have read 1 tsp and Tb as well??

So should I rack to secondary, cold crash it for ??? many day then put the gelatin in? Then leave it ??? days. Then transfer to new keg?

Do you have a house yeast strain you like to use alot? I find that if you select a very flocculant yeast (with an acceptable flavor profile to the style) and combine it with whirlfloc in the kettle and gelatin in the carboy you can produce homebrew that looks so clear you'd think it was filtered.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

So You use 1 package? See I have read 1 tsp and Tb as well??

So should I rack to secondary, cold crash it for ??? many day then put the gelatin in? Then leave it ??? days. Then transfer to new keg?

I guess I use half a package per 5 gallons.

I typically rack to secondary but only because I harvest the yeast from my primary. I find racking to secondary is easier for me than separating the yeast from the gelatin. If you aren't harvesting the yeast, just do it all in primary.

Cold crashing helps the yeast naturally settle out, and helps the gelatin settle to the bottom. As they both make their way to the bottom their opposite electrical charges attract and bond the yeast to the gelatin, creating bigger, heavier particles which fall out faster.

I cold crash for 24 hours, then add gelatin. I leave the carboy in the fridge for another 4-5 days before I rack to a keg.

 

[akthor]

So I can't cold crash my primary should I add the gelatin to the primary and wait 5 days then rack to the keg?

 

[JonK331]

So I can't cold crash my primary should I add the gelatin to the primary and wait 5 days then rack to the keg?

Boil water, let cool to 170f, add gelatin, stir with sanitized spoon or swirl, let cool, add to primary. Cold crash. I've never tried using gelatin without cold crashing. Do you have a swamp cooler? You can add ice and water to any vessel that will hold your primary and crash in there. You have to add more ice daily of course. This works really well: http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCMQ8wIwAQ#ps-sellers

I found mine for $30 at Target.

 

[pkincaid]

Can I point something out..... It's a Blue Moon Clone... a wheat beer. How clear can you possibly get it? Not to sound rude, just asking.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Yeah not too sure that gelatin will work 100% unless the beer is cold.

 

[akthor]

Well it's actually an Octoberfest ale that I added orange zest to during the last 10 mins of the boil.

When I made the Octoberfest Ale we all thought it tasted like Blue Moon without the orangey flavor.

So I decided to brew another batch and add the orangey

OK so I am not cold crashing my primary and I AM NOT doin the ice bottle thing that's why I got a fridge so I could STOP doing that

So I will rack to a keg, add the gelatin, put in the fridge, and 5 days later transfer it via CO2 to a new clean keg.