How to Get Gelatin into Pressurized Beer?

[day_trippr]

You think all that stuff is easier to "inject" a keg with than a big syringe stuck into a gas QD stem plugged on a gas post?

Cheers!

 

[Broothru]

You think all that stuff is easier to "inject" a keg with than a big syringe stuck into a gas QD stem plugged on a gas post?

Cheers!

Absolutely!

I use a brown plastic beer bottle, Fill it partially with whatever I’m injecting into the keg, usually diluted with distilled water. Pump up the bottle to 2-3 psi CO2 greater than the keg pressure with a carbonation cap, attach it to the keg with a Gas In to Gas In jumper line, and it transfers in seconds, leak free. I always get leaks using a syringe, even with Lure Lok fittings.

Plus, cleanup is a breeze. I just put some distilled H2O in the bottle, swirl it around, pump it up and reconnect to the keg. Cleans out the line and the gas post and QDs in a flash.

 

[jmstone617]

I’m with @day_trippr — 10ml syringe —> short piece of EVABarrier tubing —> Duotight Gas QD. Easy.

 

[sibelman]

10ml syringe

My only brewing syringe is 300ml but I think it'll do small injections too.

 

[day_trippr]

I have 1ml, 20ml, 100ml and 300ml syringes, some sizes I use mostly for workshop projects but have found them useful for some brewing function. And they're so cheap via AMZ it's nbd to have different sizes...

Cheers!

 

[jmstone617]

Yea I bought these

https://a.co/d/iEVjnkp

 

[Bobby_M]

I sell this kit for less than $20 and most of the cost is in the QD and free flowing ball lock to 1/4" barb that makes sucking the product into the syringe super easy.

 

[MikeCo]

I am thinking of trying one of these methods. Doesn't this get gelatin in the gas post even if it's fully dissolved? Do you just clean the gas post thoroughly when the keg is empty?

 

[doug293cz]

I am thinking of trying one of these methods. Doesn't this get gelatin in the gas post even if it's fully dissolved? Do you just clean the gas post thoroughly when the keg is empty?

Yes, there will be gelatin residue on the components inside the gas post and gas "dip" tube. Thorough cleaning will remove the residue, and hot water/cleaning solution works faster than cold.

Brew on

 

[jwill911]

I use this method each time I transfer to keg; Use 1tsp of gelatin dissolved in 3/4 cups of water, heat to 150 degrees, stir, cool it and pour into a 500ml (I use Smartwater bottles as they are sturdy), fit a piece of Evabarrier tubing to a carb cap long enough to reach bottom of bottle, cut tubing at an angle. Purge bottle with co2, then pressurize to a pressure > destination keg. I also purge the jumper, then connect to keg gas post. I also add 1 tbs of biofine clear the the mix. I’ve never had gelatin gum up my keg post.YMMV

 

[Broothru]

I use this method each time I transfer to keg; Use 1tsp of gelatin dissolved in 3/4 cups of water, heat to 150 degrees, stir, cool it and pour into a 500ml (I use Smartwater bottles as they are sturdy), fit a piece of Evabarrier tubing to a carb cap long enough to reach bottom of bottle, cut tubing at an angle. Purge bottle with co2, then pressurize to a pressure > destination keg. I also purge the jumper, then connect to keg gas post. I also add 1 tbs of biofine clear the the mix. I’ve never had gelatin gum up my keg post.YMMV

I do pretty much the same thing, but after I add the pressurized dose, I add put 3-4 oz of sterilized water into the PET bottle, purge with CO2, repressurize, and transfer to the keg. The high pressure blast of water immediately after the dose is transferred helps to ‘rinse’ the post and prevent future clogging of the keg post.

 

[day_trippr]

I've only used a clarifier once (gelatin - on a Cold IPA) which worked remarkably well, but I didn't like the character stripping that was more profound than anticipated. Won't be doing that again...

Cheers!

 

[DuncB]

Put the finings down the liquid post?

 

[Broothru]

Put the finings down the liquid post?

I usually use the Gas In port when dosing a clarifying media, so it settles and disperses through gravitational assistance. I have used the Liquid Out post a few times in kegs or fermenters fitted with floating dip tubes, but I’m not sure how much media remains trapped in the line, even if I purge afterwards with CO2 or sterilized water.

It doesn’t matter which port gets used when doing a transfer under pressure from say a fermenter to a serving keg. In fact, the Liguid Out post is preferable in that case because the distribution is more complete and the liquid line essentially gets ‘rinsed’ by the beer flowing into the keg.

 

[Indian_villager]

Put the finings down the liquid post?

This is what I do, I then rack the beer in through the liquid port so it flushes out the post with beer.

 

[MikeCo]

This is what I do, I then rack the beer in through the liquid port so it flushes out the post with beer.

Do you cold crash before racking to the keg? I normally don't so I assume I would need to chill the full keg before adding gelatin, and at that point it would not mix well if added in the liquid post.

 

[Broothru]

Do you cold crash before racking to the keg? I normally don't so I assume I would need to chill the full keg before adding gelatin, and at that point it would not mix well if added in the liquid post.

Most finings work better and are more effective when added to cold liquids. But larger particles precipitate faster than finer ones.

Additionally, statically charged particles attract and bond with other particles to precipitate more quickly and efficiently. The best method would be to chill to lagering/conditioning temperature for a day or two, dose with a fining media, then cold crash for a few weeks or more.

 

[Indian_villager]

Do you cold crash before racking to the keg? I normally don't so I assume I would need to chill the full keg before adding gelatin, and at that point it would not mix well if added in the liquid post.

Correct. I usually have the beer cold before I rack it onto the gelatin.

 

[Broothru]

Correct. I usually have the beer cold before I rack it onto the gelatin.

My specific protocol is fermentation under pressure in the low 60sF @ 1 BAR. When near completion (within 5 psig of predicted terminal gravity) I begin raise temperature about 10F to low 70sF for D-rest until three days after final gravity is reached.

Then I drop temperature to the optimum unpressurized fermentation temperature @ 1 BAR. When stable I perform a pressure transfer into a purged keg that was previously dosed with a clarifying media, usually BioFine or Silica Fine.

The keg gets put in a 38F beer fridge, attached to a CO2 tank and regulator set to maintain serving pressure for the desired volume level for the particular beer while crashing. After 2-3 weeks the beer is remarkably clear, conditioned and perfectly carbonated.