Not your typical gelatin fining thread

[rtstrider]

Hey all! I've been fining with gelatin for around a year now. Yes it's helped clarify my beers, but, not crystal clear in a week (takes upwards of 3 weeks to get really nice and clear in the kegs). The beers take a good while to become crystal clear. This got the ol gears spinning. Here's what I'm using for gelatin

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Unflavored-Gelatin-0-25-Oz-32-Count/531996398
What I've noticed works best with this brand is 1 cup water treated with campden (we have chloramine in my water supply), 1 packet of gelatin (it's essentially 1 tbsp). Then of course bloom the gelatin, heat it up in bursts like all other instructions recommend and pour it into cold beer.

I've tried lower doses with this brand and really haven't gotten any results. I did a bit of reading and it looks like there's type A and type B gelatin. One's bovine and the other is...Well I can't remember lol So this leads me to wonder with all the different suggested doses and such are all brands the same when it comes to clearing? Is one better than the other? Is one type (say A or B) better than the other? If so would it be worth giving Knox unflavored gelatin a shot once I run out of the great value stuff?

 

[seabrew8]

I was reading over an gelatin experiment a few days ago on Brulosophy.

In the comment section john palmer posted this;

"Per How To Brew, Appendix C: Recommended dosage rate is 0.75-1.5 gram per gallon, so at 7 grams per 5 gal you were still within the range."

So when i start brewing again i will be using more gelatin then i used to - i have a 0.1g pocket scale. Like you it worked but it took sometime.

I have no idea about the different kinds of gelatin, i have always used Knox.

So, i will be using around 7.5 grams of knox gelatin in my ~5gal batch.

I'm just getting back into homebrewing and i have lower my expectations on how fast i can get to the glass. I want clear beer. Quick turnaround was and still seems to be all the rage for a lot of homebrewers. Instead of 2 weeks i'm going to try to have a clear and carbed beer in 3-4 weeks.

While i enjoyed a lot of my pass beer, 2 weeks just never seem to give me the clarity that i'm after with my equipment/process. Most of my kegs it was around the last gallon mark that it was what i was looking for. Clear and to me close to commercial quality. Not sure what it is but some of the best beer i ever tasted is what i personally made. I think its something like cooking food in the country, it just tastes different but great. Even the most basic stuff.

 

[Sammy86]

Yes it's helped clarify my beers, but, not crystal clear in a week (takes upwards of 3 weeks to get really nice and clear in the kegs).

Unfortunately, time is always going to be the best clearer of the beer...gelatin speeds the process along but if you're thinking/hoping for a week that ain't happening.

Have you tried putting the gelatin in the fermentor or are you dumping it in the keg?

 

[seabrew8]

Hi Sammy, just looked over your site a little bit!

What are your thoughts on the Hochkruz Mash step schedule now? I have a grainfather and never have tried a step mash before. Maybe i will next week. Especially for the escarpment krispy yeast that i have which they say on their site doesn't have high attenuation.

 

[wepeeler]

I've had bad results with gelatin. Get yourself some Biofine Clear. Add it to the keg when transferring, and boom, brilliantly clear beer. No heating/mixing/mess.

1 bottle per 5 gallons: Biofine Clear Clarifier | MoreBeer
Bulk size: Kerry Biofine Liquid Beer Fining, 1 kg. Bulk

 

[seabrew8]

I've had bad results with gelatin. Get yourself some Biofine Clear. Add it to the keg when transferring, and boom, brilliantly clear beer. No heating/mixing/mess.

1 bottle per 5 gallons: Biofine Clear Clarifier | MoreBeer
Bulk size: Kerry Biofine Liquid Beer Fining, 1 kg. Bulk

First i heard of it. I can get in canada, nice! I'll probably end up trying it. Thanks

 

[Sammy86]

Hi Sammy, just looked over your site a little bit!

What are your thoughts on the Hochkruz Mash step schedule now? I have a grainfather and never have tried a step mash before. Maybe i will next week. Especially for the escarpment krispy yeast that i have which they say on their site doesn't have high attenuation.

Love the Hochkurz step mash. Use it for all my beers in my Brewzilla 65L. I noticed a huge jump in efficiency once I started doing it.

I mash in at 144 hold for 30 minutes then jump to 158 for 30 minutes and skip the mash out...pull the mash tube and start sparging. It takes my Brewzilla 7-10 minutes to make the temp jump and it holds it nicely with the pump circulating the wort. Highly recommend it!

 

[Beermeister32]

I'm just getting back into homebrewing and i have lower my expectations on how fast i can get to the glass. I want clear beer. Quick turnaround was and still seems to be all the rage for a lot of homebrewers.

There’s no rush. Unless it is an IPA most of my beers are lagered 90 days.

 

[J2W2]

Are you using any kettle finings? My process may be overkill, but I use Whirlfloc in the kettle, Clarity Ferm (White Labs product, goes in the fermenter the same time you pitch your yeast), and gelatin finings in the fermenter for a week (after I cold crash to 33). Every beer has been crystal clear from the first pour from the keg.

 

[Beermeister32]

I usually use one Whirflock tablet at 15 minutes, then inject gelatin into the keg later on after kegging. Timing not as critical when injecting the keg.

 

[rtstrider]

Well then this is good to know! I've seen a few posts where people say they can read a newspaper through their carboy after 48-72 hours lol My process is the kegs sit in the kegerator for 48-72 hours first. This gives enough time for the chill haze to form and "set". I figure that's prime time to add the gelatin. I have one keg that's a simple blonde with 1272 and a floating dip tube. It's not getting any finings just so I can see how long it takes to naturally clear. So far it appears that gelatin does pair better with this setup than a floating dip tube by itself.