Syringe for Injecting Gelatin into keg...

[Tom R]

I'll give it a go, and report back.
Thanks!

 

[Tom R]

It turns out that I couldn't inject it into my conical because I didn't plan ahead. I had a CO2 post in the lid, but it was attached to a 90 elbow, so the post was horizontal.

Didn't want to open up the conical to move the post, so I transferred to a keg and used the syringe to inject gelatin. That went fine, but next time I'll have a post oriented vertically.

 

[Knightshade]

Assuming nobody had ever had any gelatin gunk up the spring in the gas post and/or find itself in the gas lines themselves with this method? Does it not get cold enough in the post, or just all kind of drip down before it is an issue?

 

[Rob2010SS]

Nope, never had an issue. I don't know WHY I've never had this issue, but it's never reared it's head. I'll usually turn up the pressure a bit once I reconnect the gas line so maybe that blows the gelatin out of the post?

 

[Wagon_6]

This is pure genius!

 

[Tom R]

Has anybody tried injecting pellet hops this way?
I'm thinking that if they were ground up a bit and mixed with water it might work.

 

[Knightshade]

Has anybody tried injecting pellet hops this way?
I'm thinking that if they were ground up a bit and mixed with water it might work.

I think the idea of utilizing hop tea would be a better way of doing what you're thinking? I'd look for others to confirm though.

 

[Tom R]

Yeah, hop tea sounds like a better bet.
I'll read upon it.
Thanks!

 

[HopsAreGood]

Im thinking about naturally carbing a keg with a mixture of about 4 oz dextrose and 2 grams of CBC-1. I’m wondering if I could use this method to do so.

Dissolve the 4 oz of sugar in about 6 oz. of water. Then add the 2 grams of CBC-1 into the sugar water. Then quickly inject the mixture/slurry strait into the keg post using one of these large syringes.

My only concern would be because it is a measured mixture Id need every last bit of it to get into the keg. Not sure if there would be any Schmutz left on the interior walls of the syringe.

Any thoughts?

 

[day_trippr]

Imo you are over thinking here
Syringes leave nearly nothing behind...

Cheers!

 

[HopsAreGood]

Imo you are over thinking here
Syringes leave nearly nothing behind...

Cheers!

Hopefully! I guess I’m just concerned about what the consistency of the mixture will be like. The dry yeast may make it kind of sticky/muddy. I’m going to give it a try and I’ll report back.

 

[NGD]

Assuming nobody had ever had any gelatin gunk up the spring in the gas post and/or find itself in the gas lines themselves with this method?

I’ve had this happen before but it certainly was a outlier of the two dozen times or so I’ve used gelatin. Thankfully I haven't had it happen since. The syringe method might be my new go-to.

A piece of jello plugged up the poppet on the out post. Best part was when I took off the ball lock I had two thin fountains of mosaic IPA shooting out until I released enough pressure. Thankfully the dogs helped with cleanup.

 

[a_gunslinger]

So you are carbonating the beer then clarifying it? That's interesting; I've used gelatin before but it was always before carbonating.

Ive added gelating to key before as well. Adding gelatin at any time will help clarification. And post fermentation the EtOH helps protect beer a bit.

 

[eric19312]

I doubt if you need the CBC-1 either. There will be plenty of whatever yeast you started with in the keg for the natural carbonation.

 

[Bennysthe1]

no pics, but what i do is use a 6oz soda bottle, a little bitty one. basically you put your liquid in the bottle, squeeze it until the liquid hits the rim of the bottle, and then screw on a carbonation cap. zero air in your system. blast that sucker to like 30-40psi. you want a decent amount of head space in bottle when its gassed up to propel the liquid.

then it goes bottle+ carb cap to my injection rig is which is liquid qd--> tiny piece of 1/4 tubing over both barbs<-- gas qd on the keg.

purge your rig with co2, then connect the bottle, then lastly connect to keg gas post. blam. liquid is in, nothing coming out. works for biofine/gelatine, adding more gypsum/chloride/salt/acid/hop tea/etc. when needed.

Hey mate. This is what I do as well with a t-piece and 2 carb caps but I've found that it cloggs up and just stops injecting. I'll stop at 20 odd psi cause the bottle feels bloody hard. Have you had any issues? maybe I have a dodgy cap or maybe I'm trying to inject too thick.

 

[soccerdad]

Timing counts, of course - don't plug the QD on the keg then make a phone call Have the syringe(s) loaded and ready to go, pop the PRV once, plug on the QD, and go to town...

Conflicting advice here. Don't make a phone call but do go to town. What if town is a half hour away and has two taverns?

 

[Conehead]

I add gelatin to my keg just after sanitizing them. Purge with C02 and do a closed transfer. I realize the beer is room temp, but it does clear the beer in a week.

 

[SanPancho]

Hey mate. This is what I do as well with a t-piece and 2 carb caps but I've found that it cloggs up and just stops injecting. I'll stop at 20 odd psi cause the bottle feels bloody hard. Have you had any issues? maybe I have a dodgy cap or maybe I'm trying to inject too thick.

im not exactly sure what is happening there, but you shouldnt have gas to the bottle when you push it in. looks like you have the bottle connected to the gas tank. that's going to pressurize the bottle AND the keg. with no pressure differential you wont force the solution down into the keg. in theory the solution should eventually drain into the keg via gravity, but you're dealing with small openings, high pressure in the keg, maybe some foam, etc.

prep your bottle, pressurize it, then you connect it to the keg-- on its own. the force to push the solution comes from the pressure inside the bottle being higher than the kegs pressure. once you put the co2 line on your tee you make the whole thing into one system that has the same pressure. doesnt work.

try again without the bottle connected to a gas line.

 

[Biggz1313]

Hey mate. This is what I do as well with a t-piece and 2 carb caps but I've found that it cloggs up and just stops injecting. I'll stop at 20 odd psi cause the bottle feels bloody hard. Have you had any issues? maybe I have a dodgy cap or maybe I'm trying to inject too thick.

im not exactly sure what is happening there, but you shouldnt have gas to the bottle when you push it in. looks like you have the bottle connected to the gas tank. that's going to pressurize the bottle AND the keg. with no pressure differential you wont force the solution down into the keg. in theory the solution should eventually drain into the keg via gravity, but you're dealing with small openings, high pressure in the keg, maybe some foam, etc.

prep your bottle, pressurize it, then you connect it to the keg-- on its own. the force to push the solution comes from the pressure inside the bottle being higher than the kegs pressure. once you put the co2 line on your tee you make the whole thing into one system that has the same pressure. doesnt work.

try again without the bottle connected to a gas line.

@Bennysthe1 what @SanPancho said is what I do. I just use a single carbonation cap on a 20oz PET bottle. I put my gelatin solution in the bottle, put the single carbonation cap on, pressurize it to like 20psi. I then take gas off my keg, pull PRV to make pressure zero in keg, then turn the 20oz bottle upside down and connect to gas post on the get. The higher pressure in the bottle shoots the gelatin solution into the keg. I then reattach my gas to the keg and let it sit 24-48n hours. Works like a charm.

 

[Beermeister32]

Gelatin works best when added to a chilled keg. Here is my injector in operation.

 

[mscroggi]

I built a syringe contraption to inject some fining agent into my fermenter. I have ~10PSI in my fermenter.. You wouldn't think that would be much to override..

Without thinking, I casually clicked the syringe onto the gas post. I was instantly met with a PSSssssst and the plunger shot out of the syringe and landed across the room.. hahaaaa THAT was funny! (and messy)..

 

[Brewer dad]

For those using this method using “still
Hot” liquid, how hot you going? Mostly concerned about syringe integrity I’m using plastic ones similar to those in other pictures in this thread. I’m thinking <100f but curious to see what y’all do?

 

[day_trippr]

I use 300 and 500 ml syringes and I'm sure they could sustain faucet hot water for the short exposure, but I have to ask why are you injecting anything that's truly "hot"? The closest I get is dissolving a teaspoon of citric acid in ~30ml of warm tap water before injecting it into a CO2-purged keg.

Come to think of it, if one injects a significant amount of hot liquid I'd be careful some of that liquid towards the end doesn't get squirted back as the temperate inside keg increases when the hot liquid fans out on the bottom and expands the gas inside...

Cheers!

 

[Brewer dad]

I use 300 and 500 ml syringes and I'm sure they could sustain faucet hot water for the short exposure, but I have to ask why are you injecting anything that's truly "hot"? The closest I get is dissolving a teaspoon of citric acid in ~30ml of warm tap water before injecting it into a CO2-purged keg.

Come to think of it, if one injects a significant amount of hot liquid I'd be careful some of that liquid towards the end doesn't get squirted back as the temperate inside keg increases when the hot liquid fans out on the bottom and expands the gas inside...

Cheers!

My primary reasoning is I prime my kegs naturally, just wondering how much I need to cool the solution down(boil water add sugar etc). For me this is going into a co2 purged keg then I’d transfer beer on top.

I think there are some prior posts where people referenced injecting hot gelato solution in.

 

[day_trippr]

Gelatin shouldn't be much hotter than hot tap water - maybe 140~145°F, as you bloom it cool first, then heat to around 150°F before adding to a keg of cold beer. I don't think there'd be a problem if done in short order...

Cheers!

 

[Conehead]

I add 250 ml of boiled and cooled gelatin to my keg just after sanitizing it. Then I go ahead and purge it with C02 and do a closed transfer of beer.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I assumed this would work. The plunger gives you a lot of leverage over the pressure in the keg. I'd still want to make sure the connection between the syringe and the short hose and the quick connect are quite secure, Why I was asking if there is a duotight or even luer lock type of solution. the connection between that syringe and the hose looks pretty scary. Not even really a barb on that syringe tip.

I was also a little concerned about the connections between the syringe-tubing-keg connector, so I used small oetiker clamps to secure it all together. Works great!

 

[mac_1103]

I used small oetiker clamps to secure it all together. Works great!

So do zip ties.