When to add gelatin

[TBA]

Hi all, about ready to transfer a lager from fermenter to keg. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an empty keg while this one was actively fermenting so no free purged keg. So my question is can I add the gelatin and ascorbic acid to the keg, purge and transfer? I don’t do many lagers and was planning on fining this one, last one was not clear enough. It has been sitting at 35 degrees for a week.

 

[Dgallo]

Hi all, about ready to transfer a lager from fermenter to keg. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an empty keg while this one was actively fermenting so no free purged keg. So my question is can I add the gelatin and ascorbic acid to the keg, purge and transfer? I don’t do many lagers and was planning on fining this one, last one was not clear enough. It has been sitting at 35 degrees for a week.

You could use gelatin in the keg but it can get gunky which has a chance to clog the diptube which will bring issues itself. If you have a lhbs or have time to wait for a delivery, you’re better bet in the keg is Biofine clear

 

[Sammy86]

Hi all, about ready to transfer a lager from fermenter to keg. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an empty keg while this one was actively fermenting so no free purged keg. So my question is can I add the gelatin and ascorbic acid to the keg, purge and transfer? I don’t do many lagers and was planning on fining this one, last one was not clear enough. It has been sitting at 35 degrees for a week.

I always fine my beers in primary...48 hours before packaging...still takes a week or two to be Crystal clear but never had a problem

 

[TBA]

This is an Octoberfest beer. It will lager 8 more weeks in the keg. Do you think I need to use gelatin at all?

 

[Sammy86]

This is an Octoberfest beer. It will lager 8 more weeks in the keg. Do you think I need to use gelatin at all?

Honestly, no clue. It can't hurt any.

 

[GoodTruble]

This is an Octoberfest beer. It will lager 8 more weeks in the keg. Do you think I need to use gelatin at all?

If lagering 8 weeks, I would not bother with gelatin. Almost everything that can drop out will drop out over that time. (But I also don't get hung up on clarity much). If you want to a anyway, I also think Biofine clear is the better option, but if not available, gelatin in keg should be fine, just use a small amount.

 

[superiorsat]

This is an Octoberfest beer. It will lager 8 more weeks in the keg. Do you think I need to use gelatin at all?

6/7 weeks seems to be about the time my Oktoberfest used to drop clear back before I used gelatin. I gelatin everything except Neipa's or traditional cloudy beer styles. I dose the fermenter the night before kegging. Most beers beers with just barley will drop clear in 3/4ish days in the keg. Heavy wheated/oated beers take longer, just had 2 go crystal clear yesterday at day 12 (both 50% wheat beers). I am also planning on making the switch to Biofine Clear for ease of use but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. As @Dgallo said if you do it in the keg you are probably going to get a pint or 2 of muck. I like the the hot gelatin grabbing what it can initially in the crashed beer and dropping before sending it to the keg. If you waited longer like @Sammy86 you would leave even more behind before transferring to the keg. The reason I gelatin everything is IMO it brings the beer to maturity faster.

 

[TBA]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just went ahead and kegged it. Hoping time will work it’s magic. Putting biofine clear on my shopping list. Normally I won’t wait 8 weeks so this sounds like the way to go.

 

[wepeeler]

Never. Use Biofine Clear. I add it to my keg and have brilliantly clear beer in 4 to 5 days. Amazing stuff.

 

[AZ Maverick]

When I do lagers (actually even ales), I use gelatin right before I cold crash.
Usually, that happens about four weeks after fermentation is complete.
I always end up with a very nice clear beer (which I like) - I even gelatin and cold crash stouts.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Gelatin. I put that $h1+ in everything!

I always clear in the primary, lager in the keg.