Whirlfloc and Gelatin - Too Much?

[LJvermonster]

Hi All,

I used Whirlfloc for the first time in a brew that is fermenting now. I also have gelatin I was thinking about using in my keg (also first time kegging).

Is this over kill or will it just add additional clarity to the beer? I assume this causes settlement to go to the bottom, is there concern that it will be sucked into the beer line and you'll have gelatin in your glass? Again, new to this so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

 

[djonesax]

It wont hurt anything but if you have never used Whirfloc, I would suggest trying the Whirfloc first and then using the gelatin if it doesn't clear or even on the next batch. I like to make incremental changes per brew, so I can see what difference it actually made. I have never used gelatin personally but If I did, I would just add it to the primary, 1 day after starting to cold crash since it works best best when the beer is cold. Then you can put clear beer into the keg. If you add it to the Keg, then your first draw will have the gelatin and sediment in it, and then if the kegs gets bumped you may get more. Personally I have not had luck with letting beer clear in the serving keg as it seems my beer stays cloudy picking up stuff from the bottom, but if I cold crash the primary for 7-10 days I have clear beer into the keg.

As far as overkill goes, it will clear with out it but the gelatin may make it clear faster. So its not over kill if you need it clear faster by a few days.

 

[LJvermonster]

It wont hurt anything but if you have never used Whirfloc, I would suggest trying the Whirfloc first and then using the gelatin if it doesn't clear or even on the next batch. I like to make incremental changes per brew, so I can see what difference it actually made. I have never used gelatin personally but If I did, I would just add it to the primary, 1 day after starting to cold crash since it works best best when the beer is cold. Then you can put clear beer into the keg. If you add it to the Keg, then your first draw will have the gelatin and sediment in it, and then if the kegs gets bumped you may get more. Personally I have not had luck with letting beer clear in the serving keg as it seems my beer stays cloudy picking up stuff from the bottom, but if I cold crash the primary for 7-10 days I have clear beer into the keg.

As far as overkill goes, it will clear with out it but the gelatin may make it clear faster. So its not over kill if you need it clear faster by a few days.

That's good advice. I'll stick with just whirlfloc this round and if I'm not totally happy with the clarity I'll try adding the gelatin to the primary then transfer to Keg.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[The_Bishop]

Whirlfloc and Gelatin work on two separate clarity issues. There's really no 'one size fits all' fining.

 

[LJvermonster]

Whirlfloc and Gelatin work on two separate clarity issues. There's really no 'one size fits all' fining.

What is the difference between Whirlfloc and Gelatin? What issues do each address?

 

[cyberbrew]

What is the difference between Whirlfloc and Gelatin? What issues do each address?

From my understanding whirlfloc (aka irish moss) will help precipitate out solids from your wort which you can then whirlpool and leave behind in the kettle. Gelatin will help pull yeast (and possibly some proteins as well) out of your beer after fermentation has completed.

I find that time is also your friend when it comes to clearing beer. The longer it sits (without moving the keg) the clearer it gets, even without whirlfloc or gelatin.

 

[BigFloyd]

From my understanding whirlfloc (aka irish moss) will help precipitate out solids from your wort which you can then whirlpool and leave behind in the kettle. Gelatin will help pull yeast (and possibly some proteins as well) out of your beer after fermentation has completed.

This ^^^^^^. They accomplish different tasks and different steps.

One of the early batch kits I tried (Morebeer ESB I think) contained a Whirlfloc tab. After seeing how well it worked, I've been using it ever since.

If you have the ability to cold-crash the primary into the mid-upper 30's for 5-7 days after fermentation has finished, you'll be very pleased with the clarity that gives. It also firms the yeast cake making it harder to suck into the siphon. As a result, I usually don't bother using gelatin when kegging any longer.

 

[cease]

I use whirlfloc in the boil and gelatins while I carbonate the beer in my corny. First pint is pretty murky but then clears up. Even my extra dry hop IPAs come out clear.

 

[mbbransc]

I use both on all my beers that don't bulk age (and whirlfloc on everything). Beers drop crystal clear.

 

[LJvermonster]

I use whirlfloc in the boil and gelatins while I carbonate the beer in my corny. First pint is pretty murky but then clears up. Even my extra dry hop IPAs come out clear.

Does one pint really get rid of all the gelatin at the bottom of the keg?

I use both on all my beers that don't bulk age (and whirlfloc on everything). Beers drop crystal clear.

Do you add the gelatin in the primary fermenter or your keg?

 

[hezagenius]

Same here. I use Whirlfloc on all brew days and 1 packet of gelatin after the beer has been in the keg a few days to cool down. Gelatin makes a huge difference in my beers.

On occasion, I also use maltodextrin in the keg to add mouthfeel to the beer, but I may start adding at during the boil if I am doing an extract brew.

I haven't tried cold crashing.

 

[mbbransc]

Does one pint really get rid of all the gelatin at the bottom of the keg?


Do you add the gelatin in the primary fermenter or your keg?

When fermentation has completed, I cold crash for 24hrs then add gelatin. Wait about 48hrs and keg. It's usually pretty clear at this point but after a week in the fridge, it's crystal clear.

 

[BigFloyd]

When I do use it, I add to the keg right after racking the cold, crashed beer from the primary.

Mine typically throws about a pint of cloudy gel beer, the runs clear.

 

[aangel]

I forgot to buy whirlfloc and included all my hop trub (all of it!) in my primary for the last batch I made. Even with 1um filtering it was hazy. 1/2 tsp gelatin in half a cup of water, added to keg. After 3 days, it was crystal clear.

 

[solbes]

Whirlfloc/Irish Moss help increase cold break, and they also greatly reduce chill haze (protein and tannin interaction). Chill haze is when your beer looks very clear in a bottle while at room temp, then you stick it in the fridge and it gets hazy. Leave that beer in the fridge for a week or two and most of it will drop out.

Gelatin helps drop suspended yeast. If you chill your beer in primary or secondary BEFORE you add the gelatin, it will also help reduce the chill haze. Give it 3-7 days to do its thing. You don't add it to your keg, you'd add it to primary or secondary prior to racking (with the alotted time to work).

I use whirlfloc in every beer batch I make. I only use gelatin on beers that either time or cold temps will not fix (WY2565 yeast is a stubborn flocc'r and gets gelatin every time). Gelatin can also strip out hop aroma. Those little suspended yeasties and other stuff carry aroma; drop them all out of suspension and the aroma is less IMO. So I don't gel my hoppy beers anymore.

 

[LJvermonster]

I use whirlfloc in every beer batch I make. I only use gelatin on beers that either time or cold temps will not fix (WY2565 yeast is a stubborn flocc'r and gets gelatin every time). Gelatin can also strip out hop aroma. Those little suspended yeasties and other stuff carry aroma; drop them all out of suspension and the aroma is less IMO. So I don't gel my hoppy beers anymore.

Well that's a good little nugget. Considering I am going to be kegging a double IPA I think i will stay away from Gelatin on this one and see if the Whirfloc is enough.

Thanks everyone for all the responses, quite insightful!

 

[hezagenius]

Does one pint really get rid of all the gelatin at the bottom of the keg?

I'd say 1.5-2 pints and basically all the sediment is gone. And it's not like you have a pile of jello at the bottom of the keg. You dissolve the gelatin into a very small amount of warm water, but not boiling water. You aren't trying to make jello. You just want it dissolved. The gelatin is suspended in the beer and clings to sediment and drops it out. When it comes out of the keg, it looks like super cloudy beer.

 

[helibrewer]

I'm making Pliny the Younger right now and am going to skip the gelatin this time, just using Irish Moss and ClarityFerm