Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Gelatin Q's  (Read 4858 times)

Offline madscientist

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 321
Gelatin Q's
« on: November 21, 2011, 06:41:34 am »
So I picked up a box of the Knox unflavored gelatin and was thinking of using it with my pale ale in effort to get clearer beer.  I've done some searches and figured out the when and how, but there's a few things I'm unclear on.

1. Do I understand correctly, that gelatin percipitates out the protiens that cause chill haze?  I have read a few things that say it doesn't combat chill haze at all and i'm confused.

2. Does it adversely affect bottle conditioning? 

Thanks.
Homebrewed since 2010

Offline bluesman

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8825
  • Delaware
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2011, 07:40:58 am »
Chill haze occurs when the beer is chilled and proteins in the beer bond with polyphenols (tannins). Finings like gelatin will grab these protein particles as well as yeast and drop them out of solution. Permanent haze is another condition that gelatin won't remedy.

If you are going to bottle, make sure to add the gelatin prior to bottling and rack off the trub after fining then bottle.
Ron Price

Offline James Lorden

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 337
  • Forest Hill, MD
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2011, 07:53:01 am »
Here is a good source:

http://www.practicalbrewing.co.uk/fining/page6.html

Make sure the beer is a cold as possile when adding gelatin.  The more chill haze you form the more can be fined out!
James Lorden
Beer Drinker Beer Maker & Beer Judge

Offline ullarsskald1989

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 46
  • Brewing since 1974, brewing well since 1975
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2011, 03:00:25 pm »
My wife and I add gelatin along with priming sugar (usually extra light DME) when we bottle, have done so since I taught her to brew in 1983; null probleme.
Today is a good day; to learn, to do, to love, to be...

(Ale - 1974, Wine - 1975, Mead - 1983)

Steven P Robinson, AHA Member #175298

Offline 1vertical

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2702
  • Ozone Layer. Actual location
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2011, 12:18:12 am »
I use polyclar and never looked back...it gets both + and - charged particles...
your body cannot process it...just goes on thru....can you say clear beer?
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Offline punatic

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4583
  • Puna District, Hawaii Island (UTC -10)
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2011, 12:33:33 am »
I use an opaque mug, and skip the finings.   ;D
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907

Offline skyler

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 956
  • Hmm. Human music. I like it.
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2011, 08:16:02 am »
Gelatin works best when the beer is somewhere between 30-48 degrees F or so, but I have had a problem with the gelatin solution freezing to the side of the carboy when I have tried it on 30-degree beer. So I would recommend a temperature of 34-38 degrees F. If you get the beer very cold and you give it 4-5 days before you rack off it, then you rack very carefully, you will get very clear beer going into the keg. Also, while knocking out chill haze is an important part in making beautiful beer, keeping the suspended yeast out of your glass is most important because it will not only make your beer clearer, but will make your beer taste MUCH better, IMO. I hate the muddy flavor of yeast in a beer - particularly a hoppy one or a delicate style (like Kölsch).

Offline tubercle

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1639
  • Sweet Caroline
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2011, 09:42:26 am »
I use an opaque mug, and skip the finings.   ;D

See also: Red Solo Cup.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2011, 09:44:40 am by tubercle »
Sweet Caroline where the Sun rises over the deep blue sea and sets somewhere beyond Tennessee

Offline dak0415

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
  • Winston-Salem, NC
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2011, 07:22:10 am »
I use polyclar and never looked back...it gets both + and - charged particles...
your body cannot process it...just goes on thru....can you say clear beer?
I have used polyclar in light lagers too.  What's your procedure?
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!

Offline 1vertical

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2702
  • Ozone Layer. Actual location
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2011, 10:18:24 am »
I use polyclar and never looked back...it gets both + and - charged particles...
your body cannot process it...just goes on thru....can you say clear beer?
I have used polyclar in light lagers too.  What's your procedure?
I was using it to experiment and see how it performed against chill haze that my beers
were having. I have since found that conditioning  time may be my #1 method.  It has
been some time since I have used polyclar.  I believe I sanitized a glass measuring cup
to about a quarter cup added water or so....then microwaved it to superheated state.
I then stirred in the polyclar with a sanitized spoon.  I added that mix to the top of a
keg that I was secondarying in....after  conditioning time then I pushed the beer off
the sediment into another serving keg.  I am no longer that picky or critical of my beer...
not entering them into competition...so....shrug
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Offline bluesman

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8825
  • Delaware
Re: Gelatin Q's
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2011, 10:45:33 am »
Ron Price

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958