Alright, I'm fairly new to brewing. I have been doing extracts all spring and summer. My dad (brewing partner) and I are planning on going all-grain next spring, but FIRST we want kegs. We're currently bottling. I have a few questions for you.
First, where do you get CO2 filled? Do local homebrew shops do it? Gas supply store? We have a local welding service place that will fill them rather cheaply, but I'm not sure if there is a difference in gasses. Is there a "food grade" CO2, or is it all the same?
Secondly, is it common to filter CO2? I'm a little concerned about contaminates getting into my beer from the CO2, I know it can be a dirty gas. So, do any of you fellow homebrewers use air filters on your CO2 lines? They are pretty cheap so I'm thinking about getting one when I build my CO2 system. If you do, what specific filters are you using?
Lastly, (this may be better as it's own post) what is better, filtering beer between fermentation and keg, or using gelatin to get clarity? What are the main pros and cons of each? I can see starting out using gelatin and then adding proper filtration later on because it's cheaper. What will happen if I don't filter at all? Do I need to let it condition in a keg for a while? Will I have problems with sediment and yeast in the keg?
Thanks,
Seth