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Author Topic: Purging keg and adding gelatin.  (Read 6678 times)

Offline duelerx

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Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« on: October 04, 2016, 08:43:15 pm »
Is there a way to purge the keg to avoid oxygen and after clarify the beer using some fining?, i was thinking maybe adding some gelatin on the fermenter after fermentation is complete, but i would like to avoid any introduction of oxygen. Any advice?

Offline Stevie

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2016, 09:02:47 pm »
Opening the keg will risk introduction of oxygen. It will be small if your quick about it and give the PRV a good 20 burps at pressure.

Offline tommymorris

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2016, 09:47:18 pm »
I don't know if it's any better or not but here is what I have done the last few batches.

1. Pour gelatin mix in keg
2. Pressurize keg to 10-12 PSI
3. Pull PRV a few times
4. Open lid and transfer into keg
5. Close lid and pressurize
6. Pull PRV a few times

I am working to change steps 4 & 5 to a closed transfer. Not there yet.

Offline neddles

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2016, 10:07:57 pm »
1. Purge keg by expelling 5 gallons of sanitizer with CO2 to the next keg to be sanitized via out-to-out line connector.
2. Do a closed transfer of beer from fermentor to keg.
3. Get the beer as cold as you can if it is not already.
4. Pull PRV to release all pressure in the keg. Then, Turn on CO2 to 2-3 psi.
5. Unscrew the PRV with the CO2 still on.
6. While the CO2 is trying to escape the now open PRV hole, inject Biofine/gelatin or othe finings through the PRV with a large medicine dropper or like syringe.
7. Screw PRV back on while CO2 continues to escape.
8. Agitate keg to distribute the finings and keep beer cold for 24-48 hrs before allowing to rise to serving temp.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2016, 11:47:08 pm »
^^ complicated but it would work.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2016, 11:08:50 am »
Do you really need step #8?  I just assume the +/- charge action works like a magnet, but maybe not.

It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline neddles

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2016, 11:39:45 am »
Do you really need step #8?  I just assume the +/- charge action works like a magnet, but maybe not.
Its pretty low effort for a possible benefit. I just rock it back and forth a few times. I dont pick it up and shake it or oll it around the room.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2016, 11:44:54 am »
Apparently I'm lazy...  But you're right, pretty low effort particularly if you've gone through the trouble of shputzing it in through the PRV hole.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2016, 12:27:05 pm »
I fill my keg with sanitizer of choice, push all out through tap, open lid and add gelatin solution, close lid and purge a bunch of times, then close transfer beer from primary into keg outpost.

BUT, I noticed on a Brulosophy exbeeriment that one of the guys was using a large syringe connected to a short tubing that was connected to a quick disconnect for adding the gelatin into the keg via the outpost. I though that was a really nifty idea. Just haven't brought myself to making one yet. Very cool.

Offline mainebrewer

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2016, 02:27:04 pm »
I fill my keg with sanitizer of choice, push all out through tap, open lid and add gelatin solution, close lid and purge a bunch of times, then close transfer beer from primary into keg outpost.

Slight hijack here. but do you do something similar when you dry hop in the keg?
Also, when you do a closed transfer, do you fill by weight?
"It's not that people are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that just isn't true." Ronald Reagan

Offline erockrph

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2016, 01:58:16 am »
BUT, I noticed on a Brulosophy exbeeriment that one of the guys was using a large syringe connected to a short tubing that was connected to a quick disconnect for adding the gelatin into the keg via the outpost. I though that was a really nifty idea. Just haven't brought myself to making one yet. Very cool.

I'm going to have to try this out myself. Finings are the only part of my process after pitching where my system isn't really closed. I even oxygenate (when needed) through the out post of my fermenting keg.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

narvin

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2016, 04:09:52 pm »
Put the gelatin mixture in a small soda bottle, squeeze all the air out, and put on a carbonator cap and pressurize with CO2.  Then you can turn it upside down and transfer through tubing with a QD on each end after releasing most pressure in the keg.  I'd purge the tubing as well first.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2016, 04:18:05 pm »
Put the gelatin mixture in a small soda bottle, squeeze all the air out, and put on a carbonator cap and pressurize with CO2.  Then you can turn it upside down and transfer through tubing with a QD on each end after releasing most pressure in the keg.  I'd purge the tubing as well first.
Serious? I'm waiting for the vacuum evacuated cellar with a scuba regulator connected to an air hose method.

Offline natebrews

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2016, 05:44:52 pm »
I dissolve the gelatin in about 0.25 cups of water and heat it until it turns clear (160F or so).  Then, I just pop the top open and pour the heated gelatin and water combination in, then put the top back on and blow it off a couple times to purge.  Nothing fancy, and seems to work just fine.

There is a brulosophy experiment on kegging method (and how oxygen proof you try to be).  It lends some insight into how paranoid you should be about it, though I don't think they aged the stuff very long.  Then again, most everyone seems concerned with it for hoppy stuff which wouldn't be around long anyway.

As a side note, for those that do all the closed transfer stuff to the kegs, are you back filling the fermentor with CO2 as you transfer out of it?  If not, then all the junk done on the keg end seems largely in vain since the fermenter is going to be swirling with mostly normal air all over the top of the liquid.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2016, 05:49:42 pm by natebrews »
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

narvin

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Re: Purging keg and adding gelatin.
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2016, 05:51:57 pm »
Put the gelatin mixture in a small soda bottle, squeeze all the air out, and put on a carbonator cap and pressurize with CO2.  Then you can turn it upside down and transfer through tubing with a QD on each end after releasing most pressure in the keg.  I'd purge the tubing as well first.
Serious? I'm waiting for the vacuum evacuated cellar with a scuba regulator connected to an air hose method.

Why not?  If you purge the keg before filling (which I do) it seems silly to open it again.  I already have the tubing and disconnects; that's how I fill the keg.

You could also gelatin in the primary.  I've done it and it works fine and eliminates the need to get it into the keg.