[Steve533]

I have a 5 gal batch almost ready to keg. I want try crashing the primary and after cooling, rack to a secondary tub to which I plan to add the 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1/2 cup 160 deg water. My plan is to keep the beer in the secondary for a day or so and rack into the keg. Please provide comments and or suggestions.
Steve

[802Chris]

I would skip the secondary and either crash in primary, then gelatin OR crash in primary then rack onto gelatin mix in keg. Save time/sanitation/etc.

[hpcharter]

I would skip the secondary and either crash in primary, then gelatin OR crash in primary then rack onto gelatin mix in keg. Save time/sanitation/etc.

Agreed. I always crash and gelatin in primary if not reusing the yeast.


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[RC]

If it's a typical ale, I also recommend skipping the secondary. Not necessary. Simply cold-crash in the primary, and add the gelatin the day after cold crashing. But I'd give it at least a few days to clarify--the longer it sits in cold crash with gelatin, the clearer it will be. When you heat that gelatin mix to ~160, by the way, it smells like a pig's ass, so be prepared. The flavor/smell doesn't transfer to the finished beer (but I've always waited at least three days, I can't say if it will given a shorter time).

[rob_f]

I don't have a good way to cold crash a fermenter, so I use a cornie as sort of a "bright tank." I have one cornie with a shortened dip tube.  I rack the beer into and chill, then I add the gelatin.  After a few days I transfer the bright beer to another keg with a liquid to liquid jumper line.  Works great.

[erockrph]

I add gelatin in the keg. I crash in the primary, then rack the cold beer into the keg with the gelatin. Once the beer is carbed up, I blow out the gunk.

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[curtdogg]

I add gelatin in the keg. I crash in the primary, then rack the cold beer into the keg with the gelatin. Once the beer is carbed up, I blow out the gunk.

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How much gelatin per gallon? Is there a benefit besides having  beautiful beer?

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[Stevie]

Best instructions can be found here.

http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html

[HoosierBrew]

Best instructions can be found here.

http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html

Yep. Pretty foolproof.

[JT]

I add gelatin in the keg. I crash in the primary, then rack the cold beer into the keg with the gelatin. Once the beer is carbed up, I blow out the gunk.

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My procedure as well when not hanging on to the yeast. 

  "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

[Philbrew]

If it's a typical ale, I also recommend skipping the secondary. Not necessary. Simply cold-crash in the primary, and add the gelatin the day after cold crashing. But I'd give it at least a few days to clarify--the longer it sits in cold crash with gelatin, the clearer it will be. When you heat that gelatin mix to ~160, by the way, it smells like a pig's ass, so be prepared. The flavor/smell doesn't transfer to the finished beer (but I've always waited at least three days, I can't say if it will given a shorter time).

Well...I have never gotten that close to a pig's ass, so I can't comment.     But it works best if you can get the beer down to less than 38F before gelatin and wait a day or two after.

[Lazy Ant Brewing]

I can't add any knowledge to the above discussion, but to say I got in a hurry recently and paid the price.

I made a porter with Mangrove Jacks M42 and fermented it for 14 days.  Checked FG two days apart and it was identical.  Because I wanted to take some to an upcoming family reunion I didn't properly cold crash it.  As soon as I got the identical FG readings, I unplugged the temp controller on my fridge and turned it back to max cold, but bottled the next morning.  But, 5 gal of the good stuff doesn't cool that rapidly and cold crashing takes time.

Lots of traub!  The last bottles out of the bottom of the bottling bucket are absolute volcanoes (best opened outside with the bottle pointed away from clothing).

Nearly all I've sampled so far have too much carbonation.  I open the 12-oz bottle, pour about one-half into a 20-oz mug, and wait for some of the foam to settle and drink a bit, before pouring the rest of the bottle.

Isn't it amazing that lessons learned "the hard way" stick with us longer.

Thanks for the above info and I going to try gelatin after a thorough cold crash for my next batch.

[BrewBama]

I rack to a keg, cold crash for a day, add gelatin and let it sit it the cold until I need it.


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[Westley]

So I'm new enough to brewing, I feel this might be a legitimate question. What is a cold crash, and what's it for? I have three batches of beer almost ready for keg, and this sounds fairly important.

[tommymorris]

Cold crashing is optional, but, if you have the means it is quite helpful to clarify your beer.

A cold crash is act of dropping the beer temp to around 32F. This encourages the yeast to flocculate (fall to bottom of the fermenter.) Other things floating in the beer (proteins) also drop out easier with lower temps. Leave the beer at 32F for 2-3 days then keg or bottle.

PS. All questions are legit.