Beer Forum

I keep seeing references to using gelatin for post fermentation clarification. Just curious, how do you go about it, and how much do you lose through the process?

I've been using gelatin for a few years and get crystal-clear beers. My process is as follows:

- crash cool the beer to approx zero degrees for 2 or 3 days
- boil some water (about half a litre)
- pour water into a sanitised jug, cover and leave to cool for 15 mins
- sprinkle a teaspoon of powdered gelatin on the water, cover and leave for another 15 mins
- stir well with a sanitised spoon to dissolve the gelatin
- tip the mixture into your bottling bucket (if bottling) or keg
- rack the cold beer onto the mixture

Works every time and I don't get a significant amount of loss.

So you leave the gelatin and all in the keg? You don't rack off of it?

ElectricLandlord wrote:I've been using gelatin for a few years and get crystal-clear beers. My process is as follows:

- crash cool the beer to approx zero degrees for 2 or 3 days
- boil some water (about half a litre)
- pour water into a sanitised jug, cover and leave to cool for 15 mins
- sprinkle a teaspoon of powdered gelatin on the water, cover and leave for another 15 mins
- stir well with a sanitised spoon to dissolve the gelatin
- tip the mixture into your bottling bucket (if bottling) or keg
- rack the cold beer onto the mixture

Works every time and I don't get a significant amount of loss.

fulkrum78 wrote:So you leave the gelatin and all in the keg? You don't rack off of it?

Correct. It leaves a little bit of sludge at the bottom but never enough to block up the draw tube.

I use gelatin with great results.

My process is similar. I use a 500ml flask and boil 300ml of water. I stick a lab thermometer in the water as I take it off the heat, cover the opening with tin foil. When the temp hits the 140-150 range I add an entire package of Knox Gelatin. I add half to each of two kegs, purge with CO2, then rack right on top. The beer is clear in a week and sparkling in two. And yes, you leave the sludge on the bottom. Some do transfer off the sludge into another keg, and I will do this if I'm taking the keg somewhere because moving the keg around will kick up sludge.

Gotcha! I'm guessing you like the results then?

My result is also similar to andy77 except that when the water is done boiling i pull off the burner and add half a pack per five gallons. I have been doing this for about 4 years and really am satisfied with the results. Gelatin is only great for yeast clarification if you have chill haze or a polyphenol haze you will have to use another method to clear your beer.

fulkrum78 wrote:Gotcha! I'm guessing you like the results then?

Tremendously. Most of my beers are clear in a week and filtered looking within 2 or 3.

I tried biofine clear, KC Super Kleer and isinglass before trying gelatin and none of those can even approach the results I've achieved with gelatin.