1st time gelatin... didn't work

[chris172]

For some reason I just cannot get clear beer and it's even worse when its been in the fridge, the chill haze is murkier than the canal.

So thought I would try the gelatin route. Mixed as described on the Brupaks instructions and poured it into the secondary. Left it a few days and kegged, mmm still looks hazy.

Fridged the keg for over a week at 2c and poured a pint and was again murky. It's been out the fridge now for nearly 2 weeks and is looking like it usually does. It would go hazier if chilled.

Beer is coming from the boiler as clear as tap water and the FV is in my temp controlled fridged so unsure where I'm going wrong.

Don't know why the image is rotated

[Goulders]

When you have finished fermenting, then chill the beer for 24/48 hours. This will help drop the yeast. Then add the gelatine whilst still cold. leave for 24/48 hours then keg.
Or alternatively chill in secondary, then keg, add gelatine, and your first half pint may be murky after a few days. I use gelatine and it has worked every time. The secret is adding it to the cold beer.

[f00b4r]

When you have finished fermenting, then chill the beer for 24/48 hours. This will help drop the yeast. Then add the gelatine whilst still cold. leave for 24/48 hours then keg.
Or alternatively chill in secondary, then keg, add gelatine, and your first half pint may be murky after a few days. I use gelatine and it has worked every time. The secret is adding it to the cold beer.

Do you ever get issues with gunk in the keg afterwards or does it always just get passed out in that first half pint?
Also I am guessing that you just depressurise the keg, put the lid in sanitiser, add gelatine solution, put lid back on and turn the pressure back on, then change the temperature to serving after 24/48 hours?

[Goulders]

No gunk in the keg after the first half pint, but obviously don't shake the keg around. Because I'm adding cold beer to the keg, I just gently pour the gelatine in, add the lid, purge and connect to the gas to carbonate. I keep my kegerator around 7/8 degrees anyway. I also have sanke kegs, but the method is the same.

[Jocky]

I found that I had to make sure beer was at serving temperature before adding gelatin - if the chill haze formed later it didn't work.

So now I get my beer as cold as I can by turning down the controller to 0C, wait 48 hours, add gelatin and then wait another 48 before bottling.

[chris172]

The beer in the pic above was chilled down to 2c in a secondary, then gelatin added. it was left out the fridge then for 2 days while settling prior to kegging. Keg then was in the fridge maturing for a week again at 2c. it has now been out the fridge at room temp for over a week.

First pint was like canal water but the rest was/is like image.

Was of the understanding if you can get the 'chill haze' then add the stuff it would clear it and further chilling at serving temps would be clear.

Would love to offer friends and family clear beer without making the excuse 'it's OK to drink it like that... really' !

[AnthonyUK]

Would love to offer friends and family clear beer without making the excuse 'it's OK to drink it like that... really' !

Wouldn't it not be better to explain that your 'artisinal' beer has not been filtered or pasteurised which is why it is much more flavoursome but may lack that commercial clarity?

[chris172]

That is true, it tastes fine, but always on a quest for better looking beer

[Jocky]

Sounds like your process is fine, and honestly my very hoppy beers still end up very slightly hazy like that when very cold and they clear when they warm up a few degrees. If I didn't use gelatin they'd be cloudy. Will try and take a couple of pics as an example this evening.

Can I ask what kind of beer it is, and are you dry hopping in the keg (do you still have dry hops in there)?


The only other main cause I've seen of beer that cannot be cleared with gelatin is infection, but that would be quite apparent in the taste.

[Goulders]

Using my method above


California Common

[D4nny74]

I Ferment for 2 weeks, dry hops in at ferment temp for 3 days , then cold crash for 4 days , then put gelatine in the keg , chill at 2oc for 4 weeks. first pint off cloudy gunk , then sorted

[Kohoutec]

How much gelatin are you using? I use just over 1/4 of a teaspoon and get good results. I've read using too much can be an issue?

[D4nny74]

yeah 1/4 in 200mls warm water

[Coffeeuk]

I use the microwave method. 200 ml cold water, put in 3g of gelatine and leave to bloom for 10 mins. I then blast in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it clears, which means it's all dissolved, normally takes about 89/90 seconds. Then pour straight into keg or fermenter depending on whether I'm bottling or not.

[alexlark]

Same as Coffeeuk and star bright in a week.