Is Gelatine Required?

[Saisonator]

I made an AG pilsner a little while back and have been lagering at just above 0 c for 4 weeks
From your experience do you think it will be clear for bottling tomorrow or do you think I should add gelatine tonight?
Cheers

 

[rank_frank]

Have a look at it. You should be able judge it but adding gelatine now won't do any harm

 

[Dutto]

I have very occasionally used gelatine in the form of a suppository but have never used it to clear a brew.

"Time + Gravity" is sufficient for my needs.

 

[Drunkula]

I have very occasionally used gelatine in the form of a suppository but have never used it to clear a brew.

Most of my brews make the need for suppositories redundant. (Are suppositories really a thing or are they just from old penny dreadfuls?)

 

[Dutto]

Most of my brews make the need for suppositories redundant. (Are suppositories really a thing or are they just from old penny dreadfuls?)

Nope! They're the real thing!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012CW28DU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

BTW they use suppositories for a wide range of problems and as a nursing friend on mine pointed out "It isn't easy to convince someone that me shoving a suppository up their backside is going to ease their breathing problem!"

Personally, I always put down the fact that I had the trots a day after a drinking session on American beer (Schlitz especially) down to the fact that they used glycerine to clear their beer. It sure as hell cleared me! :thumb:

 

[rank_frank]

Yeah, make sure you use gelatine and not glycerine. One will clear your beer and the other will clear your bowels

 

[Dutto]

A lot of suppositories use both in the ratio of Glycerin 70%, Gelatin 20%, Water 10%.

They are called Glycercinated Gelatin Suppositories and are as effective as many beers!

Enjoy. :thumb:


References:
https://pharmlabs.unc.edu/labs/suppository/labs.htm
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318380307_Suppository_Bases

 

[Drunkula]

A lot of suppositories use both in the ratio of Glycerin 70%, Gelatin 20%, Water 10%.

They are called Glycercinated Gelatin Suppositories and are as effective as many beers!

Enjoy. :thumb:


References:
https://pharmlabs.unc.edu/labs/suppository/labs.htm
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318380307_Suppository_Bases

OMG Can my Japanese friends that can't drink have them on a stag do instead of beer? I'm not serving that night, btw. No way.

 

[foxbat]

After a month at zero I'd be surprised if gelatine were needed. I thought it was used mostly by people who want clear beer in a hurry.

 

[rank_frank]

This is a pilsner I made earlier this year 3 days after cold crashing to 0°c. As you can see it's pretty clear.

The second picture is what it looked like in the glass, complete with condensation.

I did lager it for 2 weeks in secondary and used gelatine. There was a very fine dusting of partcles on the bottom of the secondary but I didn't notice any difference to beer clarity. The particles could be the gelatine.

So I'd say that if you're happy with the clarity don't use gelatine. If not, then use it. If in doubt adding gelatine won't do any harm.

 

[Saisonator]

Looks like it would have been clear enough judging by the FV.
Mostly the problem I have with my beers is chill haze.

 

[rank_frank]

I'm no expert but from what I've read if you cold condition at a degree or two below your anticipated serving temperature you should precipitate the chill haze components and time and/or gelatine will drop these out.

I've had an IPA stored in the shed during winter go almost milky cloudy due to chill haze. I suspect that if I'd given it the same treatment as the Pilsner it would've been fine.

I think that after 4 weeks at 0°c your Pilsner should be haze free.

 

[BeerCat]

Add gelatin. I think it takes a few days to settle though but wont harm it. Beer brite is ready in 24 hours which i use sometimes.
I have kegged lagers i thought were crystal clear but when i carb them they take another week or so properly clear again.

 

[MyQul]

A month at 0C should drop out chill haze. Ive only lagered a couple of times (5L in my domestic fridge,for about a month iirc) as I dont really have the set up for lagering. I always get chill haze (although I've have sort of found a way around it now) as Ive always no chilled. The times I lagered I didnt get chill haze and in fact it dropped everything (There was a layer of brown 'cack' on the bottom of the lagering FV). From what Ive read if you lager for long enough its as good as any sort of clearing or fining agent. These agents just speed the process of clear beer up

 

[JonBrew]

Looks like it would have been clear enough judging by the FV.
Mostly the problem I have with my beers is chill haze.

Pretty much all my beers suffer from a slight chill haze.

Take a sample in a glass/trial jar and if looks hazy, hit it with your gelatine. That will definitely clear up chill haze. I believe this is why a lot of big breweries cold filter - to remove chill haze. The particles clump together when the beer is cold so they can then filter them out mechanically. Only difference is you would be doing it with gelatine.

 

[Dutto]

Looks like it would have been clear enough judging by the FV.
Mostly the problem I have with my beers is chill haze.

That's another thing I don't do - chill my brew.

We were making and drinking beer well before they invented refrigerators and I always think that "cellar temperature" lets me taste the brew.

I'm slowly bringing my French friends round to the practice. Most of their houses have "caves" for their wine bottles and most of them now drink beer from the cave rather than out of a fridge!

As a result, they have almost all stopped buying crap and go for styles like Chimay and the others in the photograph! :thumb:

 

[Ajhutch]

Hope the Pilsner turns out well @Saisonator . This is a nice thread. One question which might be a stupid one. After lagering for a month, if you want to bottle condition do you need to add more yeast or would some still be in suspension? And don’t tell me to keg and force carbonate!

 

[rank_frank]

It's suggested that there will be enough yeast left to bottle condition the beer. Or you can add one of the yeasts specifically designed for bottle conditioning such as Safale F2.

I find getting bottle carbonation right really hard. I get flat bottles, gushers and those that seem ok for the first few weeks and then gush. I've finally started kegging for precisely that reason. I do miss the thrill of rummaging around in the shed and finding a couple of interesting looking bottles from a while back though.

 

[Dutto]

............

I find getting bottle carbonation right really hard. I get flat bottles, gushers and those that seem ok for the first few weeks and then gush. .................

That's the reason I now go for batch carbonation!

I'm afraid that as I get older the memory and hand/eye coordination are deteriorating badly, so the simple act of putting a level spoonful of sugar into a bottle gets to be like playing Russian Roulette!

The end result is that the amount of sugar per "level teaspoon" varies from bottle to bottle, some bottles get nothing added and the bottle next to them gets two spoonfuls.

The "Lottery: aspect was exciting but not conducive to inviting friends and neighbours to share a brew when I didn't know whether to not they would get a glass of flat beer or have to wait twenty minutes for the foam to settle!

Yep! Batch carbonation and using the Calculator at the top of this page, is the answer for me ...

... and a lot cheaper than buying a load of Corny Kegs! :thumb:

 

[BeerCat]

@rank_frank That is some impressive looking clear beer there!