| |
Main
Date: 18 Aug 2006 07:10:20
From: Alf McLaughlin
Subject: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
Hello all-
I am writing to seek advice. I recently attempted to clear a beer
with gelatin because it had been in the secondary for about 1 month and
looked absolutely hopeless (I used the white labs kolsch yeast).
Usually I would have waited for the yeast to fall, but this beer needs
to be rushed due to an impending event. The temperature of the carboy
is about 79 degrees. So, I used 1 pack of Knox unflavored gelatin,
dissolved it, dropped it in, and swirled it around a bit. Now, I know
the carboy is too warm and I'd like to cool it down but I don't have
the fridge space to get it any cooler. Anyway, the gelatin really
worked wonders... but, then it stopped half way down. So, what i've
got looks like a black and tan with crystal clear beer in the top half
and totally cloudy beer in the bottom half. It got halfway down after
about 12 hours and has been like this for the past 2 days.
I'd like to know what is going to happen: will it drop all the way
down in a few days? will it stay like this for a month? what will
happen if i add more gelatin? is the problem that the gelatin has been
saturated with yeast? I know the gelatin is positively charged while
the yeast is negatively charged, so I can imagine what might have
happened is that the charge has been neutralized due to a lot of yeast
binding; this is why i wonder if adding more gelatin will solve the
problem. I am not worried about clearing too much yeast out because it
will be kegged and force carbonated.
Thanks!
-Alf
|
|
| |
Date: 18 Aug 2006 17:43:08
From: Alf McLaughlin
Subject: Re: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
Droopy wrote:
> Are you sure there is no residual yeast activity keeping the4 gelatin
> suspended?
>
> Fining only really works on ferments are are finished.
>
> Also, you should never have to fine yeast. If there is yeast in
> suspension more likely than not the beer is not finished fermenting.
Thanks for responding, Droopy. Just tasted the beer and it tastes like
band-aids; new experience for me, but not surprising as there were a
few issues with this beer. I'm guessing i've got a case of wild-yeast
contaimination which might explain the yeast not falling down. I am no
longer worried about clearing the beer. i'd rather have it cloudy and
tasting good!
|
| |
Date: 18 Aug 2006 16:09:47
From: Droopy
Subject: Re: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
Are you sure there is no residual yeast activity keeping the4 gelatin
suspended?
Fining only really works on ferments are are finished.
Also, you should never have to fine yeast. If there is yeast in
suspension more likely than not the beer is not finished fermenting.
Alf McLaughlin wrote:
> Hello all-
> I am writing to seek advice. I recently attempted to clear a beer
> with gelatin because it had been in the secondary for about 1 month and
> looked absolutely hopeless (I used the white labs kolsch yeast).
> Usually I would have waited for the yeast to fall, but this beer needs
> to be rushed due to an impending event. The temperature of the carboy
> is about 79 degrees. So, I used 1 pack of Knox unflavored gelatin,
> dissolved it, dropped it in, and swirled it around a bit. Now, I know
> the carboy is too warm and I'd like to cool it down but I don't have
> the fridge space to get it any cooler. Anyway, the gelatin really
> worked wonders... but, then it stopped half way down. So, what i've
> got looks like a black and tan with crystal clear beer in the top half
> and totally cloudy beer in the bottom half. It got halfway down after
> about 12 hours and has been like this for the past 2 days.
> I'd like to know what is going to happen: will it drop all the way
> down in a few days? will it stay like this for a month? what will
> happen if i add more gelatin? is the problem that the gelatin has been
> saturated with yeast? I know the gelatin is positively charged while
> the yeast is negatively charged, so I can imagine what might have
> happened is that the charge has been neutralized due to a lot of yeast
> binding; this is why i wonder if adding more gelatin will solve the
> problem. I am not worried about clearing too much yeast out because it
> will be kegged and force carbonated.
>
> Thanks!
> -Alf
|
| |
Date: 19 Aug 2006 19:17:46
From: Droopy
Subject: Re: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
Band aid flavor is related to chlorophenol contamination....that is
contamination from chlorine.
Is your brewing water chlorinated? Do you use bleach as a sanitizer?
Alf McLaughlin wrote:
> Droopy wrote:
> > Are you sure there is no residual yeast activity keeping the4 gelatin
> > suspended?
> >
> > Fining only really works on ferments are are finished.
> >
> > Also, you should never have to fine yeast. If there is yeast in
> > suspension more likely than not the beer is not finished fermenting.
>
> Thanks for responding, Droopy. Just tasted the beer and it tastes like
> band-aids; new experience for me, but not surprising as there were a
> few issues with this beer. I'm guessing i've got a case of wild-yeast
> contaimination which might explain the yeast not falling down. I am no
> longer worried about clearing the beer. i'd rather have it cloudy and
> tasting good!
|
| |
Date: 20 Aug 2006 16:23:44
From: Tim Carey
Subject: Re: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
I can't speak to the band aid taste and I guess that's been answered. I
used gelatin at 1 TBS per gallon and got the same half and half. I was told
that 1tsp per gallon would have been better. It took a long time for the
whole thing to clear - several weeks.
I use glass finings. 1 tsp per carboy and its clear in a day or so.
"Alf McLaughlin" <ohmygog@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:1155910220.190671.98860@74g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
> Hello all-
> I am writing to seek advice. I recently attempted to clear a beer
> with gelatin because it had been in the secondary for about 1 month and
> looked absolutely hopeless (I used the white labs kolsch yeast).
> Usually I would have waited for the yeast to fall, but this beer needs
> to be rushed due to an impending event. The temperature of the carboy
> is about 79 degrees. So, I used 1 pack of Knox unflavored gelatin,
> dissolved it, dropped it in, and swirled it around a bit. Now, I know
> the carboy is too warm and I'd like to cool it down but I don't have
> the fridge space to get it any cooler. Anyway, the gelatin really
> worked wonders... but, then it stopped half way down. So, what i've
> got looks like a black and tan with crystal clear beer in the top half
> and totally cloudy beer in the bottom half. It got halfway down after
> about 12 hours and has been like this for the past 2 days.
> I'd like to know what is going to happen: will it drop all the way
> down in a few days? will it stay like this for a month? what will
> happen if i add more gelatin? is the problem that the gelatin has been
> saturated with yeast? I know the gelatin is positively charged while
> the yeast is negatively charged, so I can imagine what might have
> happened is that the charge has been neutralized due to a lot of yeast
> binding; this is why i wonder if adding more gelatin will solve the
> problem. I am not worried about clearing too much yeast out because it
> will be kegged and force carbonated.
>
> Thanks!
> -Alf
>
|
| |
Date: 20 Aug 2006 01:09:17
From: Alf McLaughlin
Subject: Re: Clearing beer with Gelatin: Some Questions
|
> Band aid flavor is related to chlorophenol contamination....that is
> contamination from chlorine.
>
> Is your brewing water chlorinated? Do you use bleach as a sanitizer?
It definitely isn't brewing water contamination since I brew a lot with
my tap water, but it could be the bleach I used to clean the carboy.
This is possible. However, considering that I have never had this
problem before and I always do a lot of rinses I don't think this is
the case. According to Jim Palmer's How to Brew, band-aid flavor is
also associated with contamination from some strains of wild yeast and
considering the fact that my yeast wouldn't clear I have come to the
conclusion that this is likely the case. I have also used this
particular yeast before and last time I had no trouble getting it to
clear. There is no mistaking the taste; it absolutely does taste like
a band-aid. That is the perfect description!
|
|
