Keg fining agents?

Isinglass is the more traditional fining agent (along with gelatin), but I haven't used either in a keg. Problem becomes if you move that keg at all, whoomp - you got jellified gunk coming out of your tubes. So unless you're planning on treating your keg like a cask - park, wait and serve until empty - I wouldn't fine in the keg. (Or fine in a keg with shortened dip tube and transfer from there into another keg)

Having said that, the thing I've had the best luck with has been Super Kleer. It's certainly more expensive than Isinglass or other finings but holy poop does it work like a charm.

 

gelatin is the superior fining agent. end of story. gelatin has a been proven to outperform every other fining agent. there are a few technical papers out there if you search hard enough.

however, the use of gelatin can be tricky. its not as simple as dumping a package of Knox into your keg and waiting for clear beer. Drew is correct, if you mess up expect a nice layer of beer jello in your keg, in your dip tube, in your beer. beer tapioca really.
just as bad, if you don't prepare the solution correctly it won't work at all.

my personal experience with irish moss and other natural agents is that they are mediocre at best. I don't bother with commercial fining anymore because I have had great success with gelatin. and its fairly cheap.
if you fine correctly with gelatin and don't need to move the keg around, you will have clear beer.
Cheers.

 

My only experience with non-kettle finings was using Isinglass to settle out Bohemian Pilsners prior to bottling. I would add the isinglass to the carboy (the secondary) a few days prior to bottling. I have had mixed results with Isinglass; it worked some of the time and not other times.

Hopefully barfdiggs will chime in on this thread. He has used Biofine with good success; I can’t recall whether he does this in the keg.

Cheers!

 

If you want to strip all of the hop flavor out of your beer, Sparkalloid is a great choice I've used it on two IPAs and it was an unmitigated disaster, so I'd stay far away, far far away from using it in a hoppy beer. It also changed the mouthfeel a bit (a touch more watery) but that could have been due to stripping hop resins/particles out of the beer.

I tend to add isinglass, PVPP or biofine to fermenters then rack off, but have also used in the keg. Rack uncarbonated beer to a CO2 purged keg, and add the fining agent before sealing the keg, carbonate as usual. After leaving the keg upright in the cold for a variable amount of time (Biofine is 24 hours, PVPP & isinglass take longer from 2 days to a week) pull off a pint or two to clear the sediment and you're done. If you keep the sediment with PVPP you can rinse it and reuse it if trying to save money, with other fining agents, I just toss the pint.

One other point that has worked is what Drewbage mentioned above... you can fine in the keg and after pulling a pint, transfer the beer to another CO2 purged keg via a keg connector (Liquid out to Liquid out), this method has the advantage that if the keg is shaken, dropped etc, any compacted trub/hop/fining mixture beneath the dip tube won't get resuspended.

If gelatin is so great why do the pros use PVPP and Biofine? PVPP has the added advantage that is incredibly easy to remove, does not clog dip tubes (e.g. its not goo), is not derived from animals and is reusable after washing.

 

Isinglass should be used when the keg or cask is in its serving position.It only works once.
Most beer if well brewed will drop bright on its own over a relatively short period.
It's interesting as an aside to see boards outside pubs offering "Fine Ales and Stouts" , the "fine" refers to the fact that the beer has been fined. I understand that Burton brewers found fining unnecessary.

 

+1 for gelatin. I tend to leave the kegs in the keezer until they kick, but moving the keg is definitely something to consider. I use Knox gelatin from the grocery store (waaaaay cheaper than the same product with a different brand name from the brew shop). 1/2 packet is all you need for a 5 gallon keg. I use US-05 (a yeast not traditionally chosen for its flocculating characteristics), and the beer is as clear as glass after two days. It's almost scary!

 

there are definite disadvantages to using gelatin. pro brewers have a different set of needs than homebrewers, and in this instance what is a deal breaker for a pro is irrelevant.

some people don't like the idea of using animal product so gelatin, isinglass and Biofine are out.
some people want nothing to do with petroleum based plastic so PVPP is not an option.
if you want vegan, go with Biofine Clear.

however, gelatin is the strongest fining agent available. it is very easy to use. it can be bought in any grocery store and it is cheap. it works every time. if you want clear beer (sparkling clear) and don't need to transport your kegs gelatin is hard to beat.

just don't plan on moving your keg around after you add the gelatin.
Cheers.

 

I researched a bit and have come up with a method that works quite well. others may have a bit different method that works as well.

boil a few ounces of water (this removes oxygen). cool to 170. add 1/2 package of unflavored gelatin. Knox brand from the grocery works, a box of 20? packages is a few dollars. let the gelatin "bloom" aka dissolve. it usually needs to be stirred around a bit to get it flowing. add to keg. you don't boil the gelatin. that will make unflavored Jell-O.

it will clear beer in a day or two. I have found that clogging isn't too much of an issue, but the gelatin is quite gooey and it best to let it sit on the bottom until you clean. then a hot water rinse is all you need. if you get clogged, hot water will melt away the problem and then back in business.
Cheers.

 

At the recommendation of some local pro friends I am trying BioFine-clear.

 

I am using Biofine clear. I met a brewer who said the same thing - he swears by the stuff and detests filtration. A few mLs (maybe 5 min, 15 max) per 5 gals works wonders. I add to the keg before racking, give a few good shakes under CO2. By the time the beer is carb'd, it's clear. No clogging issues or suspension problems - although I have read it may present some problems if not mixed with the beer well.

 

I just started using Biofine. So far the beers have come out very clear in about 2-3 days. I usually keg 2-4 carboys at a time. Prepping that much gelatin at a shot was becoming a pain in my ass. The results for me have been on par with gelatin. The cost is higher, but the the time I save is worth it to me. Dumping a cap full inside my keg while she fills could not be easier. The 1st pint will be a murky mess, so dump it... no biggie.

 

I've gotten the best (read: fastest) results by adding the prepared gelatin mixture to an already chilled keg. Previous discussions seem to have validated that observation. Carbonation doesn't appear to affect it.

 

I add the gelatin to a full keg. I don't see why it would make any difference one way or the other though. don't know.
Cheers.