Hi. I added gelatin to my beer after a xferred to keg. It was my first time using gelatin for this purpose. Usually when I've used gelatin, I get it good 'n hot. So I did the same this time. It was near boiling, I let it cool to about 170-175 before spooning it onto the surface of the beer. Now a buddy says I may have screwed it up by getting the gelatin so hot. That it will become more solid/gelatinous than necessary. And I did about 1 1/4 tsp to a little more than 3/4 cup water. This ratio should have been ok. The main concern was that I got the liquid gelatin too hot. Not that I can do anything about it now, but wondering your thoughts?
Unless you have some indication (clogged dip tube?) of having screwed up I wouldn't worry about it. Have you tried drawing some beer off and tasting it?
No, it was just last night. I'm gonna let it sit a week and will find out then. The pre-carbonated beer was really tasty. Worst case scenario will be carbonated beer jello? I think my buddy's concern was that the gelatin would be too thick to do anything and just fall to the bottom and gunk everything up.
I guess I don't see an issue with this. I don't believe getting the gelatin this hot will cause beer jello.
I did that once, and the gelatin did get a little rubbery and eventually sunk to the bottom. I don't think it did much good, but did little harm that I could detect. The method I use, when thinking clearly, is to stir the gelatin into a cup or so of room temperature water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to absorb some liquid and "bloom." Then nuke the mixture to about 180-190 dgrees f. Let cool a bit, then stir it into the beer carefully but thoroughly. You want it to mix with the beer and not sit on top and form a skim. Gelatin is a low grade protein that bonds with suspended protein in the beer then the bonded protein falls to the bottom and clears the beer. At least that's my understanding of the process.
I think the only thing you have to fear is that the gelatin may not be as effective at clarifying your beer as it could have been. I can think of no reason why a beer that is really tasty will be ruined by such a small amount of misapplied gelatin. RDWHAHB.
This is absolutely correct. The OP might have a few (completely tasteless and harmless) gelatin boogers in the first pint or 2, after that, no issues. For future reference, there is really no reason to let the gelatin get above 165F or so for sanitation. And as noted above, it is helpful to dissolve it in some warm water first.
