Anyone interested in running an experiment and posting results, please do so here.
Here’s the experiment parameters: using this protocol for gelatin :
ideally, brew batch of beer of choice- average hopped beer less than 50ibu and if so inclined, another batch as secondary experiment with differnet malts and hops and IBU of choice. Split the batch equally and fine 1/2 with gelatin, 1/2 without. carb both the same (bottle or keg) and then evaluate the head formation and retention, and if you choose also compare any other differences…flavor, aroma, etc.
Post your results and pics here.
I will do this with my dortmunder that I’m brewing this weekend, so in about 3-4 weeks I will post results.
I wish I had the time to run this experiment but, alas. However… my observation has been that it effects the quality of the head. I have noticed this for some time now. It just looks different, slightly bigger bubbles maybe, more uniform bubbles, definitely less sticky and meringue-like. I cannot say for sure about duration of retention though.
No worries. And…. I actually have one more thought on the matter. The head after using gelatin looks to me more like you would expect from a crystal clear commercial bottled beer. The head before gelatin (in general) looks to me more like it’s from a fresh unrefined tap beer. Which it is. Grab a bottle of your favorite lager, for me Two Women from New Glarus. Now compare it to an unfined fresh (not too hoppy) ale you recently brewed. If you were to fine that ale with gelatin my observation is that the quality (appearance mostly) of the two heads would become much more similar after fining. Hopefully I am making sense.
I have two batches I have been planning to brew. If I get to them I will try this out. I have never noticed a heading problem with fined beers but I suppose that doesn’t mean there would not be a qualitative difference between fined and unfined.
Never having noticed a problem I’ve never thought about it before.
Same here Joe-never though of it as a problem and don’t necessarily suggest it is a problem. We all know gelatin drops proteins and yeast at the very least. and with that we know the role protein play with foam. As I said on the pics of beer thread, its not that I have an issue with foam, its I noticed an extremely thick, creamy, long lasting foam on the alt I posted. Kind of got me thinking and looking at any variables, and all I could identify as possible variable was not using gelatin.
I figure the best way to see if there is or isn’t any impact is to split a batch and see.
oh and for the record- I love how gelatin clears beer…done it for as long as i’ve been brewing. perhaps if there is some impact, finding the gelatin dosage sweat spot may be an opportunity?
I do love a good experiment. Totally hits the sciency-geek nerve that I love so much about brewing.
I have a batch I need to brew soon. I’m new to gelatin fining (only tried it twice, with good results) and I think I’ll try this on my upcoming batch. I’ll post any results I get.
Great looks like we have at least 3 so so that’s a good start.
Don’t know what I was thinking- I have a pils I’m kegging in a week so going to split that into two kegs, and one will get 1/4 teaspoon of gelatin ( 1/2 dose fm a full keg).
I haven’t really noticed fining with gelatin to strip my head retention, but it seems to strip the beer of some body. I think said in the other thread that it would have potential to strip the head, and I guess I still agree with that. But perhaps I’m using too high of a dosage? Think I was using 1 tablespoon in 6oz of water or something like that and heating to 160F or so.
I see people using a fair bit more at times but I have had a lot of success with 1/2t. dissolved in 1/3c. water and heated to about 155F. Add it to the beer as cold as you can get it (33-34F here) and wait 2-3 days. Pull a cloudy pint or so and then…
Never noticed any particular difference in batches fined with gelatin and those which were not. If someone does want to experiment the procedure should be to ferment a single batch, split into two and then fine one.
