i 've always assumed that if you’re going to repitch then you can’t use gelatin/finings but i realized that i’ve never actually read that. what’s the official word on fining and repitching?
I always repitch; never use finings except a little IM in the boil.
I wouldn’t fine before I racked into the secondary or the keg. And I wouldn’t re-pitch from either of those because I’ve been told that you only get the less flocullent yeast that way. Not much help to your original question but I’d change my process to make it a non-issue.
I guess you could fine before bottlilng, I don’t bottle so I can’t help you but if you’re bottle conditioning does it matter since you’re doing a re-ferment in the bottle?
I tried to bottle a batch of IPA that we fined with gelatin and there wasnt enough yeast left in suspension to carbonate the bottles. Good news- the gelatin works like a charm. Bad news- I have to crack the bottles open and add some yeast or dump them. I dont really like either option.
To the OP- I would pull my yeast or rack the beer off the yeast in primary, rinse the yeast to ready it for a repitch and then fine in secondary. That should serve both of your needs well.
Matt
My wife and I bottle; put gelatin and priming sugar in the tun as we siphon in the finished beer, then down the tube into the bottles, cap, 2-weeks later trub on the bottom of the bottles, nice CO2 in the beer.