I use gelatin religiously. Knox unflavored, and Walmart unflavored.
When the package of gelatin is opened, there is a subtle, yet very distinct odor. Similar to a livestock barn. My grandparents had a farm, so I can recognize this in an instant!
The odor is present in the liquid after the gelatin is dissolved. And it is not a pleasant aroma.
I think that the off flavor shows itself in the beer. It is not an “in your face” off flavor, but it is there. The taste I get is a hint of Dawn Dish Soap. And it is in nearly every beer brewed here. No, soap never touches any of the brewing equipment!
Yes, I need to do an A-B comparison with two batches. One with gelatin, one without.
My beers are crystal clear without gelatin. I use Whirlfloc in the boil. That’s it. To me gelatin is a tool used on the occasional beer that doesn’t clear on it own.
I’ve never used gelatin, but considering where it comes from I’m not surprised by the odor from the packet. I’m more skeptical about the aroma in the beer.
Yes, we use Whirlfloc each brew. With gelatin, the beers are brilliant clear in about two days. And gelatin is an animal product, which I think explains the horse-barn aroma.
Doing a search, I am not the only one who experiences this issue:
Well, the recipe worked out well. However, the knox gelatin smells like barnyard. It’s extremely noticeable. It isn’t that the gelatin is old either - we purchased about a month ago. I had hoped adding the gelatin to the meringue would make the smell thin out, but now it just smells like egg white + orange + barnyard.
Knox gelatin does smell sometimes. I’ve never noticed the flavor in a beer though. It’s possible but gelatin is taking things out of suspension in the beer and then being removed.
It did not just appear, having been noticed for a long time. But I always thought it might be an over active imagination. Now I think it is very likely from the gelatin.
This will be explored in depth. Two identical beers, with different yeast. Wyeast 2124 (new smack packs) / Diamond (harvested slurry). If it is the yeast, we need to find out. Each Diamond harvest is hyper clean, has a wonderful aroma, and has been a great performer.
More tasting later today.
I was surprised to learn of the soap off flavor in beer, as it is more common than what was thought. The common theme is hair shampoo. There is a wide range of causes for this.
This particular off flavor is very, very subtle. Many would not notice, and that is partly why the imagination factor is being looked at.
I have never noticed anything in my clear beer from using gelatin. Yes, I do smell it when I am hydrating it in a cup of boiled and cooled water. But when I heat it back up to 150 F, I have never noticed a smell.
+1. After using it routinely, I rarely use it now. Proper mash pH, BtB ,Whirlfoc, flocculant yeast, cold temps, and time = (99%) crystal clear beer.
My grandson uses it to make gummie bears. I don’t recall noticing a taste or smell in beers of the past or his gummies bears.
Homebrew beer can taste soapy if it was left in primary fermentation long enough for the fatty acids to break down inside the trub, the pH is too high or the sulfates too low in the brewing water, or your taste buds react to hops in a strange way.
Right. Whipping up a batch of gel solution has a smell to it and it’s not great. But that flavor or aroma NEVER comes through in the final beer. Ever. I have absolutely had batches where it was the 6th, 7th, 8th use of a slurry and there was an off-flavor where the beer just wasn’t as clean as it should be. Probably not a contamination issue… the beer was clear and generally good but the yeast had maybe mutated a bit and it’s a sign that it’s time to retire the yeast.
Sitting here (literally) sampling 3 beers, two with Diamond slurry, one with 2124. All have gelatin.
Two beers are a Premium Czech Pils, one is a 5D, German Pilsner.
No off flavor is detected in the Czech beer, with Diamond / 2124.
There might (might) be a subtle hint of an off flavor (soap) in the 5D. But the beer is good. Perhaps it’s the hops? I will soon find out as we have several beers entered in the AHA-NHC. I am getting prepared for a royal hammering by the judges!
The Diamond drops clear, real fast. But brilliant crystal clear clarity is my goal, thus the use of gelatin.
The Wyeast 2124 does not flocculate well at all. Not even at 31 F. After a week in the keg, added the dreaded gelatin. It is now clearing, but not yet brilliant.
And again, there is a possibility that this is my imagination. Or…I have a hyper sensitivity for some sort of hop off flavor. Not sure…