Finings for a kit beer?

[Dann77]

Hi all,
I've been reading various articles and forums online but can't quite find what I'm looking for, so hoping to get a little guidance here.
I only do the basic kit brews and have I've only done a few before with moderate success. Previously, efforts have been a bit too cloudy, so wondered about finings.
I have bought one, not a solution so kinda looks like wood shavings. I've read these can be very hard to get to a decent solution and if not done properly can be disadvantageous. So I am contemplating buying a ready made solution to use a couple of days before kegging. I guess I'm really wondering, are these solutions suitable for a basic kit or better for more advanced brewing?
I'm doing a Woodfordes Nelson's Revenge, which I've heard doesn't have as much sediment as a Wherry anyway. Also thinking of racking instead of fining solution.
If fining solution is the way to go, do you just add to the brew and leave it to do its thing, or give it a stir to incorporate? And does it affect the taste much?
Once kegging, I'm not planning to try it until late August so could be plenty of time to clear anyway.
Any thoughts/advice would be great as this brew has gone well so far, not my usual silly mistakes, so keen for it to turn out well, but don't want to over complicate and ruin it!!
Thanks

 

[brumbrew]

I'd rack the beer anyway into the bottling or kegging bucket, with a primer solution in there. I've added wilko beer fining solution or two part wine kit stuff before. Leave it for an hour or two in bottling bucket. More stuff will drop out.

 

[Drunkula]

You wait until after fermentation is over, then wait a few days more, then add the finings and wait for another couple of days for the yeast to drop out. If you can get the fermenter somewhere really cold it helps clear it, and will even clear it without finings. Don't bother racking to a secondary as it's the yeast that's already in suspension you want to drop out and that'll just be carried across.

So as a beginner I'd say ferment for 14 days, put it somewhere cold and add finings and wait for another 3. When you've learnt the fermentation pattern of your setup and yeast you might know you've fermented out in 4 days, leave it another 3 and then add finings.

Google fining with gelatin as it's cheap and easy. You've possibly bought irish moss which isn't a post-fermentation fining.

 

[Dann77]

Thanks guys. Think I'm thinking of the gelatin suggestion from Drunkula (great name by the way!).
Follow up questions - the local supermarkets only stock Dr Oetker gelatin (sheets and sachets of powder - think the powder is more commonly used), is this ok as I'm familiar with it from making desserts?
Assuming so, I found some instruction which say to use a teaspoon in 160ml of water. Doesn't seem much for 22 litres. In your experience, does this seem about right?
The article said it only really works at 32-40F (0-5C). I don't have a second fridge, and not sure the missus would appreciate my emptying the one we do have! If I can't chill it, is there much point? Does it need to stay that chilled for 48hts or so (guessing so)?
If it really needs to be that chilled, perhaps back to the finings solution?
Sorry for all the questions - appreciate the help.

 

[Drunkula]

With gelatin you don't need much and a teaspoon does like a whole 23l, It's Oetker powder I'm using.

As for temperature I've used it with just putting the beer in a 'coal hole' where it's about 13c and it has cleared but takes a bit longer. Apparently it'll clear the yeast and larger proteins at normal temperatures but the proteins that cause things like chill haze don't come out of solution until it's colder so to clear those it needs to be at that temperature or below. Don't know if conventional finings also require that to happen. I'll put it on my experiment list as I've got 2 part finings with a wine kit and I'd do a side by side.

I'd just give it a go. And search for "Swamp cooler" to see if that might help you get just a few degrees lower.