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BrianTheBrewer · 12-07-2009, 01:45 PM

Hi, all...I believe I have asked this question before but want to clarify it again.

So I have now brewed two partial mash Kolsch's. Both different recipes.
I am going to ferment both in the primary carboys at 68 degrees for two weeks.
I was then going to move to secondary carboys and cold cash between 36-40 degrees.

If any of you have ever brewed a kolsch and cold crashed it how long do you usually cold crash it for? I believe last winter I cold crashed two different Kolsch's for two weeks. One came out ok the other sucked (for different reasons). I am wondering if I should go longer with cold crashing it to let the beer thin out more and really break down. Will going 4 weeks be to long?

Any help would be great.

Thanks.

**HopheadNJ** · 12-07-2009, 01:48 PM

I'd also like to ask in addition, is there any issue with cold crashing, than kegging & storing at room temp? Or is there truth to the once cold, stay cold myth?

BrianTheBrewer · 12-07-2009, 02:12 PM

I do not keg yet so I dont really know. The past two times I have cold crashed I have bottled both batches and stored at room temp. I would believe that if you are trying to carbonate the beer you would need to store at room temp?

**dstar26t** · 12-07-2009, 02:29 PM

I always lager my kolschs for 4 weeks. It helps and should be consumed immediately after.

jfkriege · 12-07-2009, 02:34 PM

I chill down and 'lager' almost all of my beers these days. If I am only going for clarification, then I usually leave it for 4-7 days before moving to bottling or kegging. I have left beers at 34F for 6 weeks and had no trouble with bottle conditioning; there are still more than enough yeast at that point. If you freeze the beer at all, then I would repitch yeast for bottle conditioning, or just keg as normal.

If you are bottle conditioning, then bring the beer up to room temperature a day or two in advance, in order to equalize the dissolved CO2, and then carbonate as normal. As for leaving it cold as much as possible, I think that is more for shelf life. A cold beer will stay fresh far longer than a room temperature beer.

Joshua

**HopheadNJ** · 12-07-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfkriege

As for leaving it cold as much as possible, I think that is more for shelf life. A cold beer will stay fresh far longer than a room temperature beer.

This sounds accurate, I've heard lots of people say going from cold to room temps won't actually affect quality. I ain't scared...

OLDBREW · 12-07-2009, 05:33 PM

Cold Crashing as you refer to seems to have two separate meaniings when it comes to brewing.

"Cold Crashing" in the way you are applying its use, is refered to as "Cold Conditioning" in a brew fermented with an ale yeast, or "Lagering" in a brew made with lager yeast. This is done after the primary fermentation and is usually done in what are called bright tanks before cabonation/bottling are done.

"Cold Crashing" on the other hand, is a term used and what breweries do from the boil kettle to separate the break materials before pitching their yeast, especially in lager type brews.

By bringing the wort down very, very, quicky to 1 or 2C, it gives them maximum separation of the break materials. The wort is then moved off of these materials, and temps are raised, yeast is pitched,, and fermentation starts.
In the end it leaves them with a much clearer finished product.

jfkriege · 12-07-2009, 05:42 PM

In the wine world, cold crashing also refers to stopping fermentation before all fermentable sugars are consumed by lowering the temperature to near freezing and flocculating all of the yeast. The wine can then be stabilized and the remaining sugars left to provide sweetness.

BrianTheBrewer · 12-07-2009, 06:34 PM

Well I want to get both of these beers as clear as possible...so maybe I will shoot for 4 weeks of cold crashing.

**dstar26t** · 12-07-2009, 06:41 PM

If that doesn't work, use some gelatine.