Dry hopping and cold crashing help

Hi,

I brewed an IPA on Sunday, and wanted to get some input on cold crashing and dry hopping and timings. I am not going to use a secondary, since I have read it does not make any difference. I do not have a fridge so I will have to cold crash in a cooler I modified for fermenting (see attached pic).

Here is my timeline:
Brewed: June 2
Cold Crash: June 16
Warm back up: June 18
Dry Hop: June 19
Bottle: June 23

Questions:

• If I cold crash, will there be enough yeast to still build CO2 in the bottle? I could skip cold crashing since it might not work in my cooler anyway.
• Does the timeline look ok, or should I change something?

I've only bottled from a force carbed corny, but I'm interested in your cooler. What is that sock above it? Can you tell us more about that?

I have made some really great, clear beers and I've never "cold crashed". I've moved the fermentor into a slightly cooler area, I've used gelatin, but I've never done a real cold crash (although, I would like to try).

I'm interested in what others have to say but personally, I wouldn't sweat it.

Also, there are so many variables in making beer, I would just brew it up and see how it tastes. Then you can start tweaking the other stuff.

When you are doing an IPA secondary is important. That is the time that you dry hop. I would secondary/dry hop first then cold crash before bottling. That will give you the clearest beer. Time frame looks ok 2 week primary and then a 5-7 secondary with dry hop then 2 day cold crash before bottling would be ideal.

Jay 1. Try chilling beer down to 34-38 F and then adding gelatin and let is sit 48 hours then bottle/keg. Commercial clarity is what you get, its pretty crazy.

I've cold crashed an IPA, gelatin for clarity, raised the temp to room temp for 5 days dry hopping, cold crash for getting the hop debris to the bottom...

The clarity from cold crashing is usually amazing. But, the dry hopping ruins that and I'd skip the gelatin step in the future for an IPA...

Tossing in the hops, cold crashing and careful racking works great, no hop bagging.

Jay1 said:

I've only bottled from a force carbed corny, but I'm interested in your cooler. What is that sock above it? Can you tell us more about that?

Click to expand...

I brew half batches, so 2.5 gallon with a 3 gallon carboy. I cut a hole in the lid and sprayed foam inside the lid to help with insulation. The hole is to allow room for my air lock and to run cords out of the cooler

Inside the cooler I have a tiny aquarium pump circulating the water. I put the carboy in the cooler and filled up the cooler with water a little past the level of the wert. I also have an aquarium temperature probe so I can keep an eye on the temperature.

I drop in one of the blue ice packs every time the temperature goes above 70. So far I have been able to keep it between 68-70.

Finally I shove a towel in the hole to keep light out and to provide better insulation.

Let me know if you have any more questions. This is my first batch using the cooler. So far I am impressed that I am able to keept the temp pretty consistent.

Dry hop for 7 days then cold crash. Omit the warm-up. You will be warming it after you bottle and store for 3 weeks at 70f.

I cold crash in my cooler all the time. I fill it with ice an water till it reaches the top of the wort line. Keep adding Ice as it melts. Maybe once a day. Keeps it well below 40 degrees ( closer to 33-34). I've gone a week at near freezing. Carbed up no problem. Didnt take any longer

orangemen5 said:

I cold crash in my cooler all the time. I fill it with ice an water till it reaches the top of the wort line. Keep adding Ice as it melts. Maybe once a day. Keeps it well below 40 degrees ( closer to 33-34). I've gone a week at near freezing. Carbed up no problem. Didnt take any longer

Click to expand...

Thanks!!

And you use bottles? not a keg?

Also I have noticed that during active fermentation a lot of heat is generated. Is less heat produced after active fermentation?

Yeah I bottle still. Your right about most heat being produced at peak fermentation. Usually around the 3rd or 4th day. This is where temp control is most crucial. Then fermentation winds down and less heat is produced. This is where ppl tend to warm their fermenters back up to get better attenuation. Temp control isn't as crucial towards the end. I like to ferment on the cool side ( closer to 60 degrees). Then towards the end of fermentation warm it up to close to 70. It helps avoid a stuck fermentation since I ferment so cool.