Cold crashing wort - shorten brewday

Did some searching and didn't find anything with this exact scenario.

Really, the idea behind this is to cut down brewday time while still yielding a good beer. Primarily around cutting time on getting wort cooled to pitching temp and whirlpooling/waiting for sediment to settle. I fully realize this extends the batch to the next day but no hands-on time needed during this.

-Make yeast starter and cold crash
-Drop fermentation fridge to ~40 degrees with conical
-Next morning brew a batch and cool wort to reasonably low temp (whatever ground water will get it to. maybe a few froze water bottles)
-Transfer wort to cold conical in cold fridge not worrying too much about sediment.
-Raise fridge temp to ~50 degrees
-Decant starter and store in same fridge (do not pitch) to reach same temp
-Next morning, drop trub turd and other sediment from cold wort in conical
-Pitch yeast
-Raise fridge temp to desired fermentation temp (crack door if necessary)
-Ferment

Things I'm not sure about:

-I've read some things about off flavors with yeast a wrong temp (more for too hot than cold). Seems if I raise my temp quick enough this would be minimized.

-Should I expect to get as much if not better sediment out of wort by cold crashing wort in conical? I know conical never drops 100% of whats in cone.

-Anything else?


I'm hoping I can systemize my process and see if I can brew more. I have a 2 year old and another on the way. I have nightmares of empty pint glasses at night.

Are these the steps you are planing??

Day #1. Make a starter and putting it into the fridge? (will the yeast multiply in the fridge?)
Putting your fermenter into the fridge at 40 degrees? (To chill the fermenter?)

Day #2. Boil and cool your wort, then dump it into the (40degree) chilled fermenter and raise the temp to 50.
Decant the starter and put it in the fridge with the fermenter at 50 degrees.

Day #3. Drain off whatever sediment fell during the night from the conical and pitch the chilled (50 degree) yeast into the chilled (50 degree) wort. Then let it get to fermenting temp

""I've read some things about off flavors with yeast a wrong temp (more for too hot than cold). Seems if I raise my temp quick enough this would be minimized." ???

"Should I expect to get as much if not better sediment out of wort by cold crashing wort in conical?" There's only so much break or sediment no matter if it's left in the pot or dumped into the fermenter.

"I know conical never drops 100% of whats in cone." ??????

Seems a little convoluted with the same amount of time being spent, only spread out over several days.

OMO I also may be confused as I have little experience with starters or conicals.

bosco

Not sure what you're asking.

Day 1 - cold crash yeast to separate yeast from liquid to decant. Yeast starter is completed at this point. By chilling the conical to 40 degrees, when I add the relatively cooled wort to conical, the 40 degree conical and fridge might flash chill the wort further and enhance the cold break. That's my thought.

Day 2 - After wort transfer set temp to 50 so that on day 3 the wort isn't as far from fermentation temp but sediment has had time and temp to drop out of wort.

Day 3 - Yes. Yeast starter would also be same temp as wort by this time so no worries of temp shock of of the yeast.

Day 3 is the only time added and that's just to drop the turd and pitch the yeast... maybe 5 minutes of my time. Yeast starter is already part of my brew process. Changing temp on fridge is as simple as pressing some buttons on the temp controller.

As far as off flavors for wrong fermentation temp, I was just wondering if anyone had input on if yeast temp lower than ideal temp for a short amount of time would have a chance to impart off flavors. I know fermenting at warmer temps (for long periods of time) would increase off flavors/aromas.

It's really not convoluted, just different that what everyone reads/does. The key with this is it's consistent regardless of season (groundwater temp) style of beer, etc.

I'm not sure if this is what you are getting at... But...

My process is (1) normal brew day, (2) chill with immersion chiller after boil (gets me to around 90 without draining the Colorado River), (3) rack warm wort to glass carboys, (4) place in ferm chamber overnight, and (5) pitch when I wake up.

This process gets me to my pitching temperature overnight so I know my yeast will be in the best position to produce what I'm looking for.

Day 1 - cold crash yeast to separate yeast from liquid to decant. Yeast starter is completed at this point. I was confused about that..

By chilling the conical to 40 degrees, when I add the relatively cooled wort to conical, the 40 degree conical and fridge might flash chill the wort further and enhance the cold break. That's my thought. I try to leave it in the pot..Most of the time it winds up in the fermenter..LOL

I chill my wort while still in the pot to about 65 or so (mostly ales) and pitch after dumping into the fermenter. I try to keep it between 60-65 and have not noticed any off flavors from too cool only a slower fermentation. Actually I think the lower the better (as long as it is fermenting)..

It's really not convoluted, just different that what everyone reads/does. The key with this is it's consistent regardless of season (groundwater temp) style of beer, etc.
I don't have a conical but do wonder if draining out the break or sediment right away is important. What gets into my fermenter stays there for a few weeks and doesn't seem to give me any off flavors..

I guess anything that helps get you a clearer brew is not all that bad


bosco

Yup. That was my mine was. I now have a conical and fridge that gives me precise temp control. I do yeast starters with stirplate. No aeration. I have to cold crash starter and decant anyway. So the "Day 1" process is no added time.

I too get down to 90 in about 30 min or less. Any more time and my effort is greatly diminished. With my process since I'm already pitching yest next day I might as well use the time and the conical to drop out sediment rather than fuss with it on brewday. I'm thinking my efforts so far with whirlfloc, whirlpooling, mesh bags, waiting, etc can all be tossed out the window if I just press some buttons on my temp controller and let the conical do it for me.