Cold Crash to lock FG

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Revelator

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Ive searched through the boards but havent really found the answer Im looking for - Im currently brewing a beer that Id like to stop fermentation well before completion (~ 1.038) - Ive had experience cold crashing brews which had late additions in attempt to preserve the added sugars - In those situations, the beer had already been fermented to completion and allowed to clear...In this circumstance, the beer is actively fermenting

My question is...do I risk major off-flavours in crashing the beer before its done fermenting - Im usually accustomed to an extended fermentation period to ensure the yeast clean-up before going dormant - Would it be best to cold-shock quickly or should I transition slowly

I know this is unconventional, but for the purposes of this unique brew its required

Any experiences or insight would be appreciated - Cheers
 
I have a counter question regarding your intent. Are you trying to increase maltiness, sweetness or body? If you use a fermentable sugar, the yeast still in solution are going to try to ferment it. I'm not sure you will accomplish what you are going for. You will risk bottle bombs unless you keep it cold until bottled and then unbottled.

Use an unfermentable sugar so you don't have to risk bottle bombs.

Or maybe I totally misunderstood what you are trying to do or how you're trying to do it.
 
I guess the more important question then is are you bottling or kegging?

I made a stout a while back that was supposed to finish around 1.020 and because of temp it finished around 1.030. It was wonderful and thick and awesome and the following version wasn't as good and dropped down to the estimated gravity and then some so I understand where you are coming from.

If kegging, is it possible to use that stuff (specific right?) that you use in wine making to kill yeast?

What are you making?
 
If you're kegging it, you could put it in the keg and chill it where you want.

As regards to off-flavors as a result, it's possible that you may have some diacetyl in the finished beer if you use a yeast strain that can through a lot of diacetyl and don't let fermentation finish (in effect, a diacetyl rest).

Otherwise, I can't think of any other issues off of the top of my head.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions - Ive long since abandoned bottling, so high pressures arent an issue - My intent is to lock in some of the malty sweetness (maltose sugars)...My mash was set to favour dextrin production, so the body of the beer has already been addressed

The recipe Im attempting is for an old heritage style ale - In order to try and emulate a lower yeast efficiency (as was typical in some of these beers), Im compensating by trying to knock out my yeast before theyve fermented the beer dry - If youve ever tried Beau's Vassar Ale (A take on the original Vassar), you might better understand what Im going for - Although this might be accomplished by adding sugars post-fermentation, Im really trying to capture this beer style as best I can - Ive never had any other beer that tasted like this, so there isnt much else to compare it to - I think Ill probably go ahead and bring the temperature down gradually a few gravity points above my target and see what happens

Although Ive had plenty of brewers tell me that cold-crashing isnt effective in the long run, Ive had plenty of brews stop just where I want them and hold...It usually requires multiple transfers and cold-crashes, but it can done - I just dont have any experience cold-crashing right in the middle of primary fermentation
 
I guess the more important question then is are you bottling or kegging?

I made a stout a while back that was supposed to finish around 1.020 and because of temp it finished around 1.030. It was wonderful and thick and awesome and the following version wasn't as good and dropped down to the estimated gravity and then some so I understand where you are coming from.

If kegging, is it possible to use that stuff (specific right?) that you use in wine making to kill yeast?

What are you making?

Ive used sulphites/campden for this purpose, but the outcome has been less than desirable
 
Ive used sulphites/campden for this purpose, but the outcome has been less than desirable

Yes, it would be. Sulfites don't kill yeast, nor do they slow down fermentation. (That's why winemakers use them at 50 ppm- as an antioxidant, since wine yeast and brewer's yeast are tolerant of sulfites).
 
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