I have two beers that I am wanting to cold crash to get a little more clarity. Both of these beers are around 9% ABV. My question is there an ABV limit for cold crashing then bottling and still able to get proper carbonation? I have been reading that you shouldn't reuse yeast cake from high ABV beers because the yeast can be stressed or weak. Just wondering if anyone has any advise and how high of ABV they have cold crashed and then bottled with. I just dont want to cold crash then not have strong enough yeast to finish the job.
High ABV, Cold Crashing & Bottling?
- Thread starter vobr0002
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Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
You'll be fine. It may take a little longer than usual to carbonate, but it'll get there. If you're worried, sprinkle a little US-05 (1/2 pack) into your priming solution before you rack to your bottling bucket.
The yeast used to carbonate won't contribute anything to flavor, so there's no worry about adding extra if you need it.
The yeast used to carbonate won't contribute anything to flavor, so there's no worry about adding extra if you need it.
I recently brewed and bottled a spiced belgian strong ale that finished at 8.5%. I crashed cooled it for a week @ 33F and then bottled it... I cracked one open a week later and it was nicely carbed.... So I think you should be fine, as previous post said it might take a bit longer but should be fine.
I just bottled a Rochefort 8 clone that was ~9.3% before bottle conditioning (9.77% after). I rack mostly clear beer after cold crashing with only a one or two pushes down of the auto-syphon to get some flocculated yeast off the bottom. It carbonated very nicely.
jmhart
Well-Known Member
Done in one.
But for further reassurance, you'll be fine. I cold crash most of my brews, even up to 13% and up until last week only bottle conditioned. Like he siad, it may take a little longer, but for beers that big you want to give them some time anyway.
I had a IIPA that was 10.5 % it took this beer 5 weeks to carbonate I did a dry hop secondary for a week and cold crashed for 3 days. I added no yeast but it took a bit longer than normal. Make sure the beer warms back up to room temp so the yeast can get to work.
SkinnyShamrock
Well-Known Member
I fermented an imperial stout that was around 11%, aged some of it in a bourbon barrel, and then cold-crashed everything for about a month, so a long time. I used just under 3/4 cup of dextrose and added a teaspoon of fresh yeast (pulled from a fermenter at work). I guess that would translate to something like half a packet of dry or about 1/3 of a vial of liquid yeast. Make sure to stir it with a sanitized spoon to distribute the yeast evenly. It carbonated perfectly in 2 weeks. It's delicious.
As for yeast types that don't like cold-crashing, if you're re-pitching at bottling, it doesn't really matter the yeast you use to ferment. However, I do know people who swear by lager yeast for carbonation, because it's less temperature-finicky, and there's not enough activity for it to release nasty off-flavors, even at higher (conditioning temps, 66-70*) temperatures. I've never personally used it though, so I can't speak to whether that's true. I just used the same yeast I used to ferment, which was West Coast Ale.
As for yeast types that don't like cold-crashing, if you're re-pitching at bottling, it doesn't really matter the yeast you use to ferment. However, I do know people who swear by lager yeast for carbonation, because it's less temperature-finicky, and there's not enough activity for it to release nasty off-flavors, even at higher (conditioning temps, 66-70*) temperatures. I've never personally used it though, so I can't speak to whether that's true. I just used the same yeast I used to ferment, which was West Coast Ale.
