Cold crash before secondary?

My first mead, a traditional, is nearing the end of primary fermentation. I was thinking about cold crashing it before transferring it to secondary to help it clear faster. The only reason I can think of to not do this is that the yeast are needed to age it properly. So, what do you guys think? Cold crash or not?

ChrisVZ said:

My first mead, a traditional, is nearing the end of primary fermentation. I was thinking about cold crashing it before transferring it to secondary to help it clear faster. The only reason I can think of to not do this is that the yeast are needed to age it properly. So, what do you guys think? Cold crash or not?

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Well, it does seem like an unnecessary step. Though its up to you really.


The yeast isn't needed to "age properly". If you are doing sur lie/batonnage ageing, you still take the brew off the gross lees, but then leave it on whatever drops out afterward. Well that's my understanding of it anyway.

Unless you happened to use 71B. Where you'd rack it off the gross lees and a couple or however many rackings it takes to get the remaining lees out (finings ?) as 71B isn't suitable for sur lie/batonnage.....

It is another step added like FB said, but a simple and relatively short one, is your ferment done? (verified by hydrometer readings)....Cold crashing does work good to get a lot of thing to drop out so if you have the ability to do so there is no contraindication to it really, Give it a go. It should help clear and reduce the need to stabilize. If I had the room myself I'd probably crash my stuff after primary and seconday.

A cold crash before the yeast are finished eating would retard your progress....you don't want to be retarded do you?

Thats the one thing I was going to add, if its finished, cold crashing can't hurt. But if its still fermenting it will just slow it all down.

lol three posts in a row with concerns about fermentation being done, I think the OP will get the point

Ya, i get the point . It's not done yet, but i'm just thinking ahead. Definitely don't want to hinder fermentation, so i will probably wait to crash it until I transfer from secondary. Appreciate the input.