Time to bring 5g down to cold crash temps

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RogueGoose85

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My english mild was fermenting at 68 and then late on Thursday, July 19th, I began my cold crash (putting the temp control to 45).

It is now Sunday morning, so 60 hours later, and then temp is only at 55. My 5.25 gallons in a BB carboy, only lost 13 degrees in 60 hours.

I have cold crashed before, but now i am taking much more detailed notes, so, I cant even recall how long it took to cold crash previous beers.

Does this sound normal for a Kegerator (not keezer)?

How long does it usually take for you to get to cold crash or even serving temps in your kegerator?
 
My english mild was fermenting at 68 and then late on Thursday, July 19th, I began my cold crash (putting the temp control to 45).

It is now Sunday morning, so 60 hours later, and then temp is only at 55. My 5.25 gallons in a BB carboy, only lost 13 degrees in 60 hours.

I have cold crashed before, but now i am taking much more detailed notes, so, I cant even recall how long it took to cold crash previous beers.

Does this sound normal for a Kegerator (not keezer)?

How long does it usually take for you to get to cold crash or even serving temps in your kegerator?
 
Mine definitely doesn't take that long. I would expect to be down to temp within 24 hours. I do have a cpu fan running in my fermentation freezer and I think that helps with the time.

How are you measuring temp? I have the temp probe taped to the bucket or carboy with a layer of bubble wrap over top.
 
I can get from 68 to about mid-40's in a day, and down to 35-ish not much longer after that. I usually just figure 2-3 days for cold-crashing so that i can make sure everything drops out.
 
Im doing a small cup of water with the johnson probe sitting in it. Im thinking that the 2.5 kegerator just has trouble cooling a 5 gallon keg, and 4# co2 tank (small area cramped with stuff?). Im thinking about ditching it and getting a chest freezer.

thanks
 
Im doing a small cup of water with the johnson probe sitting in it. Im thinking that the 2.5 kegerator just has trouble cooling a 5 gallon keg, and 4# co2 tank (small area cramped with stuff?). Im thinking about ditching it and getting a chest freezer.

thanks

If you want to drop the temp of the carboy quickly, tape the probe to the side of the carboy and use a blanket to insulate it(or use a thermowell).

The current set up you are using means that once the cup of water(a much smaller volume of liquid than the 5 gallon carboy) reaches the specified temperature the kegerator will turn off and only the ambient air temp of the kegerator is passively cooling the carboy instead of the compressor staying on to actively cool the carboy to your desired temp.

If you have a keg in there as well, be careful not to freeze the beer while you are cold crashing your carboy.
 
thanks Xp. When i am fermenting, I do tape the probe to the BB..good idea on the insulation however. Whats funny, is that that little cup of water isnt even hitting my target temps.

I think I needed to defrost it, even though its an autodefrost. Right now its at 52, right where i want it for my mild, so I suppose I can just brew to my temp constraints for the time being.
 
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