What is cold crashing?

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Can't seem to find an actual definition of this term. What is cold crashing? How is it done and what is its purpose?

Thanks

Cold crashing is just dropping the temperature on your fermenter. After fermentation, it helps in clearing the beer. Proteins and yeast will drop out of it more at the lower temps.
 
Cold crashing is basically refrigerating your beer in order to clear it up. When you cold crash, it causes more yeast, proteins, etc... to drop to the bottom of the beer where so you can rack above it and have clearer beer goingn into the bottle or keg.

Putting the beer at standard refrigerator temps for a day or so makes a big difference.
 
A word about this, which needs to be kept in mind. The aforementioned facts are correct, but I want to point out that after cold crashing if you keep the beer very cold it essentially arrests the aging process. It doesn't completely stop but eeks along. I suggest allowing your beer time for proper aging before cold crashing.
 
A word about this, which needs to be kept in mind. The aforementioned facts are correct, but I want to point out that after cold crashing if you keep the beer very cold it essentially arrests the aging process. It doesn't completely stop but eeks along. I suggest allowing your beer time for proper aging before cold crashing.

The other option is to cold crash and then age it too. that's what I do.
 
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Another noob question.

If you cold crash, will there still be enough yeast in suspension to carbonate?
 
Well it depends on what you intend to do with this car…. if you want to use it to store beer it appears the back hatch is fine, however, if you need the heater for temp control…well your screwed !
 
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