Long Primary Ferm & Cold Crashing Schedule

After trial...and mostly error, I have decided to be more patient and subscribe to the "Long Primary" school of thought. I've vowed to leave my beers in the primary for no less than 21 days.

For those of you who cold crash at the end of a long primary, do you count the cold crashed days in your Primary Fermenation schedule, or do you consider that another step? Is the yeast still "cleaning up" when cold crashing or does that process stop?

I have a beer that has been sitting in primary for 18 days and I plan to keg it on Saturday (day 23), force carb it, and condition it in the keg for 2 weeks. Should I start cold crashing it now?

personally, i add on for the cold crash. normally it doesn't last more than 3 days for me, sometimes even less. they may still clean up for the first 12 hours or so, but i would guess that by the time you have them at refrigeration temps (especially for ales), they're not doing much.

i think you'd be fine to start cold crashing the beer. i normally do 14 days in primary unless something weird is happening, but that's just me.

android said:

personally, i add on for the cold crash. normally it doesn't last more than 3 days for me, sometimes even less. they may still clean up for the first 12 hours or so, but i would guess that by the time you have them at refrigeration temps (especially for ales), they're not doing much.

i think you'd be fine to start cold crashing the beer. i normally do 14 days in primary unless something weird is happening, but that's just me.

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Do you use a secondary or do you crash after 14 and then bottle/keg?

Cold crashing causes the yeast to go dormant. That's why you cold cash. They will not be doing anything once chilled. This allows them to drop out of suspension and is the reason for cold crashing. Leave in primary for 21 days, then cold crash for 3 days
I primary for a month, Chill overnight and add gelatin and let sit 2-3 more days cold. Then rack my clear goodness to keg.

IrregularPulse said:

Cold crashing causes the yeast to go dormant. That's why you cold cash. They will not be doing anything once chilled. This allows them to drop out of suspension and is the reason for cold crashing. Leave in primary for 21 days, then cold crash for 3 days
I primary for a month, Chill overnight and add gelatin and let sit 2-3 more days cold. Then rack my clear goodness to keg.

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How do you carb your kegs? If you force, do you let the kegs sit for further conditioning after they are carbed? If not, I guess you "set & forget", and if so, how long does it usually take to carb up?

Doc Robinson said:

Do you use a secondary or do you crash after 14 and then bottle/keg?

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crash after 14 days, then keg... but i also find that a good amount of crashing occurs if you are going to keg condition. yes, you'll lose a pint or so to yeast and other debris, but if you don't happen to have time for the cold crash, IMHO it ain't a huge deal.

i've been setting & forgetting and it usually takes about 7 days for things to carb up and i like to carb it up and let it condition as it happens so i can sample as time goes by.

I just filter.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

I just filter.

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I'll filter you sucka!