Cold crash didn't stop fermentation

[MtnGoatJoe]

So, I though cold crashing would stop the fermentation process. But after two weeks at 35 degrees, my cider went from 1.015 to 1.010.

This was a wild ferment with no chemicals added.

Also, the cider did not clear at all.

Was I wrong about what cold crashing can do? Thanks!

 

[Henbrew]

How are you measuring the specific gravity? Cold crashing can take some time to work.

 

[MtnGoatJoe]

How are you measuring the specific gravity? Cold crashing can take some time to work.

I have a Tilt Hydrometer floating in it and took readings daily. I was really surprised it kept going down.

 

[Jeroen79]

It will only slow it, the point of coldcrashing is just to clear the beer/cider after the fermentation is complete, if you wan't to completly stop it i think you need to pasturize it.

 

[Henbrew]

Yes, the tilts will do that when cold crashing. My ales will typically drop down a few points according to my tilt. The tilt hydrometers are good for a ballpark SG and can be very accurate but not always.

Get your cider as close to freezing and I don't think you'll have to worry about it continuing to ferment/sour.

Here's a graph for an ale I just cold crashed. You can see that the SG dipped once it got down towards 32 deg F.