Out of Town Schedule

[Ridire]

I think I asked this same question last year at this time but I'm doing it again. Here's the decision to be made:

Thinking of brewing a SMaSH Pale Ale (2 Row and Cascade) this weekend. I will be leaving 10 days after brew day to go out of town. I will be gone for nearly two weeks. So, would you :

1. Rack it to secondary.
2. Leave in primary at 65 +/- degrees.
3. Leave in primary but drop temp to 35 +/- degrees and do a long term cold crash.



Sent from here, because that's where I am.

 

[quincy07]

I'd just leave it in primary, it won't hurt anything to leave it on the yeast cake that long, then cold crash when you get back. My $.02, YMMV, etc.

 

[monkeymootj]

Definitely just leave in primary. No need to risk oxygenation by racking. I always cold crash after 3 weeks so that's not a bad idea either

 

[brew_ny]

what is the OG of the brew ? if it is at FG at 7 or 8 days cold crash and keg then condition in the keg on gas

S_M

 

[hophop]

I'd secondary it and dry hop it while you're gone.


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[betarhoalphadelta]

Assuming you have good test pitching rates and temp control, I'd raise it to 72 at about day 7, then cold crash just before you leave. The cold crash will make it nice and clear for when you return.

 

[dkevinb]

I once heard someone (James Spencer?) say, "If you ask 10 brewers how to brew beer you'll get 12 answers." I think this thread is proof positive. Very interesting.

 

[Ridire]

For clarification:

1. Beer will be bottled, not kegged.

2. No dry hop in the schedule for this beer.

3. This is not a big beer (OG of roughly 1.050).

4. If not for travelling, I would leave in primary for 10 days at 64-65 degrees, cold crash for 3-4 days and then bottle.

 

[Ridire]

Assuming you have good test pitching rates and temp control, I'd raise it to 72 at about day 7, then cold crash just before you leave. The cold crash will make it nice and clear for when you return.

That was my thought, too. Fermentation will be done in a week, I'm sure. An extra 3-4 days to make sure and then a prolonged cold crash followed by 4 weeks in the bottles at room temp.

Here was my concern - I've never cold crashed for such a long period. At the end of it, will the yeast still be ready to go, with enough in suspension, to bottle carb the beers?

 

[masskrug]

For clarification:

3. This is not a big beer (OG of roughly 1.050).

Right. How does your pipeline look? You could bottle this and it would be ready to drink when you get home.

If you have plenty of beer in stock then I would just let it sit in primary and cold crash it when you get back.

 

[brew_ny]

For clarification:

1. Beer will be bottled, not kegged.

2. No dry hop in the schedule for this beer.

3. This is not a big beer (OG of roughly 1.050).

4. If not for travelling, I would leave in primary for 10 days at 64-65 degrees, cold crash for 3-4 days and then bottle.

with that being said I vote for this

Assuming you have good test pitching rates and temp control, I'd raise it to 72 at about day 7, then cold crash just before you leave. The cold crash will make it nice and clear for when you return.

all the best

S_M

 

[RM-MN]

I'd leave it in the primary for 8 to 9 weeks and then bottle it. The yeast will have settled out pretty well, about as well as cold crashing but without the bother and there will still be plenty yeast for carbonating.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Here was my concern - I've never cold crashed for such a long period. At the end of it, will the yeast still be ready to go, with enough in suspension, to bottle carb the beers?

Can't help you there... I keg...

 

[Ridire]

Right. How does your pipeline look? You could bottle this and it would be ready to drink when you get home.

If you have plenty of beer in stock then I would just let it sit in primary and cold crash it when you get back.

I would love that option but I do not believe I will get an opportunity to bottle between brew day and leaving town. If I do, it will be exactly one week after pitching. Probably enough time to reach FG but maybe pushing it.

 

[Ridire]

I'd leave it in the primary for 8 to 9 weeks and then bottle it. The yeast will have settled out pretty well, about as well as cold crashing but without the bother and there will still be plenty yeast for carbonating.

Cold crashing is no bother - just disconnect the Johnson Controller and plug directly into the outlet and let it sit.

But the yeast viability for carbonating may lead me towards just leaving it on the yeast for 4+ weeks.