Foam stopper for cold crash

I have the same problem everyone has who cold crashes. What if I used a sanitized foam stopper when its time to crash.

 

Would likely filter out many (perhaps most?) contams as the fermenter fills with outside air.

My (admittedly overly emphasized) concern with cold crashing is the oxygen that fills the fermenter.

I use a Speidel right now with a second spigot on top vice an airlock - so, what I started doing is closing the top spigot and letting it cold crash ~ half way to 32; when the Speidel lid becomes inverted from the vacuum (but before the sides crush inwards) I pressurize the Speidel with CO2 from the top. Then as it continues to cold crash, the pressure is roughly equallized, and all that's in the fermenter is CO2, and no contams (or, very minimal anyway).

Now that I plan to use 6.5 gallon corny kegs for fermenting, this will become even easier - no contams, no issue with oxygen intake (can hold 60psi, so I can pressurize before cold crash).

 

That was going to by my next question. Do you think it would pull in enough oxygen to do any real damage.

 

No. Before I became paranoid, I didnt even use a foam stopper ... just a coffee filter, and let the air rush in. Never noticed a difference. Not sure how I became paranoid actually.

Especially if you keg and force carbonate, you'll be fine. I say that because at serving temps, the rate of oxydation is reduced significantly (assuming thenkeg stays cold after the crash through serving).

But even so, people cold crash all the time and expose the beer to air. Turns out great anyways.

 

If you realize that it's a non-issue, why would you even mention it?

 

Great question. It's not a non-issue, just one that hasn't affected my own beer (in my own opinion). But that has a lot to do with constant refrigeration as well. Oxidation CAN become a significant issue if you dont have constant refrigeration and a short consumption cycle like I do.

 

I use the S-type airlock filled with starsan when cold crashing. Those ones will allow the reverse airflow without sucking the liquid back in.

 

Why not just cold crash in the keg? That's what I do, after a day or 2 I add gelatin if I feel like it.

 

I do that too. It all depends on if i have more room in the fermentation chamber or in the keezer