2 more noob questions

[agroff383]

What is a "session beer"? Is that just a euphemism for getting drunk?

and

What does cold crash mean and should I do it? I just got my first batch of Blonde Ale in primary.

 

[McKBrew]

#1: A session beer is a lower alcohol beer that you can drink larger quantities of without getting drunk. A similar term is lawnmower beer, something you can drink while working outside all day that is refreshing but is not going to affect your judgment.

#2 Cold crashing refers to the technique of refrigerating a beer for a few days to allow more yeast to drop out of suspension and clear. It is typically done in the primary or secondary fermenter.

 

[Parker36]

1) Session beer is a beer that you can drink many of over the course of a day. Usually something fairly light - in body and alcohol content. For example a 12% barley wine is NOT a session beer
2) Cold crashing is when you drop the temperature of your beer (in fermenter) to somewhere between 35 and 40 degrees F. This causes just about everything in your beer to drop out of suspension and gives you a very clear beer. The downside to cold crashing is you lose all your yeast, so unless you keg, you have to repitch prior to bottling.

 

[JMG680]

If you have the ability to cold crash I think it is a good idea. I did it too my Irish Red and it is so nice and clear. I did it for 72 hours and did not lose all the yeast and still was able to carbonate it with no problems.

 

[agroff383]

If you have the ability to cold crash I think it is a good idea. I did it too my Irish Red and it is so nice and clear. I did it for 72 hours and did not lose all the yeast and still was able to carbonate it with no problems.

So if you don't cold crash for days and just do it for hours, would you still reap benefits and not kill all the yeast? How would I know if I killed all the yeast if I did a cold crash for 48 hours?

How cold do you want the refrigerator?

 

[mosyslack]

I have not had a problem with carbonation after cold crashing. I typically cold crash for 2-5 days at varying temps (still learning/experimenting) but upper 30's to low 40's (F) tends to do nicely.

 

[bigzippo]

As I understand it the yeast won't die unless the beer actually freezes.