Bottling and Cold Crashing

[Superdave]

So the other day we were bottling the latest IPA and I got to thinking...

The last beer we bottled, I had stuck the fermenters in a fridge for two or three days to cold crash it.

I think that is why it took longer than usual (compared to other beers) for the beer to carbonate. In the past, it was always bubbly after a week or so but that beer took close to three weeks.

I suppose the big thing cold crashing does to clarify the beer is dropping yeast out of suspension, so there are less of them floating around at bottling time, which means that more will have to grow before it can start fermenting that priming sugar.

So, the question is, does cold crashing the beer prior to bottling have any other benefits or should I consider not doing that if I want the beer to carb up quicker?

 

[Dagatris]

I've wondered the exact same thing. It sure seems like cold crashing would make the bottles take longer to carb. Perhaps this is something that should only be done with kegging, or someone that doesn't mind waiting longer for bottles to carb.

 

[Hammy71]

If your in a hurry than I wouldn't crash cool (or use gelatin for that matter). When your kegging; crash cooling helps gives a head start to getting the junk to fall out before you keg it. (Where it essentially just crash cools while your drinking/conditioning it.) I've crashed cooled and used gelatin on BM's Centennial and it took about 4 weeks at 70 degrees for the bottles to be carbonated properly. If clarity of your brews is important to ya and you don't want to leave in the bottle extra time for it to carb...I guess a longer primary and a long secondary is your best option...although...your just adding time there. I've got enough of a pipeline built up (both keg and bottle) to keep me happy with the variety and amount of brew I've got squirreled away..... That's your best friend to help in the waiting game....

 

[ChillyP]

You could also just prime and bottle like normal, then wait the normal amount of weeks for it to carbonate and then cold crash the bottles in a cooler or fridge.

OR

Don't worry about the clarity.

 

[Superdave]

Those comments make sense. I think gelatin would be okay, cause it seems like that causes other 'stuff', proteins and such, to fall out and less the yeast.

I added gelatin to the beer that is still in carboys but I don't think I'll cool them. And I think I'll just keep doing that.