Cold crash before racking?

[jaxn]

I was reorganizing some of my carboys today, so I took a secondary of cyser from the garage (~45 degrees F) to my fermentation room (~65 degrees F).

When I picked it up, I noticed that it was pretty clear. This was unexpected since it was pitched only 3 months ago. Then after sitting in the fermentation room for a few hours, it was back to cloudy.

Was this return to cloudiness just a result of moving it around? Or was that caused by the rise in temperature?

Is it desirable to cold crash before racking?

 

[CandleWineProject]

My guess is that it is from moving it around, but others with more experience with mead would have to answer.

As for cold crashing, if it were possible, would you need to? What is the SG at the moment?

 

[jaxn]

1.008

I just thought cold crashing might help move the process along a little quicker. It tastes pretty good already. Definitely still a bit too much heat, though.

 

[Yan]

It depends on the yeast. If you use a really vigorous yeast, you can cold crash and then rack, but you'll have to do it for a long time to actually kill the yeast. Otherwise you'll just be slowing it down by removing lots of the suspended yeast. I know that some very powerful yeasts will often take a brew down below 1.000.

 

[MedsenFey]

Usually if you stir up sediment such as with battonage, the particles drop out of suspension quickly (within 24-48 hours). If it remains cloudy, you've likely got some refermentation going since the yeast are waking back up again at the warmer temp - if the gravity drops, this will confirm fermentation.

What recipe were you using?

Medsen

 

[TipsyDragon]

when you moved it you probably stirred up some of the sediment. also the rise in temp may of woken up the yeast and they started fermenting or looking for fermentables again. if thats the case it will calm down again.

yes you want to cold crash before racking. if you cold crash after racking you will have to rack again once all the yeast settle out because of the cold.

 

[jaxn]

4 gal apple cider (no preservatives, pasteurized)
12lb clover honey

I forget how much pectin and nutrient I used, but it was the recommended amount. I have it all written down at home.

 

[MedsenFey]

If you can tell us your starting gravity and which yeast you used, we may be able to tell you if refermentation is most likely.

Medsen

 

[CandleWineProject]

If you can tell us your starting gravity and which yeast you used, we may be able to tell you if refermentation is most likely.

Medsen

If it isn't done fermenting, then it will probably restart at room temp. Cold crashing only works with beer because not all beer sugar and nutrients are fermentable, so the stunned yeast have a hard time finding the sugar to start again. 100% of wine and cider sugar and nutrients are fermentable, so they restart when it warms up. I'm assuming the same for mead.

 

[jaxn]

If you can tell us your starting gravity and which yeast you used, we may be able to tell you if refermentation is most likely.

Medsen

Right. Thanks.

I forgot to take an OG.

But I used Lalvin 1118.

 

[MedsenFey]

Your starting gravity was probably in the 1.120-1.130, but it would have helped to know for sure. This is one reason folks always stress taking the readings - when problems crop up, you have the information to understand what is happening.

In any case, with EC-1118, it may very well be picking up again because it didn't finish bone dry. Check the gravity. I expect you'll see it drop some.