Cold crash shortly after fermentation

[TimelessCynic]

Would I want to wait about a month before i cold crash or could i do it shortly after fermentation completes?

My gut tells me i should wait the month.

 

[RM-MN]

Right after fermentation completes there will be some compounds in your beer that the yeast have created in their process to make alcohol out of the malt sugars. Giving the beer time for the yeast to process these compounds will make a better beer. It also takes time for the flavors to meld or for the beer to mature. Waiting the extra time lets this process work too so your beer tastes better. I'd wait the month.

 

[Hjandersen]

Or you could go for something in between? Two-three weeks should be quite sufficient..

 

[Yooper]

It's true that the yeast keeps working a bit even after FG is reached, to clean up diacetyl and other by products of fermentation. That process takes hours to days, though, and not weeks.

I normally keep beers in the fermenter for less time than a month, like about 10-14 days. That is enough time to give me the results I want. Others prefer a longer period in the fermenter. There is a difference in the flavor that some people prefer, while I prefer the flavor when it spends a shorter time on the yeast cake.

You could try it both ways, with two different batches and see which result you like better.

 

[BigFloyd]

It's true that the yeast keeps working a bit even after FG is reached, to clean up diacetyl and other by products of fermentation. That process takes hours to days, though, and not weeks.

I normally keep beers in the fermenter for less time than a month, like about 10-14 days. That is enough time to give me the results I want. Others prefer a longer period in the fermenter. There is a difference in the flavor that some people prefer, while I prefer the flavor when it spends a shorter time on the yeast cake.

You could try it both ways, with two different batches and see which result you like better.

+1. That clean up after FG is reached will happen over a few days after FG is reached. If you take two hydro readings 4 days apart and they are the same (and at or near expected FG), assuming that your beer has been stepped up to a good finishing temp, you've provided that additional period. At that point I crash into the mid-30's for 5-7 days before kegging/bottling. I don't know of any reason to wait a month. I also don't think that extra couple of weeks would hurt if you care to let it ride.

All of this is, of course, dependent on pitching a sufficient amount of healthy yeast at the start.