Cold Crashing and Secondaries

[Hockeyhunter99]

It's not a myth. Many veteran brewers leave their beers in the fermenter for 3-4 weeks for this very reason. Not sure if you're familiar with Homebrew42 and Vikeman over on BeerAdvocate. But they condone this method and I'm pretty sure they're not messing up (pitch rate, yeast health, temperature control . . .)

Anyway, the whole point of my initial post was to say that cold crashing is generally unnecessary for ales with high flocculating yeast. After 2 weeks, you should have a very clear beer. A huge majority of the yeast will drop out of suspension (the whole point of cold crashing by the way). At this point, it's not going to get much clearer.

And i am sure these guys don't mess up too often either.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/aging-beer-facts-myths-discussion-84005/

i am with AnOldUR. Great beer can be done in less than three weeks and in as little as two. i took Oktoberfest Champion Brewer with a beer 14 days old. as the post states, it all goes back to good yeast pitch.

 

[homebrewdad]

So from what I read here, you can go from primary to secondary, cold crash, and then bring it out of the cold crash for secondary fermentation..?

I ask because I may have gone to the secondary a few days too soon as the SG of the Secondary changed on me during the cold crash I was doing to it prior to bottling.. All after I thought I was done fermenting.

So thinking of pulling the secondary out and warming it up for a few days till the FG readings stay steady.. but wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not.

Yes, do this. For futurue batches, consider letting fermentation complete before cold crashing.

 

[CDGoin]

Yes, do this. For futurue batches, consider letting fermentation complete before cold crashing.

Yep.. What happened was I checked the reading three days apart and they seemed to match.. (I think head in the tester may have made the first reading suspect). So I put into secondary and cold crashed. Tested after cold crash to make sure.. and it didn't match the first two I readings.

Again not sure if I misread the hydrometer the first or second time, or if I wasn't done with fermenting. Thus the question.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

once krausen drops, you can cold crash to clarify or secondary. but wait until krausen drops

 

[InityBrew]

It's not about a different way. If you have a clear beer after 2-3 weeks using a high floc. yeast, then you have a clear beer. What further science is needed?

I have a three primaries full of clean, pale IIPA in my basement right now. One with 1968, one with WLP001, and one with WLP007. It's been 24 days. The only one that isn't clear is 1968, because it is a low floc. yeast, therefore that is the only one I will be cold crashing. All were dryhopped btw with leaf hops that did not sink.

I've cold crashed countless times and it took awhile before I realized that I was wasting time doing it for my high floc. ales. It was kind of a "duh" moment.

I have the exact opposite experience with 1968. That **** floccs like a rock.

Wyeast 1968..

A very good cask conditioned ale strain,this extremely flocculant yeast produces distinctly malty beers. Attenuation levels are typically less than most other yeast strains which results in aslightly sweeter finish. Ales produced with this strain tend to be fruity, increasingly so with higher fermentation temperatures of 70-74°F (21-23° C). A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete. Bright beers are easily achieved within days without any filtration.

Origin: Flocculation: Very High Attenuation: 67-71% Temperature Range: 64-72F, 18-22C

 

[bobbrews]

I have the exact opposite experience with 1968. That **** floccs like a rock.

Yeah, I read this too, but it was not my experience. I apologize for posting misleading info that it was low floc.

However, I fermented 3 almost identical recipes of the same malt/hops in the low to mid 60s actual wort temp. with WLP001, WLP007, and 1968 separately. The first two were crystal clear (007 was a bit darker) and 1968 was cloudy as a mofo... like light brown murky dishwater. A very ugly color despite the WLP001 version being a vibrant crystal orangish color, and WLP007 looking very similar but a tad darker. None were cold crashed or had any added gelatin. They WLP versions didn't need it. I could read through the glass they were so clear.

I can't say the same for 1968. I noticed that Ninkasi Tricerahops uses 1968 and that it is rather cloudy/murky... Not a clear beer at all.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

This was after a week in the primary English ale white labs, never had one that clear before

 

[bobbrews]

@RUNningonbrew

...What specific English Ale yeast?

 

[bobbrews]

And i am sure these guys don't mess up too often either.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/aging-beer-facts-myths-discussion-84005/

i am with AnOldUR. Great beer can be done in less than three weeks and in as little as two. i took Oktoberfest Champion Brewer with a beer 14 days old. as the post states, it all goes back to good yeast pitch.

For Extract and PM, I find you need a little more time for conditioning and refinement of flavor. It's definitely noticeable to me when I drink a very green Extract or PM ale from grain to glass in 1.5 - 2 weeks. Perhaps the yeast find the available sugars more difficult to deal with fully. For All Grain, I've done both (quick grain to glass and extended 3-4 weeks). I prefer the latter method when comparing a side by side, with all other variables such as yeast health, pitch rate, etc. on point. It just tastes smoother and more "quality"... even with the hoppy beers, which I find are not affected aroma/flavor-wise by another 1-2 weeks of conditioning time. I've won homebrew competitions as well, however I would never personally submit any beer that was only 2 weeks green. Fresh is good, but not that fresh. Patience is a virtue. But please, continue to brew as you wish.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

@runningonbrew

...what specific english ale yeast?

wlp002

 

[jerrodm]

This was after a week in the primary English ale white labs, never had one that clear before



View attachment 92990

You want a tasty English strain that crashes like a ton of bricks, try WLP007. It's my favorite.