Cold Crashing... Question

[Lemieuxp]

To all my passionate brewers! I just finished brewing my first batch.. Kit from Brewers best and I've been reading about cold crashing. I don't understand. Wouldn't this happen after carb up once you put it in the fridge anyway?

 

[dickproenneke]

To all my passionate brewers! I just finished brewing my first batch.. Kit from Brewers best and I've been reading about cold crashing. I don't understand. Wouldn't this happen after carb up once you put it in the fridge anyway?

Sort of. Brewers cold crash before packaging to get more yeast and protein to settle out, reducing the amount of sediment in the bottles.

 

[insanim8er]

To all my passionate brewers! I just finished brewing my first batch.. Kit from Brewers best and I've been reading about cold crashing. I don't understand. Wouldn't this happen after carb up once you put it in the fridge anyway?

Generally you'll want to cold crash before you rack over. Cold crashing first will make it so you transfer less yeast to either you bottle bucket or your keg.

 

[Lemieuxp]

Would it be necessary for a red ale? I could see a lager...

 

[dickproenneke]

Would it be necessary for a red ale? I could see a lager...

Cold crashing and lagering are two different processes. Its certainly not necessary for an ale but if you have the time and means to do it then why not give it a shot. You may like the result

 

[Lemieuxp]

Well that is a great point.. I do have the time... And a fridge... Why not make the best of it! Thanks to all!

 

[dickproenneke]

Lucky you! I'm hoping that Santa brings me a beer fridge for Xmas... Some cautionary advice if you are cold crashing: replace your airlock liquid with some cheap vodka. As the beer chills, it'll create a negative pressure in the fermenter forcing your airlock liquid into the tank. It's nothing to worry about. In fact it's perfectly normal. I just like knowing that my fermenter drank a 1/2oz of vodka rather than some 3 week old sanitizer.

 

[BigFloyd]

Lucky you! I'm hoping that Santa brings me a beer fridge for Xmas... Some cautionary advice if you are cold crashing: replace your airlock liquid with some cheap vodka. As the beer chills, it'll create a negative pressure in the fermenter forcing your airlock liquid into the tank. It's nothing to worry about. In fact it's perfectly normal. I just like knowing that my fermenter drank a 1/2oz of vodka rather than some 3 week old sanitizer.

Good point. If you're using an S-airlock with sanitizer or vodka, however, suck-back tends to not be an issue when crashing.

If you have the equipment to do a cold crash, by all means give it a go. I like clearer beer with less yeast trub in bottle-conditioned brews, so I cold crash everything 5-7 days at 35-36*F. Not only will it clarify the beer nicely, it will also cause the yeast cake to be more firm so that it's harder to disturb when racking over to the keg or bottling bucket. There's still enough yeast in suspension to bottle carb as normal, so worry not about that.

 

[dickproenneke]

Good point. If you're using an S-airlock with sanitizer or vodka, however, suck-back tends to not be an issue when crashing

Very true.