Cold Crashing, Siphoning, and Bottling

[ElliotFekete]

Hi all,

I recently invested in temperature control system and refrigerator for my fermenter and just have a couple of questions regarding cold crashing, siphoning, then bottling in that order.

As I understand it cold crashing causes the yeast and other suspended sediment to settle to the bottom of the fermenter. Because all the sediment is at the bottom I figured I'd better siphon the beer into my bottles rather than using the spigot and introducing sediment into my bottles.

Because the yeast is settled to the bottom, would there be enough yeast suspended to eat up the carbonation drops and carbonate my beer if I were to siphon out my beer?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RM-MN]

Cold crashing causes the yeast and trub to settle out faster but just giving your beer time in the fermenter will let it settle out too...and start the beer maturing. If you cold crash and then bottle you need to let the beer warm up at some point to allow the yeast to carbonate the beer after it is bottled.

Siphoning is probably the right way to bottle for you. Yes, there will still be enough yeast to carbonate unless you cold crash for a long time.

 

[mac_1103]

You shouldn't have to worry about transferring sediment unless your spigot is way too close to the bottom of the fermenter. I don't have this problem even when I dry hop commando. And I usually tip the bucket to get an extra bottle or two out.

Yes, there will still be enough yeast to carbonate unless you cold crash for a long time.

And/or it's a really big beer, in which case you can add a conditioning yeast like Fermentis F-2 or Lallemand CBC-1.

 

[mac_1103]

I take it back. I'm bottling a tripel today and the beer is clear on top but there's quite a bit of sediment coming thru the spigot. Bigger yeast cake then I usually get I guess. Dusting off and sanitizing the ol' siphon right now.

Edit - Now I have to take back what I just took back. The yeast cake was well below the spigot, but some yeast had settled into the spigot itself. Would have been clear after the first few ounces.

I've always been pretty good at making extra work for myself.

 

[hotbeer]

Usually the sediment/trub that you suck up when siphoning or have come through the spigot near the bottom of the FV will not be that much when you consider how much clean beer you transferred. And if it was on the bottom of the FV, then it'll soon be on the bottom of your bottles or keg.

Whether you siphon or use a spigot on the side, you can put a small block under the edge of the FV when you first fill the FV to have all the trub and yeast settle out to one side of the FV. Then when you rack it out, you can remove the block and have a little pool that will let you get the last dregs out.

There'll still be some stuff get sucked up, but not as much.

 

[mac_1103]

you can put a small block under the edge of the FV when you first fill the FV to have all the trub and yeast settle out to one side

Probably don't even need to do this right from the start, but I'm going to do it when I cold crash from now on.

 

[ElliotFekete]

Thank you all, much appreciated!

 

[hotbeer]

Probably don't even need to do this right from the start, but I'm going to do it when I cold crash from now on.

You don't have to. I have done it at a later time and just shook the carboy to loosen up the trub on the bottom and let it resettle.

Most people don't seem to like to agitate their beer in the FV. Though perhaps that's just my imagination. So I was just sorta being careful not to upset those that don't like unconventional ideas like shaking the fermenter!