Cold crashing technique...

[biochemedic]

Having just acquired a way to cold crash, I've never done it before...

Questions:
- After cold crashing, do you generally allow the beer to warm back up before bottling it? (I'm concerned about thermal expansion in the bottle...is this even an issue?)
- If so, is there a "minimum" temp to reach before bottling

- Regarding the cold crashing itself...any tips on how to avoid "suck back" from the airlock or blow off container? (I did get a pretty significant amount, but fortunately my blow off tube was long enough that I was able to catch it and vent the tube before it got up to the bend back to the carboy...obviously I'm keeping the container lower than the carboy so as not to accidentally create a siphon...)

 

[cheezydemon3]

Bottling at cold temps is fine, but carbing will take longer.

Avoid suckback?

Don't cold crash.

 

[biochemedic]

Bottling at cold temps is fine, but carbing will take longer.

I was just concerned that if I bottled too cold, then warmed up to conditioning temps, it could contribute to bottle bombs or something....

Thought of one additional question too....Regarding calculations for priming sugar, what temp should be used? Temp at time of bottling? Low temp during cold crashing? Temp of fermentation?

 

[broadbill]

the temperature variable for the priming sugar calculation is to determine the amount of dissolved CO2 you are staring with so you don't add to much sugar for your chosen carbonation level. Cold beer holds more CO2 than warm beer. Therefore, you want to do the calculation based upon the temp of your unbottled beer at bottling time.

 

[zman]

Use the same amount of dextrose that you would use if you were bottling at room temp. I always do when I bottle and never had issues. Here is a thread all about it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/priming-sugar-adjustment-after-crash-cool-228832/

 

[AnOldUR]

the temperature variable for the priming sugar calculation is to determine the amount of dissolved CO2 you are staring with so you don't add to much sugar for your chosen carbonation level. Cold beer holds more CO2 than warm beer. Therefore, you want to do the calculation based upon the temp of your unbottled beer at bottling time.

Actually, since no new pure CO2 was introduced after chilling, you use the highest temperature your beer sat at for a length of time after fermentation was complete. Once the CO2 comes out of suspension at the warmer temperature and goes out the airlock, it's gone forever.

 

[AnchorBock]

I put a carboy cap on when cold crashing instead of an airlock. If you're worried about co2 coming out of solution just vent it once or twice a day.

 

[biochemedic]

Use the same amount of dextrose that you would use if you were bottling at room temp. I always do when I bottle and never had issues. Here is a thread all about it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/priming-sugar-adjustment-after-crash-cool-228832/

Actually, since no new pure CO2 was introduced after chilling, you use the highest temperature your beer sat at for a length of time after fermentation was complete. Once the CO2 comes out of suspension at the warmer temperature and goes out the airlock, it's gone forever.

This makes perfect sense, and what my brain was telling me all along, so thanks!

 

[Kealia]

Actually, since no new pure CO2 was introduced after chilling, you use the highest temperature your beer sat at for a length of time after fermentation was complete. Once the CO2 comes out of suspension at the warmer temperature and goes out the airlock, it's gone forever.

+1

Use the highest temp achieved during fermentation/rest as that's where the most CO2 was lost. That determines how much CO2 is left in suspension.

 

[TyTanium]

Use the highest temp achieved during fermentation/rest as that's where the most CO2 was lost. That determines how much CO2 is left in suspension.

Question on this...say fermentation spiked early on to 75, then fell back to 65 for the remainder of fermentation. CO2 would still be created during the 65 phase (assuming active fermentation still), so entering 75 would seem to be inappropriate, correct?

 

[AnOldUR]

Question on this...say fermentation spiked early on to 75, then fell back to 65 for the remainder of fermentation. CO2 would still be created during the 65 phase (assuming active fermentation still), so entering 75 would seem to be inappropriate, correct?

Actually, since no new pure CO2 was introduced after chilling, you use the highest temperature your beer sat at for a length of time after fermentation was complete. Once the CO2 comes out of suspension at the warmer temperature and goes out the airlock, it's gone forever.

quoting yourself is so lame.

 

[TyTanium]

Ok, good, that's what I've always done. Not lame. My reading skills might be though. Thanks.