ErkenneDichSelbst
Active Member
Has anyone tried? Any potential drawbacks? Tips? Or stuff to watch for?
Cold crashing using an ice bath
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This is the 'tried and true' method for people without a chill tube, and one I use.
Does it work? Yes...
Is as efficent as a wort chiller? - Define efficent? if you mean 'quick' probably not.
Method - in your deep sink - or bath tub - combine some cold water and some ice - lots of ice. put wort in with a thermometer of some kind handy and sanatizer to. (Spray bottle of Idaphor or star san for contact sanitation) Put brewpot into bath, A) swirl bath (with hand) , B) with sanatized spoon swirl wort C) wait. Repeat A, B and C in any order until thermometer shows low enough temp - say sub 80, preferably around pitch temp if you did a full boil (say 70 or less)... transfer to fermentor through prefered method. For me and my sink this is genrally about 1/2 hr with a 2nd bath having to be drawn. Since I've never had problems with flavor or clarifying I just poor it over, but others like to syphon it down. If you have a valve on your pot, don't forget to hit ti with sanatizer first before using.
You might have to draw another bath if your bath gets to hot (ice melts, feels warm to touch) this depends largely dependant on things like how much cold you put the brew pot in and how much you have in your brewpot. A 3 gallon wort will chill faster than a 10 gallon, and a bathtub can hold more water and ice than a sink.
Potential drawbacks? If you aren't careful with your sanitation -the stiring steps - and stiring the wort is really helpful to spread the cold from the edges to the middle of the wort you coudl get an infection, as I said above it might not be as fast as a wort chiller.
Does it work? Yes...
Is as efficent as a wort chiller? - Define efficent? if you mean 'quick' probably not.
Method - in your deep sink - or bath tub - combine some cold water and some ice - lots of ice. put wort in with a thermometer of some kind handy and sanatizer to. (Spray bottle of Idaphor or star san for contact sanitation) Put brewpot into bath, A) swirl bath (with hand) , B) with sanatized spoon swirl wort C) wait. Repeat A, B and C in any order until thermometer shows low enough temp - say sub 80, preferably around pitch temp if you did a full boil (say 70 or less)... transfer to fermentor through prefered method. For me and my sink this is genrally about 1/2 hr with a 2nd bath having to be drawn. Since I've never had problems with flavor or clarifying I just poor it over, but others like to syphon it down. If you have a valve on your pot, don't forget to hit ti with sanatizer first before using.
You might have to draw another bath if your bath gets to hot (ice melts, feels warm to touch) this depends largely dependant on things like how much cold you put the brew pot in and how much you have in your brewpot. A 3 gallon wort will chill faster than a 10 gallon, and a bathtub can hold more water and ice than a sink.
Potential drawbacks? If you aren't careful with your sanitation -the stiring steps - and stiring the wort is really helpful to spread the cold from the edges to the middle of the wort you coudl get an infection, as I said above it might not be as fast as a wort chiller.
ErkenneDichSelbst
Active Member
I appreciate the detailed response and now feel like an ass for not being more clear...
I'll be bottling in two days and have never cold crashed to help clear the beer before bottling. As I understand it many people will cold crash in a fridge for several days to help floc out the yeast. I've searched threads that say it wouldn't be prudent taking into account the moving of the fermentation vessel to do so and the sediment that would be kicked up back into suspension.
So my question is if I move the secondary into a large plastic bin and keep it in an ice bath for three days and bottle directly from it without moving it, would this be a suitable method or should I not even bother if not able to do it in a refrigerator?
I'll be bottling in two days and have never cold crashed to help clear the beer before bottling. As I understand it many people will cold crash in a fridge for several days to help floc out the yeast. I've searched threads that say it wouldn't be prudent taking into account the moving of the fermentation vessel to do so and the sediment that would be kicked up back into suspension.
So my question is if I move the secondary into a large plastic bin and keep it in an ice bath for three days and bottle directly from it without moving it, would this be a suitable method or should I not even bother if not able to do it in a refrigerator?
SOB_OCDAVE
Well-Known Member
@Acbrewer: I think he's referring to cold crashing after fermentation in order to help the yeast flocculate. This will help with clarification.
@Erkenne: In theory it would work if could get the temps down to about 40*F and can hold it there for about a week or two. My 2 cents$. Good luck.
@Erkenne: In theory it would work if could get the temps down to about 40*F and can hold it there for about a week or two. My 2 cents$. Good luck.
I see a huge improvement in clarity with only 6-8 hours of cold crashing. Last ipa I made (I dry hopped as well so it had lots of floaters) and put the carboy outside in 20 degree weather for 6 hours. It was crystal clear.
My bad
Well if this is true - that you get major improvement in the first few hours - which btw makes some sense, then might I suggest you get a large trash can, put a smaller trash can inside it, get some rock salt, ice and water.
Basically make a ice salt water slurry like they make for home made icecream... The reason for 2 trashcans is that you can create an insulated (even with air) between the smaller and larger holding your cold in. Although homemade icecream can be done without the large trashcan... Google homemade icecream...
Although I think you want to set it up in a way that you can siphon without moving again. After all every move is going to stir things up again. And usual warnings about sanitation.
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