Cold Crashing Without a Fridge or Temp Control

[as_saturn_ascends]

I have my first batch of blonde ale in the secondary right now. I don't typically worry too much about clarity, but with a blonde ale i thought about attempting a cold crash!

Now, can I cold crash using snow/ice in the bathtub for a few days? Will the sudden temperature shock kill yeast?

I am just worried about killing the yeast and not being able to bottle condition.


Could anyone who has attempted this before comment?
I would be interested in hearing all your ideas on this.

 

[PT Ray]

Unless you just freeze the beer solid I think you're fine.

If you're going to use snow/ice I think you would have to cover the whole secondary. Don't think it would work as quickly just to have the bottom half iced.

Regardless of what you do it will eventually clear on it's own if it sits long enough.

 

[as_saturn_ascends]

I think you are right about covering the whole secondary with cold liquid/snow. I can probably ease the temperature down too just with the addition of more snow..... man.... i dont know what i could use to ensure that i was covering the carboy in snow/liquid......................

 

[bierhaus15]

My garage hovers around 35F this time of the year and I 'ghetto lager' my beers all the time. I wrap them in a blanket and leave em out on a shelf for a few days or weeks. The beer always turns out fine and is crystal clear. Though once in a while I will have to add a some yeast at bottling if I don't want to wait 6 weeks for something like an ordinary bitter to fully carb.

 

[Teufelhunden]

I have done this a few times. I just fill a cooler full of ice and water and lit sit a few days, works great...I never add any extra yeast and mine carb fine. There will be enough yeast in suspension even after the crash to carb.

 

[as_saturn_ascends]

Sounds great! Thanks! I don't think i will have any problems with it all. My biggest concern was shocking the yeast...... but i think i can get around that.

 

[as_saturn_ascends]

actually, i just put the secondary inside my brew kettle. (not exactly the best insulated thing) - then i dumped in 40 deg. water.

I will continue to cool down to 35 and hold it for a week by siphoning out water and adding ice.

Thanks again!

 

[Bdogg]

If you have winter where you live - I put the carboy up on a table by a window, opened the window a crack. Then I duct taped the crack except for the bottom part of the window, put a hooded sweater over the carboy and put the hood up against the hole I made. Cold air flows in and around the beer and the rest of my place stays nice and warm. Works like a charm

 

[as_saturn_ascends]

man that sounds good too