Cold Crashing, Yeast, and Bottling

[surferdrew]

I've tried searching the threads for a situation like mine, but haven't been able to find anything.

I'm preparing to bottle a Belgian Quad next week and I'm wondering if I should pitch yeast 3 days prior to bottling (since i've already cold crashed).
Here's the details:

1.080 OG
1.006 FG

Brewed: 1/2/11
Primary: 3 weeks
Secondary: 8 weeks
Cold Crash: 2 weeks

I've repitched yeast before bottling before and never had any issues but never have pitched yeast AFTER a cold crash...does that make a difference?

 

[Arneba28]

If you have any cake on the bottom of the carboy after the cold crash just stir a little of that up before you transfer to your bottling bucket. If not, Then just pitch a packet when you mix in your bottling sugar.

 

[surferdrew]

If you have any cake on the bottom of the carboy after the cold crash just stir a little of that up before you transfer to your bottling bucket. If not, Then just pitch a packet when you mix in your bottling sugar.

hadn't consider that option...sounds like a good idea. If I go the stirring route, I'll just have to make sure I don't do it too vigorously or oxidation could occur, right?

 

[Bensiff]

hadn't consider that option...sounds like a good idea. If I go the stirring route, I'll just have to make sure I don't do it too vigorously or oxidation could occur, right?

Correct, at this point in the game you want to avoid oxygen like the plague, especially for beers you intend to age. Oxygen absorbing caps are good for such situations. Personally, on bigger beers I prefer a fresh hit of yeast to carbonate it so I can rest easy knowing I'm going to get the carbonation I wanted. I keep Safale 05 on hand for such situations.

 

[homebrewed505]

I have a question about cold crashing. So if I plan on only using a primary after my FG is reached can I cold crash in my primary before i go to kegging and bottling?

 

[camelcarlson]

absolutely

 

[Revvy]

Besides if you pitch any yeast for bottling three days early and it's not trapped inside a bottle to carb, it's going to be expelled before it does it's job.

 

[AnOldUR]

The point of cold crashing for me is to settle out yeast, hops, break, ect. To stir all that up could be counter productive. If I really thought that I needed more yeast in suspension, I'd pitch a little in the bottling bucket.

 

[homebrewed505]

So I got another question about fermentation. I have my milk stout in the primary and it has been fermenting for 3 days at about 68-72 degrees. The first two day I had good activity, now im not noticing any activity. are my temps ok and is it normal for activity to slow down and still be fermenting? I kept a sample of the wort to check my gravity and it went from 1.060 to 1.024. The instructions said it should end up at 1.014 so not quit there yet.

The color is not quit what i expected either I was expecting almost black well it is like a dark brown, is this normal as well?

need some advice

 

[jfowler1]

FWIW,

I made a lager with WLP833, and it 1/2 froze during a month long crash at 33 (I guess it was more like 31).

I was really pissed, but I just set up the carboy for bottling, let it thaw, racked, added priming sugar to the bucket, bottled and left it to condition on the garage floor in winter. And no, I did not try to suck up a little yeast while racking. Some may have gotten pulled into the bucket, but I did not do it on purpose. In three weeks, carbonation was fine.

Obviously there is a yeast difference between a Belgian-style Quad and an Oktoberfest, but I usually offer this anecdote because if there was ever a beer that might have needed re-pitching, it was mine. Yet, I opted against it for experimentation's sake, and it worked out great.

Personally, I feel (unless you fine filter) there is always going to be yeast in suspension, and it really does not take much to bottle condition. Besides, you probably aren't planning to drink that Quad very young, so a rapid carbonation is probably not going to be an issue either.

For the insurance, go ahead and pitch a bit of yeast while bottling, but I personally have found it to be unneccessary.

Joe