• Please visit and share your knowledge at our sister communities:
  • If you have not, please join our official Homebrewing Facebook Group!

    Homebrewing Facebook Group

New England IPA "Northeast" style IPA

Homebrew Talk

Help Support Homebrew Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
What is step crashing and how does it not suck back?

I have a controlled temp chamber so I'll start dialing back the temperature gradually versus letting it go from say 72 to 35 like a rock. The gradual reduction hasn't sucked anything back from what I've been able to see. When I start to get to the lower lower temps I have replaced with a solid bung for 24 hours.
 
I posted about a week ago having an oniony off flavor. Well happy to report that flavor has disappeared. Now it's a damn good beer. Not sure what caused it but it was pretty bad in the beginning.
Next time I brew this style I will change up the hops and eliminate Citra completely.
Gonna go with Simco and two additional hops. Not sure which ones yet.
Some other good hops besides citra - Simcoe, Amarillo, Centennial, Mosaic, galaxy, Vic Secret, Azacca..... Falconers Flight Blend is good too.
 
I'm adding a fitting to the lid of my home depot bucket lids to add CO2 every few hours during cold crash and transfers. I have a dual regulator so the keg will also be purged with co2, the line inbetween will be purged with co2. Hopefully this solves my issue. Prior to transfer, I'm adding 1/2oz each of Citra/mosaic cryo hops in knee highs/marbles..then purge the keg 6-10 times prior. May the Beer Gods shine on me after this modification!
I can't imagine the benefit of cold crashing with a sealed fermenter what do you think happens when you eventually open it up? I do not get air in mine , see #5842 for what I do. The key is to capture enough Co2 created during fermentaiton and use it to relieve the vacuum during cooling.
 
I have a controlled temp chamber so I'll start dialing back the temperature gradually versus letting it go from say 72 to 35 like a rock. The gradual reduction hasn't sucked anything back from what I've been able to see. When I start to get to the lower lower temps I have replaced with a solid bung for 24 hours.

that makes sense. i don't know if cold-crashing causes problems, since I only do cold 'fender-benders' to about 50-54 degrees, just to encourage more hop material to drop. i'll probably experiment with even less crashing and see if i can still avoid clogging up my old-school manual siphon rig.
 
that makes sense. i don't know if cold-crashing causes problems, since I only do cold 'fender-benders' to about 50-54 degrees, just to encourage more hop material to drop. i'll probably experiment with even less crashing and see if i can still avoid clogging up my old-school manual siphon rig.

I hear ya, with NEIPA's, I honesty don't really crash them. I transfer to purged keg and I let them "crash" as it carbs. Usually dump the first half pint and Im ready to roll.
 
So I’m 5 brews into NEIPAs and I have it down. I’m kegging another batch Friday and brewing on Saturday. I want to throw Hawaiian Punch powder in during fermentation 6 days in. Idea is to go higher with SO on my mash water treatment additions and then a bit more bitterring then normal to help punch through the extra sugars. Citra and Mosaic for Dry Hop, Amarillo hops for boil addittions.

Anyone have any experience with IPAs and fermentation additions like this?
 
So I’m 5 brews into NEIPAs and I have it down. I’m kegging another batch Friday and brewing on Saturday. I want to throw Hawaiian Punch powder in during fermentation 6 days in. Idea is to go higher with SO on my mash water treatment additions and then a bit more bittering then normal to help punch through the extra sugars.

Anyone have any experience with IPAs and fermentation additions like this?

I read a reddit post about something similar to this however it is not a NEIPA style, it is a sour. But it might give some insight to your question. Here is the link - https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewin...ant_to_share_two_recipes_hawaiian_punch_sour/
 
There is talk of cold crashing in a sealed container. If you do that, you are creating negative pressure, or suction. O2 is likely to find it's way in to equalize, or as someone else said, will rush in once you pop the stopper out.

Here's what I do when I cold crash.. I remove the water from the airlock, inflate a plastic bag with CO2, and fasten it to the airlock with a rubber band. This way when the beer contracts it will pull in CO2 from the bag.

Also, for dry hopping, you can dump your hops in a plastic bag, squeeze all the air out, inflate with CO2 (maybe purge a couple times. Then you can put this bag over the entire top of you FV, and use it like a "clean room". Work inside the bag to open your FV, dump the hops in, reseal you FV.

It may not be perfect, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't hurt and it's easy enough to do.
 
So I’m 5 brews into NEIPAs and I have it down. I’m kegging another batch Friday and brewing on Saturday. I want to throw Hawaiian Punch powder in during fermentation 6 days in. Idea is to go higher with SO on my mash water treatment additions and then a bit more bitterring then normal to help punch through the extra sugars. Citra and Mosaic for Dry Hop, Amarillo hops for boil addittions.

Anyone have any experience with IPAs and fermentation additions like this?
If the fruit punch powder has regular sugar it will ferment out and there will not be added sweetness so no need increase the bitterness. It might dry out your beers a little if you add a bunch, then you might want to decrease the bittering a little to keep the original balance. If is a sugar free punch with artificial sweeteners then it might help to increase the bitterness levels to compensate.

Have you tried adding some fruit punch powered to a finished beer to see how it tastes?
 
I have a controlled temp chamber so I'll start dialing back the temperature gradually versus letting it go from say 72 to 35 like a rock. The gradual reduction hasn't sucked anything back from what I've been able to see. When I start to get to the lower lower temps I have replaced with a solid bung for 24 hours.

I think most people are concerned about the o2 suckback, not the sanitizer. You wouldn't see the o2 suck back.

Here's what I do when I cold crash.. I remove the water from the airlock, inflate a plastic bag with CO2, and fasten it to the airlock with a rubber band. This way when the beer contracts it will pull in CO2 from the bag.

That's a good idea. I've done something similar when racking to avoid o2 filling the fermenter. I took a ziplock bag, put a short tube through one corner and taped it up really good, then stuck that tube through the hole in the bung. Fill the ziplock with co2 as best I can, then rack. I have to refill the bag a couple times, but the zipper makes it easy.

I hadn't thought of doing the same thing during the cold crash. I think the total suckback is something like a half-gallon of space, so a 1 gallon bag should do it.

Perhaps taking it one step further, if you dry hop with a few gravity points left, you could attach the bag then.
 
Some good discussion here!

I have a controlled temp chamber so I'll start dialing back the temperature gradually versus letting it go from say 72 to 35 like a rock. The gradual reduction hasn't sucked anything back from what I've been able to see. When I start to get to the lower lower temps I have replaced with a solid bung for 24 hours.

Is it rate dependent? My guess would be that it is not. Assuming constant volume, the pressure difference associated with this temperature change is roughly 1 psi or 27 inches of water column. If you're using a standard airlock, you're for sure bubbling air into your carboy as the water column on a two-piece/S-type is probably about an inch. I confirmed this by using a blowoff with the level as low as humanly possible in my fermentation chamber and checking on it every so often and and it still eventually came to the top as it cooled.

I can't imagine the benefit of cold crashing with a sealed fermenter what do you think happens when you eventually open it up? I do not get air in mine , see #5842 for what I do. The key is to capture enough Co2 created during fermentaiton and use it to relieve the vacuum during cooling.

Yes air rushes in but it's only exposed for moments until you rack it to keg and purge all the air off. I think this is different than it constantly pulling in air and letting it diffuse in your carboy while it cold crashes, but I could be wrong.

Here's what I do when I cold crash.. I remove the water from the airlock, inflate a plastic bag with CO2, and fasten it to the airlock with a rubber band. This way when the beer contracts it will pull in CO2 from the bag.

I like this idea. I might try it. You could even calculate the balloon volume required!
 
I just tapped a strawberry mango smoothie version with lactose and vanilla, the fruit made my closed system completely useless, it was a nightmare. Ended up having to open it up and switch over to an auto siphon.... hope I didn’t oxitize the crap out of it. I’ll have to chalk it up to a learning experience.
 
you don't think it happens, or you don't think you should cold crash?

Cold crashes work.
Oxidation is not a side effect.
I firmly believe there's something else.

Too often with any issue, the brewer blames something to absolve them of blame. When it's something to do with their own process.

I.e diacetyl.
You may have an airlock somewhere.
The whole "step crash" can't work. Either which way you look at it the space will fil with the same amount of air.
There should still be a blanket of co2 even at low temps.
 
I just tapped a strawberry mango smoothie version with lactose and vanilla, the fruit made my closed system completely useless, it was a nightmare. Ended up having to open it up and switch over to an auto siphon.... hope I didn’t oxitize the crap out of it. I’ll have to chalk it up to a learning experience.

Sound delicious. Should be fine.
Recipe??
 
Sound delicious. Should be fine.
Recipe??

3.5 gallon batch
OG 1.070
FG 1.018
London ale III
50% 2 row
48% white wheat
2% honey malt
8oz lactose

1.5 oz Apollo
1.5 oz Citra
1.5 oz mosaic
^ half in at flame out, the other half in at 170* whirlpool for 30mins

2.5 oz Citra
2.5 oz mosaic
3lbs strawberries
3lbs mango (fruit was froze then mashed up)
1 vanilla bean sliced/scrapes soaked in vodka for a few days
^ all added on day 4 of fermentation
*Let it go for 8-10 days then rack to purged keg with .5oz of Citra and mosaic cryohops (bagged)

The problem I had was that I ferment in 5gal corny and jump to a 3gal corny with the clear beer floating dip tip, which alway works like a charm after a one day cold crash. But the fruit pulp would not drop out even after at 3 day crash.
I’ve made this same beer with mango purée and had no problems, but those floating strawberry chunks clogged everything up. I’ll post some pictures once it’s carbed up (I use a spunding valve and the beer was carbonated but it went flat in the process of getting it to serving keg)
 
IMG_0519.jpg


I started force carbonating the beer yesterday around 10:30am at 30psi. Just pulled a sample to see how it’s coming along. What a wonderful nose. It has a bit of a bite to it that I’ve tasted from some commercial examples. I’m meeting up with some members from the brew club tonight so I’ll fill a 32oz grumbler to share with them and get their feedback. I think a couple more days in the keg and that should mellow out some? Maybe not? Either way I’m happy with it so far!
 
Why not transfer to (or ferment in) a keg and hook up the CO2 when you cold crash? No worries with negative pressure that way.

That’s one of the reasons I started fermenting in a keg, that and easy O2 free closed transfers. I just sit lid with 30psi before I cold crash, there is still head pressure when I transfer
 
View attachment 556093

I started force carbonating the beer yesterday around 10:30am at 30psi. Just pulled a sample to see how it’s coming along. What a wonderful nose. It has a bit of a bite to it that I’ve tasted from some commercial examples. I’m meeting up with some members from the brew club tonight so I’ll fill a 32oz grumbler to share with them and get their feedback. I think a couple more days in the keg and that should mellow out some? Maybe not? Either way I’m happy with it so far!

@pshankstar - Looks good Paul. It looks slightly darker than the prev post. I'll be at Prison City Sat at open if you need another person to give her a try. ; )
 
@pshankstar - Looks good Paul. It looks slightly darker than the prev post. I'll be at Prison City Sat at open if you need another person to give her a try. ; )

Thanks bud! The photo makes it look darker than it really is. The feedback I received from the group last night was it was slightly under carbonated, which I knew but otherwise it was very tasty. Slightly bitter for a NEIPA, but not extreme by any means. One of the members asked me if we could swap a growler fill of our beers he enjoyed it so much.

I would love to make it out to Prison City this weekend, but we are celebrating my oldest's birthday on Saturday. Otherwise I would make it out to join you and share some! I still need to make it out there regardless.
 
3.5 gallon batch
OG 1.070
FG 1.018
London ale III
50% 2 row
48% white wheat
2% honey malt
8oz lactose

1.5 oz Apollo
1.5 oz Citra
1.5 oz mosaic
^ half in at flame out, the other half in at 170* whirlpool for 30mins

2.5 oz Citra
2.5 oz mosaic
3lbs strawberries
3lbs mango (fruit was froze then mashed up)
1 vanilla bean sliced/scrapes soaked in vodka for a few days
^ all added on day 4 of fermentation
*Let it go for 8-10 days then rack to purged keg with .5oz of Citra and mosaic cryohops (bagged)

The problem I had was that I ferment in 5gal corny and jump to a 3gal corny with the clear beer floating dip tip, which alway works like a charm after a one day cold crash. But the fruit pulp would not drop out even after at 3 day crash.
I’ve made this same beer with mango purée and had no problems, but those floating strawberry chunks clogged everything up. I’ll post some pictures once it’s carbed up (I use a spunding valve and the beer was carbonated but it went flat in the process of getting it to serving keg)

It’s carbed up and tasting damn fine!
Hopefully it stays that way. It’s creamy, fruity, hoppy and has a slight sweet tart thing going on, It’s hard to tell from picture but it actually has a slight pink tent to it. Will definitely be brewing again but will probably purée the fruit and possibly bag it, also might up the vanilla a bit too.
 

Attachments

  • 354C91F0-2E7D-43A4-997C-80C5F5F39854.jpeg
    354C91F0-2E7D-43A4-997C-80C5F5F39854.jpeg
    476.3 KB
Last edited:
Brewing another variation this weekend.
Mixing it up a bit based on some recent examples I have tasted and different hops to try from Yakima valley. Also received in my new larger mash tun!

6.5 Gallons
OG-1.062
FG- 1.014(ideally)
Mash in at 151. Batch sparge.
10lbs- Golden promise (77%)
2lbs- flaked oats (15%)
1lbs- golden naked oats (8%)

Yeast- 1318

30min- CTZ - 1oz

Flameout/180- 1.0oz equal additions of Azacca, Citra, Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc, Calypso.

Day 3-Dry Hop #1- 1.0oz equal amounts of Mosaic, Azacca, Hallertau Blanc, El Dorado.

Day7- Dry Hop #2- 1.0oz equal amounts of Mosaic, Azacca, Hallertau Blanc, El Dorado.

Total hops- 14oz. (Undecided at this point if I’ll do any keg hopping as I purchased a new keg Hop filter)

Water-standard profile I always use for mouthfeel. start out with RO and add to get to SO4 75, CL 150.

Going to turn around in 14 Days, unless an issue comes up. Haven’t used golden promise in this style, however I have tasted it. Really thought it added some depth. Usually throw in white wheat malt as well, replaced with golden naked oats. Looking forward to it!

Gravity has been done since Tuesday. Timeline for next week looks iffy. So went ahead and kegged. Final gravity at 1.014. ABV- 5.8%

Medium haze, nothing crazy. Nose is huge flavors of peach, pineapple, tropical, spice and dank. Taste is tropical, fruity with hint of bitterness. This hop combo works. Enjoying it immensely even before carbed. Decided against keg hopping. I like to mix up yeast, but 1318 makes it hard.

This is 7 days grain to glass. Hope to be carbed up before the Pats win another one.

IMG_0640.jpg
 
Anyone get a yeast bite on the first couple of pours?

So I tapped the keg yesterday. Got some bite on the first pint, faded on a the second, not there on the third.

Today, first pint had it, but could barely detect it, just enough for me to question myself and process etc. Had a couple Cream ales and returned to an awesome pint with no yeast bite.

So should I expect the bite on the first pour everyday or will it be gone?
 
What yeast did you use? 1318 definitely has a chili bite to it when you first keg to me anyway. It will go away eventually. First few pours will probably have it the most since they are normally extra yeasty.
 
Back
Top