Should I bother with cold crash?

[WarEagleBrewer]

I've got a Cascade IPA in the ferm chamber right now. I'm going to naturally carb in the keg and dry hop in the keg when primary is done. Should I even bother with a cold crash and gelatin fining since I'm doing this? I assume the dryhop and in-keg natural carb will just muck up clarity again anyway.....opinions?

 

[Homercidal]

What you want to do isn't exactly the model of convenience for a clear beer. Dry hopping in the keg is great for long-term hop character, but the colder temps makes it happen slower then if you dry hopped in secondary, or even primary after fermentation is complete.

It might be best to cold crash right after fermentation is complete, then rack to keg and prime with sugar and dry hop. You may wish to remove the dry hops after so many days to keep unwanted flavors from creeping in. At that point the beer might be foamy due to the carbonation and all of the hops in it. Might be tricky to remove the hops without some kind of mess.

 

[jddevinn]

Do you have a way to put positive pressure on the fermenter during the cold crash? If not you shouldn't cold crash in it or you will likely oxidize the beer.

When I naturally carb I cold crash the entire keg when done, then transfer the beer (after pouring off some cloudy beer) to another keg (that was properly purged) so that "bumping" the keg doesn't make it all cloudy again.

 

[GPP33]

I usually cold crash then dry hop in the keg (at room temp). The hops add some haze. Can't say I've split one in half after primary and done side by side comparison between cold crashed and not cold crashed though so I have no idea what if anything it's getting me.

 

[Sailingeric]

I often don't cold crash. Just put it the keg, while it is carbing for week in the kegarator that is covers the cold crash for me. I pour off the first pint of what ever settles out and usually the beer is mostly clear and what is left will usually clear in a few days.

 

[Grantman1]

I do a mix of the above. Cold crash all of my beers and add gelatin once it gets cold, then rack to keg after 48hrs and put it on gas. Crystal clear beer almost immediately.