I've heard some brewers talking about cooling the beer over a longer period (couple of days) to avoid chill haze, and was wondering if there was any evidence to suggest that this is more effective at reducing chill haze than a sudden cold crash?
Sudden cold crash vs gentle ramp down.
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When I'm lagering I bring the temp down slowly so the yeast stay active,when chilling to clear for packaging I just put in the kegerator @36* (cold as it gets) overnite is good unless dry hopped, then sometimes 2-3 days. Wish I was able to get to 32*,I here it clears real fast then.
believe me if you cold crash five gallons there is no such thing as sudden
it takes hours to go from 68 f to 32-33 F
all the best
S_M
it takes hours to go from 68 f to 32-33 F
all the best
S_M
The reason for slow crashing is to keep the yeast active but I don't think the yeast will uptake the haze. Tools such as a water spreadsheet to dial in pH and whirfloc go a long way to prevent chill haze. Then there is gelatine and biofine the help on the cold side.
That's a crash. A decline is 1 - 2 °/day.
Wanted to revive this thread since I’ve got a lager at FG and looking to crash soon. Common parlance says lower temperature 1-2F/day, but by that math it’s gonna take me 2-4 weeks to reach lagering temperatures (35-37F) from my diacetyl rest (61-63F). That’s just absurd. Commercial breweries churn out lagers within a 4-week cycle — why are homebrewers relegated to this insane schedule?
Is there a reason beyond keeping the yeast active to prevent oxygen ingress? I ferment in kegs and have 11 psi of headspace pressure...I don’t see oxygen ingress happening.
Is there a reason beyond keeping the yeast active to prevent oxygen ingress? I ferment in kegs and have 11 psi of headspace pressure...I don’t see oxygen ingress happening.
If you use this method you don't need a diacetyl rest so you will be sliding from somehwere near 50 °F, not near 60 °F.
Yes, there is a reason for this, It makes better beer. See Kunze.
Yes, there is a reason for this, It makes better beer. See Kunze.
Can you explain that a bit? Or provide a link for reference material?
I did. Kunze. That has, also, been my experience. It is the process that the Germans evolved over time which they found made the best beer given the resources they had (Bavarian icd caves as opposed to modern chillers). Gradual cooling and 3 months lagering is not obviously practical in a modern brewery. Diacetyl rests and crashes make acceptable lagers but the traditional way makes better one (obviously some opinion here). The only place I can remember seeing this discussed in a text book is Kunze.
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Cold crashing can shock yeast into producing some off flavors/compounds you don’t want in your beer. It depends on the yeast and other variables.
If you do a diacetyl rest on a lager there’s no reason to cool slowly over a long period. 5* per day is what I’d recommend. That slow cooling is critical for traditonal lager brewing where ferments don’t get above say 50. Lager yeast has the ability to work and consume diacetyl and other off flavors at much lower temps. Slowly cooling 1-2* per day keeps the yeast in suspension and working even lower than 40*.
If you pitch enough yeast there’s zero reason to do a diacetyl rest. I’ve never made a lager with diacetyl and often they never get above 47 or 48. I also have no desire to produce a 4 week lager personally.
If you do a diacetyl rest on a lager there’s no reason to cool slowly over a long period. 5* per day is what I’d recommend. That slow cooling is critical for traditonal lager brewing where ferments don’t get above say 50. Lager yeast has the ability to work and consume diacetyl and other off flavors at much lower temps. Slowly cooling 1-2* per day keeps the yeast in suspension and working even lower than 40*.
If you pitch enough yeast there’s zero reason to do a diacetyl rest. I’ve never made a lager with diacetyl and often they never get above 47 or 48. I also have no desire to produce a 4 week lager personally.
That’s much more helpful, thank you.
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