what is cold crashing?
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It causes the sediment and yeast to fall out of suspension and make the beer clearer. You can do it before you bottle or package it up. I was able to move stuff around in my fridge to fit it. Let it sit for 24-48 hours.
Using a swamp cooler won't be effective...it would be far too much work and too much ice. You're best bet would be to forget about it and drink hazy beer orrrrr you can go on craigslist and pick up a mini fridge or chest freezer for under 100$. Of course this depends on how much you want stable temps or clear beer and how much your wife will let you spend on this hobby.
woozy
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It's not an odd statement per se. It's just an overstatement.
As novices we get very sensitive and hyper about our about our methods compared to others. ("OMIgod!! I just found out SprBrwr2000 adds his irish moss at 8 minutes before the flameout and here I've been adding it at 15! I can't believe it! All this time I've been drinking pig-slop! Well, time for me to purge ever bottle I've ever made and start again!")
Cold crashing is an option. But it's only an option. If it's impractical to do, well, then don't do it.
I use my swamp cooler to crash my IPA's.
Yes, it's more effort and takes ice, but it works.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/cold-crashing-too-high-maintenence-423881/index4.html
Yes, it's more effort and takes ice, but it works.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/cold-crashing-too-high-maintenence-423881/index4.html
It's an over statement only because I assumed haze was the issue here. Otherwise why cold crash? To reduce the sediment in bottles? That would seem like a waste of ice and time for just a little less sediment.
Hot/cold breakes, irish moss, modified grains, hops, yeast strain, etc. all have an effect on haze. I should have stated that it might be more important that he focuses on these areas if haze is an issue.
Wait, so you have clear beer already...so why cold crash
woozy
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Fair enough. You are forgiven.
Well, that was the OP's question. S/he had heard of cold crashing and didn't know what it was or what it was for or if s/he should do it.
Because this is a beginner's beer forum. The OP heard of cold crashing. Is it something he should be doing? Is it something everybody else but him is doing? Is everyone on the planet having fantastic beer while the OP is having poor beer that he in his ignorance thinks is okay but really isn't and it's all because everyone else on the planet does the absolutely essential step of cold crashing and by not doing this essential step the OP is making swill and he's just to dumb to know it? Gee, it helps clear beer... well, maybe the OP always thought his beers were clear enough but they could always stand to be clearer. Maybe he should try it. Does he have room for it? Can he make room for it? Well, ****... if he can't do it are his beers doomed to be sub par?Wait, so you have clear beer already...so why cold crash
It's all that type of questioning.
Upshot is, it's not necessary but some folks find it's a nice method to clear beer up. It's best with a fridge. It can be done with a swamp cooler and a lot of ice but many, myself included but VonAle feels otherwise, that that would be too much hassle to be worth it.
My key point is: as good and a useful a step it may be, in the end is utterly *optional*.
If you have decently clear beer already then you're doing pretty well. Cold crashing and/or gelatin will probably you even clearer. But most breweries with crystal clear beer filter. Cold conditioning/crashing will get you a step closer.
Cold crashing will cause the yeast to drop out of solution. The colder it is the faster it drops out generally. Chilling also causes the haze forming proteins to form and eventually drop out if kept cold for a while. You can do this in your fridge if you have enough space for a case or two. After conditioning/carbing let them sit for a week or two in the fridge and they will clear even more. Gelatin theoretically attracts/binds to proteins/yeast in the beer and causes them to drop out faster and more efficiently. Instead of only cold crashing I add gelatin and get pretty clear beer.
I misinterpreted your question, should have stated that before.
Cold crashing will cause the yeast to drop out of solution. The colder it is the faster it drops out generally. Chilling also causes the haze forming proteins to form and eventually drop out if kept cold for a while. You can do this in your fridge if you have enough space for a case or two. After conditioning/carbing let them sit for a week or two in the fridge and they will clear even more. Gelatin theoretically attracts/binds to proteins/yeast in the beer and causes them to drop out faster and more efficiently. Instead of only cold crashing I add gelatin and get pretty clear beer.
I misinterpreted your question, should have stated that before.
