whats the difference between cold crashing and putting kegged beer in the fridge

[jonp9576]

so i've been reading about cold crashing and i dont really get it. yes, you put the primary in the fridge so the yeast falls for clear beer.

some say do it in the primary, some say secondary. whats the difference, wont the yeast still fall?

i dont think i've cold crashed, but i might have.

i keg from my primary and let it sit for a couple weeks inder pressure to carb and condition. then it goes into the fridge under the serving pressure for a week, then i pour the first beer after that. is this cold crashing, or should i do it before i keg?

one more question, i plan on building a big stainless fermenter. this wont fit in the fridge, how do i cold crash it?

5 gal secondaries?
in kegs?

 

[Kilgore_Trout]

I cold crash for a few days before I keg just so that the sediment doesn't end up in the fermenter. I'm not one for nitpicking so I'd say your method is fine.

 

[eschatz]

I always transfer to keg and then throw it in the fridge. That's cold crashing as far as I'm concerned. In a couple of days it's clean if I come from the secondary. If I come from the primary it takes at least a week.

That's all that I do.

 

[jonp9576]

it confused me a little, i was under the impression that if you get beer cold, then warm again it will skunk. someone told me this wasnt true, but wouldnt cold crashing then letting the beer age let it get warm again?

 

[Jared311]

If you cold crash is a keg, won't the first few pints have a lot of sediment?

 

[Jolly McStanson]

I would think that when you cold crash the keg, you leave it cold until you drink the cold beer. The first few glasses will not be clear. This is what iv been doing.

I cold crash down cellar over by the bulk head. Its really cold down there in the winter.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Different yeasts flocculate out differently, some yeasts stay in suspension, others fall cleanly out. Cold crashing in either the primary or the secondary works fine, as long as the yeast have had time to work and then clean up after themselves. I don't secondary anymore, I do everything right in the primary. Adding Gelatin can help fine as well. I like to get as clean as possible into serving tanks.

Eastside

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Different yeasts flocculate out differently, some yeasts stay in suspension, others fall cleanly out. Cold crashing in either the primary or the secondary works fine, as long as the yeast have had time to work and then clean up after themselves. I don't secondary anymore, I do everything right in the primary. Adding Gelatin can help fine as well. I like to get as clean as possible into serving tanks.

Eastside

Ha. I have been toiling with the the idea of adding gelatin to an extended primary to ensure clarity but, since i had done multi step protein rests I began to convince myself it won't be necessary. You have caused me to re-think this. Blast you.

I always considered cold crashing as taking the beer to near freezing as opposed to just taking it to serving temp.............

 

[Jolly McStanson]

How about using the keg as the primary. That first glass of beer is going to be tough to get down. Ever have a tasty glass of trub? mmmmmmm

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I don't keg, but if I did I would still cold crash in the primary then transfer. The idea is to get the beer as clear as possible before going into the serving vessel, whatever that might be.

 

[jonp9576]

i am trying it with my most recent brew. its ready to be kegged right now. i put it in the fridge. so a few days there and then keg?

do i need to keep it cold then, or can i let it sit out?

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Ha. I have been toiling with the the idea of adding gelatin to an extended primary to ensure clarity but, since i had done multi step protein rests I began to convince myself it won't be necessary. You have caused me to re-think this. Blast you.

I always considered cold crashing as taking the beer to near freezing as opposed to just taking it to serving temp.............

Gila, you mention something crucial to this topic, TEMPERATURE! That is exactly it, to cold crash is not to simply put in a fridge and bring to serving temp. It is to get it as cold as possilble without freezing it. I usually get it to 34 or 35 degrees and keep it there for three days. If you are careful and you don't mind leaving a little beer behind, you can get crystal clean beer and then you probably would'nt need Gelatin, I just do it because it's part of my routine.

Eastside