When to Cold Crash

[Goldenmask64]

This may be in another thread, but I am just setting out with my first brew, an Irish Red. I've been reading a lot about bottling, cold crashing, etc.

My question is would it be an issue to transfer to a bottling container, let's say another carboy, then cold crash? It seems like this would eliminate almost all trub.

 

[Natdavis777]

You can transfer to another vessel to cold crash if you would like, you just run the risk of oxidation/infection. That risk is very small though as long as you are careful about sanitation and splashing of the wort. I wont tell you its completely wrong or right to do, you should do what you are comfortable with. I used to always transfer to a secondary, then to a keg, etc. Finally, I got sick of all the transfers and I do most of my stuff in the primary now with no ill effect.

 

[JBIII]

Goldenmask,

Welcome to homebrewing and I hope you grow to love it! My best advice to you as a first time brewer is to just keep it as simple as possible by focusing on the ingredients, temperature, science and cleanliness....

Cold crashing really only impacts the clarity of your beer, not necessarily the flavor...if you do your best to eliminate trub during the initial transfer to your primary fermenter you won't have anything to worry about after that...if you cold condition you run the risk of dropping too much yeast out of suspension with not enough left over to properly carbonate your beer once you move to bottle carbonate...

Hope this helps and happy brewing...

 

[AnOldUR]

I do most of my stuff in the primary now with no ill effect.

So . . . if nothing else, primary only won't make me sick. That's very useful information.

 

[AnOldUR]

...if you cold condition you run the risk of dropping too much yeast out of suspension with not enough left over to properly carbonate your beer once you move to bottle carbonate...

Hope this helps and happy brewing...

Yes, that was very helpful. :smack:

Time to draw another pint.

 

[Natdavis777]

So . . . if nothing else, primary only won't make me sick. That's very useful information.

Well, that depends on how much you drink!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[paperairplane]

I BIAB and make a lot of pale, IPA and brown ales. I use US05 almost all the time. My beer is crystal clear.

I dump the whole boil into the bucket. No whirfloc or Irish moss.

Primary fermenter only - 3 weeks, swamp cooler in basement to keep 65* or less.

Cold crash in primary in keezer 2 days @38*F (yes I keep my beer cold).

Rack to keg (carefully), force carb 2 days, put on service pressure. No gelatin.

Let it sit another 3 days - grain to glass 30 days.

I average two 5 gal batches a month and using this method I see no negative effect on clarity because of trub, break material, no secondary, etc. Cold crashing with US05 makes it compact really solid, just don't siphon yeast into the keg.

 

[Goldenmask64]

Cold crashing really only impacts the clarity of your beer, not necessarily the flavor...if you do your best to eliminate trub during the initial transfer to your primary fermenter you won't have anything to worry about after that...if you cold condition you run the risk of dropping too much yeast out of suspension with not enough left over to properly carbonate your beer once you move to bottle

That makes a lot of sense. I will have to see what it looks like in another week and a half when fermentation is done. Being my first batch I would rather it taste good than look good.