Why Cold Crash B4 Kegging???

[knash3]

After reading a recent thread about sani being sucked into the carboy during cold crash, and similar crisis re oxidation during cold crash, I started thinking (dangerous indeed!) Why cold crash before kegging beer? Sure it makes sense when bottling as the opportunity to clarify before bottling is worth some inconvenience and risk. But, why do so before kegging? Isn't kegging and cold conditioning (or even just carbing at serving temp) a form of cold crash? I'm fine with the first 1/2 pint off a keg being poured down the drain, then pouring clear beer as the solids have been removed. I'm not sure my racking precision is sufficient to get me zero gunk when cold crashing anyway. Sure I would cold crash at 34F and serve at 38F, is that difference worth the hassle of cold crashing?

 

[Yesfan]

I used to cold crash, but I don't anymore. To me, it just seems like an unnecessary step. Once the beer is kegged, it's technically going to already be cold crashed once it gets to serving temperature.


I've gotten some really clear looking beers with using nothing more than a whirlfloc addition at 15 minutes in the boil, so for me, I don't see the point.

 

[The_Bishop]

I cold crash so I can put commercial level clarity beers in my kegs and to keep the sludge out of my serving system. Cold crash + gelatin fining. There are ways around pulling oxygen into with fermenter.

 

[day_trippr]

I dry hop nearly everything I brew using free-swimming pellets, and the crash drops them hard to the bottom, making racking to keg a piece o' proverbial cake. Two to three weeks in the cold-carbing fridge, and if I did a decent job of that racking, the first pour comes out sparkling...

Cheers!

 

[acidrain]

Another advantage of fermenting/cold crashing/transferring under pressure.

 

[MagicMatt]

I do it in my carboy before kegging because I don't want all that slop going in my keg (hop debris, unstettled yeast and trub, gelatin finings, etc). The carboy is already dirty as all getup from primary fermentation, so just leave all that junk in there. That way if I happen to need to move my keg around, it won't stir up all that nastiness that I worked so hard to get to drop bright.

 

[ss4ivan]

I agree with Yesfan. coldcrashing is a waste of my time. I get just as clear of beers using the whirlfloc tab at 15 minutes in the boil as I do if I did the coldcrash and gelatin. No matter what you do, your going to get some sludge in the keg. Your not going to drop all your yeast out with a 24 or 48 hour coldcrash. I siphon above the trub level and get minimal gunk in my keg. Just have to make sure to wait at least 4 days for dryhops to drop out. It all clears up.

 

[MagicMatt]

I get just as clear of beers using the whirlfloc tab at 15 minutes in the boil as I do if I did the coldcrash and gelatin. No matter what you do, your going to get some sludge in the keg.

Are you calling me a liar? Want to bet?

Seriously though, I highly doubt you're getting as clear of beer as I am without cold crashing and fining, unless you're using a filter. There's been experiments to prove it. Now maybe your threshold for clarity is lower than mine, so your beer is "clear enough" to you, but that's not the same thing as getting the same level of clarity.

I don't have any sludge in my kegs when they kick (except for stouts which I do not crash or fine). Hence the reasoning behind cold crashing and fining in the carboy. You can't tell me that "no matter what I do", because I do it.

P.S. Whirfloc is a kettle fining agent. It's purpose is to get the proteins and Beta glucans to precipitate out and settle in the kettle before transferring to the fermentor. From my understanding (and experience) it has much to do with wort clarity, little to do with beer clarity.

 

[ss4ivan]

Are you calling me a liar? Want to bet?

Seriously though, I highly doubt you're getting as clear of beer as I am without cold crashing and fining, unless you're using a filter. There's been experiments to prove it. Now maybe your threshold for clarity is lower than mine, so your beer is "clear enough" to you, but that's not the same thing as getting the same level of clarity.
.

True enough. And yes, I did see the exbeeriment for that. I have tried this experiment on my own system and the cold crash/fining batch is much clearer at first but they both end up same clarity after more time in the keg. And I am willing to accept the fact that mine take longer to clear. Cold crashing and finings are extra steps that I am too lazy to do.
Cheers

 

[MagicMatt]

Ah yes, as with most things, time will definitely help. I'm just impatient!

 

[chickypad]

I dry hop nearly everything I brew using free-swimming pellets, and the crash drops them hard to the bottom, making racking to keg a piece o' proverbial cake. Two to three weeks in the cold-carbing fridge, and if I did a decent job of that racking, the first pour comes out sparkling...

Same for me, I only bother cold crashing dry hopped beers because loose hops seem to be the primary cause of diptube clogging. I don't mind the dusting of trub for most beers, but even with naturally carbed kegs yeast sludge pours out fine on the first pint. Hops though, that's a nightmare.

 

[iijakii]

I stopped but am thinking of it again. Freezing temps def work better than the 40s my kegerator runs at. Not enough for me to care too much tho I admit to not caring about clarity too much, bit Gavin and his crystal clear pils has me jelly

 

[Zepth]

I'm one of the odd folks who have my keezer set to cellar temperature. Crashing takes as long in there as finishing the keg does. Fining / crash before racking for sure.

 

[smAllGrain]

For this of you who cold crash in the keg, how's this for a lager? After d-rest, while still at 60F, transfer to keg & cold crash/lager?

 

[chickypad]

For this of you who cold crash in the keg, how's this for a lager? After d-rest, while still at 60F, transfer to keg & cold crash/lager?

That's what I do.

 

[smAllGrain]

That's what I do.

Sweet, I assume your first couple of pulls are "yeasty"?

 

[chickypad]

Even without cold crash or gelatin I tend to transfer pretty clear beer into the keg. Unless I'm naturally carbing in the keg I get about a half pint of cloudy then it's fine.

 

[smAllGrain]

Thanks for the input!