Cold Crashing

[Harbey]

I've just finished my second AG brew with my first having had a week in the FV. Next weekend, I was thinking I'd be ready for bottling brew #1, but having read more I was wondering if I should cold crash before doing so? If I do, I'm going to have to move the FV to the ordinary kitchen fridge which is currently running at 1C. Is this going to be acceptable or should I not bother with this step yet? And if I do, how much will it slow down the carbonation once I get it bottled? Oh, and how long should I cold crash for? And finally, have I asked enough questions yet, or should I continue? aunsure....

Thanks y'all.

 

[xozzx]

I cold crash almost all my beers. If you can fit the FV in the fridge I would go for it, it will make the beer clearer much sooner than if you didnt cold crash.
1C is perfect temp, I normally crash at 0.5C, or 0C if highish ABV. As far as I know (could be wrong) the bottles will start carbonating as soon as they are back upto temp, this would likely take less than 12 hrs so no real affect on the time.

 

[Harbey]

Sold

Sounds worth it for what little extra effort is involved then.

 

[xozzx]

One thing to be aware of is when you chill the FV it will suck air in through the airlock. If you have a blowoff tube it will suck all the liquid in with it.
My next brew I plan to fill a couple of big gas bags with the CO2 during fermentation, then re-attach these when crashing to minimise oxygen getting in. Uptill now I just accept that some air will get in and hope the cushion of CO2 above the beer will protect it.

 

[Druncan]

I keg and cold crash over 4 days 2-6*C. Mainly as I use no finings and it really works. Beers through in 10-15 days for me. I use 25psi CO2 every day. Then just leave it alone.

 

[Harbey]

So, how do I know when the beer has finished 'crashing' or do I just leave it a few days then bottle?

 

[ACBEV]

I've never cold crashed beer. I understand why people think they need to do it. I just don't feel its a necessary part of the brewing process. My beer is always super clear, just with some kettle finings and a little time. Getting all your brewing duck to stand in a row, helps too.

 

[Harbey]

So, my beer has been in the FV for 11 days now. I'm about to take a gravity reading, but I suspect it's finished. When I bottle, I'm going to Syphon into another bucket, add the priming sugar and then start bottling from that, rather than adding sugar to each bottle. In which case, once I'm sure it's finished, could I move it to the second bucket, move that to a cold fridge to crash, wait a couple of days and then bottle from there? Just seems a bit easier somehow.

 

[Dutto]

So, my beer has been in the FV for 11 days now. I'm about to take a gravity reading, but I suspect it's finished. When I bottle, I'm going to Syphon into another bucket, add the priming sugar and then start bottling from that, rather than adding sugar to each bottle. In which case, once I'm sure it's finished, could I move it to the second bucket, move that to a cold fridge to crash, wait a couple of days and then bottle from there? Just seems a bit easier somehow.

For me, racking off a brew into a second bucket to cold crash it is too much messing about, so what I normally do after two weeks is:

• Drop the temperature in the fridge down to 10*C for two days (to assist with clearing the brew).
• Take the FG and if it is as planned (usually 1.010 or below) then: (*)
  • Transfer the brew to a bottling bucket.
  • Add the dissolved sugar.
  • Add the Hop Tea (if part of the plan).
  • Bottle from the Bottling Bucket.

(*)

If the SG isn't where I expect it to be after cold crashing I go through my "stuck brew" routine. i.e. Rouse up the yeast and oxygenate the wort, add a teaspoonful of yeast nutrient, add a sachet of Gervin - 12 yeast and increase the temperature up to 22*C for another week before checking the SG again.

 

[GerritT]

I've never cold crashed beer. I understand why people think they need to do it. I just don't feel its a necessary part of the brewing process. My beer is always super clear, just with some kettle finings and a little time. Getting all your brewing duck to stand in a row, helps too.

True, time works as well. My favourite way to go: rack to secondary, wait a few days and leave it outside for a night (if temps are around or below 15-ish). Nobody complained about my beer yet.