Cold Crashing

[Galena]

I am considering giving this a try but have a query:
Oxidisation is a potential issue and I have seen several ways of trying to cope with this, however in the meantime I was thinking of just removing the airtrap and sealing the top so that no air can be drawn in. Obviously the FV will contract but I am thinking that the Speidel is strong enough to cope.
However, after crashing I gather I should bottle it whilst still cold in which case if I open up the cap then it will suck air in. If I let it warm up first will this defeat the purpose and allow particles back into suspension?

 

[Drunkula]

f I let it warm up first will this defeat the purpose and allow particles back into suspension?

No.

 

[Galena]

It was this this thread that made me ask the question

 

[Drunkula]

You've got to open the top either way if you're bottling and heating it back up won't really make much difference. As long as it's finished fermenting then nothing will be brought back into suspension.

I bottle straight from a cold crash. Now I just batch prime in the fermenter by gently stirring about half way down and then pour the priming solution over the back of a spoon so that it distributes well. Then I'll leave it for 15 minutes or more to homogenise. The way I do it will get less oxidation than transferring it to the bottling bucket.

 

[Galena]

So if I take the lid off a contracted cold crash can it do any oxidisation harm as it draws the air in?

 

[Dutto]

Stop worrying!

Cold Crashing doesn't mean that the wort will immediately stop the slow fermentation that happens as the yeast finishes cleaning up the brew.

Carbonating means that there will be sufficient CO2 generated to provide the "fizz" in the brew and to prevent oxidation.

The main thing to worry about is that if you Cold Crash at say 10*C (normal for me) and then serve the bottled brew at 5*C, you may get a "haze" form in the bottle.

Personally, I hate serving any chilled brew. In my home "Cellar Temperature" is ordinarily the floor temperature of my shed; 'cos that's where the brew is stored!

 

[Galena]

Stop worrying!

Cold Crashing doesn't mean that the wort will immediately stop the slow fermentation that happens as the yeast finishes cleaning up the brew.

Carbonating means that there will be sufficient CO2 generated to provide the "fizz" in the brew and to prevent oxidation.

The main thing to worry about is that if you Cold Crash at say 10*C (normal for me) and then serve the bottled brew at 5*C, you may get a "haze" form in the bottle.

Personally, I hate serving any chilled brew. In my home "Cellar Temperature" is ordinarily the floor temperature of my shed; 'cos that's where the brew is stored!

Haha I do tend to over think things. It's not carbonation I am worrying about though, it is Oxidisation.
I will cold crash around 4 deg and tend to serve beer at 12 deg so hopefully chill haze is not an issue.

 

[Drunkula]

if I take the lid off a contracted cold crash can it do any oxidisation harm as it draws the air in?

A tiny, tiny bit - but it's something that we've all got to do unless you're brewing in something where you can pressure transfer with co2.

How are you priming the beer for bottling?

Some people will put sugar in the bottle which will cause a little co2 to be released when it touches it which you could argue pushes air out so there's less oxygen left in the bottle. Don't shake the sugar in afterwards.

Another side of the coin is that if you leave it warm back up it'll fermenter the bottling sugar faster and consume the oxgen in the headspace faster.

But as long as you're not splish-splashing about like some nutcase in a paddling pool you haven't got much to worry about.

 

[Galena]

A tiny, tiny bit - but it's something that we've all got to do unless you're brewing in something where you can pressure transfer with co2.

How are you priming the beer for bottling?

Some people will put sugar in the bottle which will cause a little co2 to be released when it touches it which you could argue pushes air out so there's less oxygen left in the bottle. Don't shake the sugar in afterwards.

Another side of the coin is that if you leave it warm back up it'll fermenter the bottling sugar faster and consume the oxgen in the headspace faster.

But as long as you're not splish-splashing about like some nutcase in a paddling pool you haven't got much to worry about.

I batch prime in the bottling bucket, I am also wondering whether to carefully decant to a clean FV for the cold crash. Im happy to let it warm back up so long as it doesn't defeat the object of cold crashing as alluded to in that other thread I linked to previously

 

[foxy]

I am considering giving this a try but have a query:
Oxidisation is a potential issue and I have seen several ways of trying to cope with this, however in the meantime I was thinking of just removing the airtrap and sealing the top so that no air can be drawn in. Obviously the FV will contract but I am thinking that the Speidel is strong enough to cope.
However, after crashing I gather I should bottle it whilst still cold in which case if I open up the cap then it will suck air in. If I let it warm up first will this defeat the purpose and allow particles back into suspension?

Two things you can't stop contraction and expansion.

As for letting your beer warm up after cold crash I would say yes you are defeating the purpose, haven't tried it myself but Charlie Bamford mentioned it in one of his BeerSmith podcasts.
What someone else mentioned you are worrying too much regarding oxidation, unless you are going to have your bottled beer lying around for an age and a half I wouldn't be worrying.
Keep your beer under 20 C and in the dark they will be fine.

 

[Galena]

Two things you can't stop contraction and expansion.
View attachment 28508
As for letting your beer warm up after cold crash I would say yes you are defeating the purpose, haven't tried it myself but Charlie Bamford mentioned it in one of his BeerSmith podcasts.
What someone else mentioned you are worrying too much regarding oxidation, unless you are going to have your bottled beer lying around for an age and a half I wouldn't be worrying.
Keep your beer under 20 C and in the dark they will be fine.

Thanks
I have seen various contraptions added to the blowoff tube that of course prevent contraction, some have expansion chambers inline so that sucking back water from the trap wont happen but the trap will remain functional. However as far as I can see they will still introduce oxygen.
I'll watch the Charle Bamford podcast.

 

[RichK]

My fermenter doesnt have an airlock as it wouldnt fit in the fridge. Just a tiny hole in the lid. Doesnt seem to have created any problems.

Bottom line. Don't worry. It'll be fine.