Cold crashing over night

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by CADETS3, Sep 4, 2015.

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  1. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    i have a scotch ale that's been in the primary for 3 weeks and it's finished now. I was planning on dropping down the temp to 36 degrees over night to drop the yeast into suspension to try to help clear the beer. With that being said, if I do this, how will this affect the bottling process? Will I be losing the yeast needed to carbonate? Is this a recommend process or not?
     
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Assuming you had a normal fermentation, you'll still have plenty of yeast left to carbonate.
     
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  3. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    I would say everything was normal. I added some candy sugar after the first week to give it a little alcohol boost. Other than that, I'd say everything was pretty normal.
     
  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I'd say you're good to go.
     
  5. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    People bottle ferment all the time after cold crashing and gelatin fining. With cold crashing alone you should be more than fine.
     
  6. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    A one day cold crash won't do much. A 4-5 day cold crash will drop a lot of yeast.
     
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  7. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    @kellyst I am unfamiliar with gelatin fining, do you mind explaining?
    @Brew_Betty well I don't have much time so I guess I'll bring the temp down now then to help it more.
     
  8. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    you will have plenty of yeast to bottle ferment after cold crashing. I think even if you crash for a good few days or weeks you will still have enough yeast to get a re-fermentation going, it might take a bit longer.

    gelatin fining is easy and most of us who use this method are very satisfied.
    the process is simple. 1/2 package of unflavored gelatin. Knox brand from the supermarket is fine. put the gelatin in a few ounces of hot but not boiling water (there has been a debate about what happens if you boil the water, jello beer? or it doesn't work right?). anyway, let it sit for a few. you'll probably have to stir it up a bit to break up the lumps of gelatin goo.

    dump that into your bottling bucket, or keg and mix it up. done.
    Cheers.
     
  9. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

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  10. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Terry Foster's (of BYO fame) method:
    1/2 cup water
    1 level tsp. unflavored (Knox) gelatin
    Rest ~5-10 minutes
    Nuke 20 sec.
    Stir.
    Cool (don't chill)
    Add to bottling bucket and mix well.
     
  11. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    Its fine, but you will have to adjust your priming sugar amount. The temperature of the beer affects how much CO2 will already be dissolved in it. The cooler it is, the less sugar you need. Use a calculator like http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/priming-sugar-calculator/ to dial it in.

    Also remember carbing should be done around 70* so after you bottle you'll want to store them room temp and since they won't jump right to 70 you'll probably have to tack on a day or so to your usual carb time.
     
  12. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I would use the pre-crash temperature for the priming sugar calculation. Colder beer can hold more CO2, but where's it going to come from overnight, with fermentation already over?
     
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  13. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    Well, I'm getting conflicting thoughts so should I bottle tomorrow or wait longer?
     
  14. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    I decided to just wait until Monday to bottle to drop as much yeast as possible.
     
  15. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Pull the air lock off and throw some aluminum foil over the bung. Cooling the beer will create a vacuum and you don't want to add any more liquid to your beer. :slight_smile: I forget this every time I cold crash.
     
  16. ChuckHardslab

    ChuckHardslab Maven (1,251) Jan 25, 2012 Texas

    I lagered a bock for 8-9 weeks at 34 degrees over the summer. I bottled as usual and they were nicely carbed in about 10 days.
     
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  17. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    @inchrisin
    Man, I'm sure glad you helped me either that bit of information. I just got home and checked the beer and what do you know, there was liquid in my blow off tube! Thanks for that bit of knowledge!
     
  18. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    Helped me with*
     
  19. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    Headspace?
     
  20. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The pressure of the CO2 in the headspace (which would be the thing trying to drive CO2 into solution) will be reduced along with the temperature.
     
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