I just purchased a chest freezer so I now have the capability to Cold Crash. I also just purchased everything I need to start kegging. Question, do you cold crash in your fermenter? Or do you perform a closed transfer to your keg and then cold crash? Thanks in advance!!
IMO, cold crashing in the fermenter is better, because you leave the cold crashed stuff (mostly) behind. But, I wouldn't do it if I didn't have a way to maintain positive pressure in the fermenter, to prevent sucking air in.
I agree with VikeMan, and cold crash in the fermenter whenever possible to keep as much sediment in the fermenter as possible before kegging. Pressure fermenters such as the Brewzilla are especially ideal for cold crashing, since they already contain a pressure. Note however, that the pressure reduces significantly when cold crashing. Typically, if your pressure fermenter is at about 12 psi during fermentation in say the 60's F, cold crashing it to 35 F can result in a pressure of about 4 psi, which is still enough to keep out air.
Ehh positive pressure most certainly does little to keep air out. Gaskets do, and if its silicone, may as well have nothing. Soft crash in FV, warm back up, dose fermenter with a sugar solution and then when activity starts. Transfer to keg to finish.
Do you use a spudning valve on the keg to limit the pressure? Also, do you just set your keg CO2 to serving pressure after it’s been keg conditioned for a week or so? Just curious as I’ve never done this but been interested. A local brewery that makes my favorite brown ale says they keg condition instead of force carbonation for a softer beer.
Well if following my advise above, its not really needed. Its just like a bottle priming. If using residual extract of the beer, yes. Since most folks don't do a fast ferment test and know the FG of the resulting beer.
