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Author Topic: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?  (Read 1772 times)

Offline ANDREW.GROGAN1

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Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« on: September 20, 2015, 07:05:07 am »
I just brewed a pumpkin ale 2 weeks ago.  I leave for a week and half long business trip tomorrow and was thinking about transferring it to a secondary and cold crashing to about 38 degrees for the time I'm gone.  Is there any harm in doing this?  Anything to worry about with chill haze?  I am still a little unclear on what exactly causes chill haze.  On a few other forms that I read, there were contradicting opinions  on whether this could cause haze.  I think it more just me misunderstanding.

Thoughts?

Offline majorvices

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2015, 07:45:31 am »
You should cold crash every beer, ale or lager. It is standard brewery practice. the only time a beer would not be "traditionally" cold crashed is if it were going into a pin or firkin.

Offline ANDREW.GROGAN1

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2015, 08:04:25 am »
You should cold crash every beer, ale or lager. It is standard brewery practice. the only time a beer would not be "traditionally" cold crashed is if it were going into a pin or firkin.

So just throwing it in my ferm chamber at 38 degrees for 2 weeks will be fine?  No chill haze?

Offline ANDREW.GROGAN1

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2015, 08:12:17 am »
Also, if I cold crash, will there be enough yeast left in suspension to carb in a bottle?

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2015, 08:22:32 am »
No worries - there'll be plenty of yeast left to carb the beer after crashing.
Jon H.

Offline majorvices

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2015, 07:01:12 am »
You should cold crash every beer, ale or lager. It is standard brewery practice. the only time a beer would not be "traditionally" cold crashed is if it were going into a pin or firkin.

So just throwing it in my ferm chamber at 38 degrees for 2 weeks will be fine?  No chill haze?

You want to cold crash to create chill haze to let it drop out of suspension. Chill haze may or may not be there but you will get less chill haze if you cold crash (which also drops the yeast) and fine at the same time. Just making the beer 'cold" doesn't create the chill haze, it is there regardless and will form when you get the beer cold anyway and usually will drop out over time even without fining. Or were you planning on drinking your beer warm? ;)

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2015, 07:04:02 am »
you will get less chill haze if you cold crash (which also drops the yeast) and fine at the same time.


+1
Jon H.

Offline ANDREW.GROGAN1

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2015, 07:16:16 am »
You should cold crash every beer, ale or lager. It is standard brewery practice. the only time a beer would not be "traditionally" cold crashed is if it were going into a pin or firkin.

So just throwing it in my ferm chamber at 38 degrees for 2 weeks will be fine?  No chill haze?

You want to cold crash to create chill haze to let it drop out of suspension. Chill haze may or may not be there but you will get less chill haze if you cold crash (which also drops the yeast) and fine at the same time. Just making the beer 'cold" doesn't create the chill haze, it is there regardless and will form when you get the beer cold anyway and usually will drop out over time even without fining.

Is 5 days at 38 or so long enough to form chill haze and allow it to drop?

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2015, 09:55:57 am »
Once my beer is completely fermented out I set my controller to 30F. Overnight the beer will reach 30F. Then I fine with 1/4oz of gelatin disolved in 4oz 150-155ยบ water. I let that sit 3 days to a week depending on when I find time to bottle.

Offline jtoots

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Re: Any harm in cold crashing an ale?
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2015, 10:56:41 am »
Once my beer is completely fermented out I set my controller to 30F.

+1 - best results in my experience when you drop it a tad below 32.