Cold crashing for first time

When I cold crash (first timer), will it suck the starsan out of the airlock as it cools? If so, what do I do about that?

Also, before bottling, do I need to let it come to room temperature before bottling?

You can bottle cold, but will need to let the bottles come up to room temp for conditioning.

The small amount of star san that sucks back in the airlock shouldn’t hurt anything, just be sure to top it off. Or you can get crazy and build a “co2 harvesting airlock.”

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2 piece (S shaped) air locks: yes. 3 piece: no. As voltron said that amount of star san wouldn’t have any negative effect on your beer.

i appreciate all of the advice I read on this forum. Thank you so much!

The S style air lock won’t have any suck back unless it is over filled. Have the Star San solution level just below the max fill lines.

I pull he airlock and put tape over the hole

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I use the 3-piece airlocks and have never had a suckback. And I cold crash everything.

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I’ve had suck back… really sucks… I don’t use any of those airlocks… Blow off hose all the time, all the way… Pull the tubing up (using 2 as I have 2 fermenters) half inch above the water… there should be plenty CO2 in there… When cold, then I dunk them back in the water… Even as It cools a bit to start fermenting, I will pull the tubes up a bit, then when at temp… in to the water… Sneezles61

Don’t mean to be disagreeable @sneezles61 but doesn’t it kind of defeat the purpose of an airlock (blow off hose) if you’re disabling it during the time when it’s sucking outside air into the fermenter. That’s the time you need it most.

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I will pull it when cold crashing… Its in the growler and I’m quite confident that there won’t be any contamination… As for when I first start the fermenting process, I’m fortunate enough to have cold enough water to chill down to 63*… I haven’t had a problem. :sunglasses: Sneezles61