Cold crash question - WUT to do post crash

beermebeavis · February 1, 2018, 11:21pm

I typically “cold crash” at the end of fermentation, by dropping the temp to 32F for about two days.

This works well, especially when I use gelatin as well, in clearing the beer.

My question, though, relates to WUT to do After cold crash…My norm is- After cold crash, I set the fermentation bucket on a waist-high shelf for three to 6 hours, or sometimes even overnite. I do this practice as use a autosiphon to rack the beer from bucket into keg, and the bucket must sit above the keg in order for gravity to do its job/I allow the bucket to set on that shelf for a few hours in hopes that any particles of yeast, hops, etc that have become “unsettled” and suspended in the beer have time to settle back to the bottom of the bucket prior to racking. The ambient temp in the room is about 65F.

I am concerned that moving, then waiting, will allow the already-cold-crashed yeast to reactivate and start up again.

So, is it a good idea to 1) move the bucket to the shelf for racking, then allow any particles to settle for a few hours prior to racking?, or,
2) move bucket to shelf and immediately rack?

brew_cat · February 1, 2018, 11:40pm

Very quietly move the bucket then rack it cold for two reasons if you wait maybe the sediment may start to rise with the warming not sure about thermodynamics so just a guess. Second is if the beer stays cold you can immediately start carbin it

uncdeo · February 2, 2018, 12:33am

I like to rack cold…right from ported fermenter to keg through the outpost.

loopie_beer · February 2, 2018, 1:34am

When I used carboys I found that if you moved then very gently after crashing the sediment that would be roused up was very minimal and resettled after about an hour. Gentle, careful racking was also paramount.

sneezles61 · February 2, 2018, 11:42am

And of course, your keg will become cold, sediment will drop, a few pints later… it clears up just fine… I do as Uncdeo does. Sneezles61

dannyboy58 · February 2, 2018, 3:12pm

If you’re kegging why not keg it, THEN cold crash it? That’s my MO.

Steve · February 2, 2018, 3:43pm

Maybe you could just raise the refrigerator up about 3 feet, cold crash, and rack without moving the fermenter. I move the fermenter gently, as short a distance as possible, then carefully siphon a few minutes later.

sneezles61 · February 2, 2018, 6:32pm

I cold crash before so I don’t get as much sediment… Not as much debris in the keg to clean later too… In fact, today I will rack my 9% IPA into the keg, let it sit at room temp with another 4 oz. cascade… I will chill next week and carb it then… Sneezles61

brew_cat · February 2, 2018, 10:09pm

I’m doing the same to an amerillo/ citra pale ale

dannyboy58 · February 2, 2018, 10:59pm

Yea I figure that’s the reason most do. I just don’t see it as much of an issue. Never that much gunk in the bottom of the keg unless I push one too soon.

beermebeavis · February 4, 2018, 4:53am

Thanks all the consensus in general sounds as if

move bucket to shelf after cold crash; immediately rack to keg.

I will probably try this in the future, and forego the “waiting several hours to ‘re-settle’ the suspended particles in the bucket” practice.