I’m fermenting my first batch using my new fermentation chamber. I’m wondering if someone can give me some tips on cold crashing. I’m using a 14 gal conical fermenter and I have a dual control unit on my chamber, so any temperature should be attainable. I keg my beer, it that changes the discussion at all. Also, I’m sure this topic has been discussed at length, so you could also point me in the right direction on a previous thread. Any and all help is appreciated.
If you keg I wouldn’t bother. Just keg it and “cold crash” in the keg. If you want to try and see if you like it, then drop the temp down to like 32-35 for 3 days then rack to your keg.
Agreed with above. If you’re kegging you essentially cold crash it anyway. Just remember the first couple of pours out of the keg will be a little icky.
I’m cold crashing a carboy right now since I bottle (for now). I’m getting it down to the mid 30’s for cold crashing, then I’ll add some gelatin to clarify.
I keg and cold crash. I too use conicals. I prefer to dump it rather than have it make it to the keg. If you want really clear beer hit the keg with gelatin.
I use a glass carboy no secondary. What always bothered me about cold crashing was the sudden drop in temperature reduced the pressure in the headspace to below atmospheric pressure and all of the airlock contents would get sucked down into the beer. So what I do now is slowly drop the temperature 5 degrees per day until Im cold enough to use gelatin then gel it and let it sit for about a week and a half. By that time it’s crystal clear and I don’t have any kind of gunk in the bottom of the keg. I’m happy with the results I get that way. If you’re using the conical though you could probably pressurized conical and not worry about all that.
Why don’t you just pull the airlock before you crash it.
I secondary, and cold crash in that vessel (adding some gelatin in those rare instances when I’m in a hurry).
The cleared. bright beer then goes into the keg for either serving or further aging.
An extra step, I know…what can I say, other than old habits die hard (and I like the results). :mrgreen:
:cheers:
Why don’t you just pull the airlock before you crash it.[/quote]
Because then I would be sucking air in. It’s just another way of minimizing oxygen exposure. The only time I remove the airlock from the bung is when I gel it. Then I pour the gel solution through a tiny funnel that fits in the bung hole and replace the airlock until I’m ready to keg. Just one brewers way of doing things and it works for me and I’m happy with the result.
Pull the bung and replace it with a solid one then cold crash no worries. Never done it myself, just a suggestion. The way you do it is fine also of course.
Are you using a 3-peice airlock? If filled to the proper height, there shouldn’t be enough liquid to reach the top of the tube to be sucked in. If there is, you’re filling it too high. The easiest way to do this is to take the removable “cup-like” piece from the airlock and fill it with your preferred airlock liquid. Dump about 1/4 of it out and that should be enough liquid to seal but not enough to be sucked into the beer.
All that said, I usually just put some sanitized foil on my carboy’s when cold-crashing and never had any issues with oxidation.
Why don’t you just pull the airlock before you crash it.[/quote]
Because then I would be sucking air in. It’s just another way of minimizing oxygen exposure. The only time I remove the airlock from the bung is when I gel it. Then I pour the gel solution through a tiny funnel that fits in the bung hole and replace the airlock until I’m ready to keg. Just one brewers way of doing things and it works for me and I’m happy with the result.[/quote]
You could fill a red balloon with CO2 and then stretch it over the mouth of the carboy.
Nah…I prefer yellow balloons 
And your only worried about oxidation… :shock:
