Hey all, wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on cold-crashing a lager after D-rest in the fermenter? I will lager in keg for a substantial period (as I’ve always done), but really not crazy about the O2 pickup from the temp drop anymore. I know some use a mylar balloon to counter this. Just wondering if a cold crash even makes sense, knowing I will be cold-lagering and using gelatin in the keg.
I cold crash before lagering for no other reason than it just feels right.
For sure. It’s nice knowing you’re putting the clearest beer possible in your keg, via cold-crashing. Obviously if you use gelatin, you’re dropping a bit more crud out of suspension to the bottom of your keg. I’m wondering how much drops out from cold-crashing vs. how much drops out from gelatin… Is the amount you avoid from cold-crashing worth it? Idk…
Couldn’t give you a comparison since I don’t use gelatin
Thanks Denny. Another question- my ferm fridge is in the basement, and it doesn’t get above 62 down there usually. After ferm was finished, I unplugged fridge and left lid open. My beer is sitting around 61 right now- should I go to the trouble of putting a heat wrap on it to get it up to 65+ for D-rest or no?
Don’t forget that yeast will settle no matter what the temp is if they are inactive. So keep your fermenter at the temp that it’s at and wait. Diacetyl will be re-absorbed over time at that temp too. If you are going to wait away, why not just let 'er be?
Cold crashing is cool. I like it
I don’t bother with cold crashing anymore, and let the beer have a long condition in the keg (with gelatin if I am impatient). I don’t do much of a diacetyl rest either, because my primary phase is usually pretty extended, unless I need to free up space for any reason and the fermenter ends up sitting at ambient for a few days. In most cases, I’m not in a “churn and burn” mode of lager production, so they all get plenty of time. I do a closed transfer whenever possible, and extended conditioning at near-freezing. My lagers end up crystal clear and gorgeous after a month or so!
Do you do anything to mitigate suck-back?
I ferment under pressure and/or spund, then cold crash and hit the fermenter with 10-12 psi of carbonation, so no suck back issues. After a week or so, I push from the fermenter by way of floating dip tube under CO2 to the serving keg and lager for as long as it takes for that keg to come on line. By then my beer is crystal clear after the first pint or so.
I xfer to a keg and cold crash/lager/condition/carbonate under CO2 pressure after fermentation and D rest is complete in the fermenter.
^^^ THIS! When fermentation is complete keg it and let time do the rest.
I use gelatin sometimes, and I add it during the cold crash (I use an anti-suckback balloon). I usually give it 24-48 hours before transferring to kegs. The gelatin clears the beer faster but I don’t know if the end product is any clearer than just using cold and time. I don’t have enough refrigerator space to have kegs waiting for months to tap.
If you pitched plenty of healthy yeast and gave it time to work, you probably don’t need a d rest. I seldom do. But 60ish would be fine. There’s no exact temp for a d rest. All you’re trying to do is make the yeast more active.
im plannig on codifying my lager process as i think im figuring out what works qnd what doesnt for my expectations and system. im very much in favour of cold-crashing and using gelatin with lagers. im a pro-clarity brewer more and more.
So you’re saying you cold crash a “sealed” fermenter with positive Co2 pressure?
Precisely - it prevents an implosion of the fermenter as the temperature drops.
That’s a good idea, thanks.
Yeah, keep O2 out, carbonate the beer, etc.
I put the spunding valve on at about 75% attenuation so I can have positive pressure when I cool crash.