I’ve got 5 gals of stout with US05 that I fermented at 66 F, and then warmed up to 73 F overnight. Early Saturday (perhaps as early as 5 am ) I plan to put it in a fridge set at a temp of about 35 F and then bottle it on Sunday afternoon.
Will the rapid cool down hurt the yeast as far as bottle carbonation is concerned? I’m on a time-constraint regarding bottling because of family from out of town coming to stay with me for a few days.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
With regards to bottle conditioning, no, you’ll be fine.
I’ve heard some talk about cold crashing too fast harms the yeast (Jon Palmer, maybe?) but I haven’t experience negative results. Be mindful that the temperature change will create a vacuum though and you’ll get suck-back.
A follow up question:
If I store my bottled beer in the same fridge at 35 F do I need to cold crash it in the fermenter? I don’t mind if there’s crud in the bottom of the bottle and I don’t enter competition with it. Is there any practical difference between cold crashing it in the fermenter or cold crashing it in the bottle? I do warm bottles up a bit before drinking the brew.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
“Crash” says it all…do it as quickly as possible.
Yep, verify you’re at FG and crash away.
Biggest benefit would be less crud in the bottom.
I would recommend that you allow your beer to warm up a bit close to room temps after the cold crash though, as this will help accelerate your bottle conditioning allowing the yeast to get to work a bit faster on your priming sugar rather than bottling cold beer.
Faster bottle conditioning leaves to less time that the oxygen in the headspace can do its detriment to your hard earned brew in the bottle.