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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Brewing Discussion --> Bottle Conditioning after Cold Crashing

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hoppybrewer
Joliet, IL
14 Posts


I currently bottle condition all my beers.  In the near future, I will be getting proper fermentation control and have a few questions.

1) Will I have any problems bottle conditioning after cold crashing?

2) I generally ferment my beers for 3 weeks before bottling.  I was going to setup a profile similar to Brulosopher's Ale profile.  This profile cold crashes after 9 days and maintains that temp until packaging which for me would be another 2 weeks.  For those who bottle, would it be better to hold another temperature and cold crash before bottling or is it okay to leave the beer at that lower temp until I can bottle?

3) Assume I am ready to bottle and have cold crashed.  Do I need to warm up the beer before bottling or can bottle it slightly chilled?

4) Any special considerations for lagers?

Thanks for any info.  Cheers!




Posted 34 days ago.

nickosuave311
Charter Member
Saint Paul, MN
18 Posts


1) Nope. You should be just fine. There is plenty of yeast still in suspension, even if it's clear.

2) As long as you don't cold crash too soon (check gravity, if it's stable over a couple days, you're fine), this should be just fine. Cold-conditioning at near freezing temps speed up the beer's conditioning time considerably and smooths out malt flavors. I would keep it here until you bottle.

3) You don't need to intentionally warm it up before bottling, but you will want to keep it around 70 degrees until carbonated. Then you can get them back to fridge temps and let them condition further.

4) Nope, not really. You may want to condition for longer to make them extra clear, but that's about it.




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


1. I've bottled after four months of lagering @ 33 degrees F, beer carbed in under three weeks with no added yeast.  A couple of days of cold crash are not going to do anything.  :)

2. Agree with Nick - just be sure gravity is stable before you cold crash.

3. Nope, I always bottle while the beer is cold.  Don't use this temp with a priming sugar calculator, however - you should always specify the highest temp the beer reached post fermentation.  Otherwise, you'll undercarb the beer.

4. Nope.  Bottle as normal, store around 70 degrees F as normal.





Posted 34 days ago.

hoppybrewer
Joliet, IL
14 Posts


Thanks for the replies! I'll definitely verify it's finished before bottling. 



Posted 34 days ago.

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


2. Forget profiles and time tables especially when bottle conditioning. If you want to mature your beer for two weeks after the the main part of the fermentation is done mature it at the same temperature of the main fermentation or a little below. Once done there is in general no need to cold crash though you can if you like as your beer is fermented out very well.

When working this way, find a method for getting your beer of the yeast cake. Either secondary or a conical the let the yeast of.

3. Bottling cold beer seems t have a negative effect on O2 uptake, less CO2 is released from the beer, more O2 is caught in the headspace etc.




Posted 34 days ago.

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