Cold Conditioning

[brend0n]

so my next batch is ready to bottle, and im reading about cold conditioning for a clearer beer etc, so exactly how do i do it? do i sterilize another 30lt bucket and pour it in leaving the sediment in the old bucket and put it back in the fridge at around 2-4 degrees for a week then bottle?

 

[Nick JD]

Yes. -1C is the commercial way, but 2-4C will be supurb.

It'll take a bit longer for your bottles to carbonate though ... 3-4 weeks instead of the 2.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

so my next batch is ready to bottle, and im reading about cold conditioning for a clearer beer etc, so exactly how do i do it? do i sterilize another 30lt bucket and pour it in leaving the sediment in the old bucket and put it back in the fridge at around 2-4 degrees for a week then bottle?

I never have CC'd in a secondary. Always in primary. The less you transfer the fremented wort the less chances you have of infecting the beer.

 

[bcp]

I never have CC'd in a secondary. Always in primary. The less you transfer the fremented wort the less chances you have of infecting the beer.

Never had an infection from transferring to secondary. However, when I used to bottle directly from the primary I lost a lot of beer in each bottle to too much yeast sediment in the bottles.

 

[waggastew]

Ditto. I usually wait 4-7 days after my beer has reached terminal gravity then drop the temp of the fermenter to 2degC. I leave it at 2degC for another 4-7 days before bottling. Comes out clear as bell, alot less yeast trub in the bottles.

 

[brend0n]

so ill leave it in the primary then, sound easier and drop the temp down to 1-2 degrees till the weekend, question though is it worth it? will there be a notable difference

 

[Thirsty Boy]

leave it till NEXT weekend - then you'll notice a difference.

 

[Dave70]

so ill leave it in the primary then, sound easier and drop the temp down to 1-2 degrees till the weekend, question though is it worth it? will there be a notable difference

Here's what you do.

Bottle a few up before you chill then you can do a direct comparison in a few weeks time with the rest.
Then crack one of each, poor into identical glasses and take some decent photos.
Then post the photos and comment about how they taste and so on. Its much more fun like that.

I say yes, it is worth it.

If you want to get it see thru a commercial beer, chill it to -1 and run it through a filter.

 

[brend0n]

add finnings 1st? or just chill it

 

[brend0n]

done, thanks for all ur advice

 

[slash22000]

Yes. -1C is the commercial way, but 2-4C will be supurb.

Potentially stupid question time ... at -1C, would the beer not freeze in the bucket? Is there enough alcohol in a standard 5% beer to stop it freezing at -1C? :huh: A quick Google search tells me ... "Yes, it will freeze" ... and ... "No, it won't freeze". -_-

 

[crd0902]

It possibly might hope this helps

 

[labels]

Potentially stupid question time ... at -1C, would the beer not freeze in the bucket? Is there enough alcohol in a standard 5% beer to stop it freezing at -1C? :huh: A quick Google search tells me ... "Yes, it will freeze" ... and ... "No, it won't freeze". -_-

You can hold at -2C, no problems. I find three days is enough providing it has been kept reasonably chilled before that, otherwise up to a week.
If you're bottling and want to transfer, transfer to a secondary right before you bottle leaving yeast behind. Be prepared to lose a litre or two if you want super clear beer. Try to avoid all splashing when transferring to keep oxygen out. The colder it is the less oxygen it will absorb so transfering right before you bottle is a good idea. Cold beer also foams a lot less when filling bottles

My procedure - cold condition, transfer to secondary, bulk prime and bottle all at -2C to -3C. Transfer done immediately prior to bottling.

Steve

 

[going down a hill]

It wont freeze, you have 5% antifreeze in it.
Edit beaten by a lager man

 

[slash22000]

You can hold at -2C, no problems. I find three days is enough providing it has been kept reasonably chilled before that, otherwise up to a week.

Awesome. Learn something new every day on this forum.

 

[jammer]

Secondary chilling would be better. Little risk of infection, as long as things are clean, because its alcohol now.... Not vulnerable wort. It can take care of its self, to a point! You need to be carefull not to oxidize on transfer though, that's the worry there. 1 week at 2-3 degrees is fine, clears it right up. -1?? Of course it will freeze. You'll then be making an eisbock, by freezing the water out. Resulting in stronger beer. You are gonna need a tad of yeast left for the bottle fermenting. I lagered for 3 weeks once, bottled, and it took near on 3 months to carbonate.

 

[labels]

<snip>
-1?? Of course it will freeze.

Beer, standard strength, will not freeze at -1C or -2C and will only just start forming microscopic ice crystals at -3C, just maybe. Why? alcohol, residual sugar, proteins and other solids and gasses.

Steve

 

[Desert Brewer]

I am currently drinking two batches of Pilsner that i lagered for about 6 - 8 weeks each at 1- 2 degress, - 1 batch is a little older than the other. The beer is very clear/bright - the brightest i have made - i was surprised to find a very thin yeast/protien layer at the bottom of the bottles after a 2 week bottle carbonation at 18 degrees a further 2 week condition at 11 degrees and then to fridge temp over a couple days - its not a problem as it doesnt pour out when empting the final bit of beer - but after about 3 months of lagering and bottle conditioning i was surprised to see it. No biggy!

Cheers,

DB

 

[Thirsty Boy]

The colder it is the less oxygen it will absorb. . . . .

Exactly the opposite of this as a matter of fact.

For the OP -

Its not rocket science or as complicated as all the talk and opinions would make it seem - extra time allows gravity to pull the yeast down for longer.... that is all.

The cold is less about yeast settling than other things. It helps other things that can cause haze in your beer come out of solution and settle to the bottom, it doesn't hurt the yeast falling to the bottom and it might conceivably help it a little - so cold is "better" but its also not actually necessary.

Extra time for yeast to fall = less yeast in the beer and more on the bottom of the fermenter. Cold helps.

Get your fermenter cold, keep it cold for a week or two, maybe add some finings before you chill it down if you want it to go a bit faster. Aside from that, just do what you normally do. Your beer will have a lot less yeast in it before you bottle and therefore so will your bottled beer.

TB

 

[Mardoo]

Regarding cold conditioning and adding finings:

I've read both "transfer to secondary and chill before adding finings" and "add finings while transferring to secondary and then chill". Anyone with experience have anything to say about which gives better results? Same? Etc?