Leaving beer to ferment for three weeks and cold crashing

[Mister clark]

Evening all.

So, I've brewed bottled and drunk my first all grain beer and apart from low efficiency all went well.
My only real complaint was how cloudy the beer was.
Being a newbie I didnt really know about cold crashing and adding gelatin to clear the beer up and would like to give it a go.

My fridge can fit two 30 liter fermenters in it and at the moment I have a brew I made up last Saturday and a brew I made today.

Both recipes call for dry hopping for the same amount of time, so, what I was thinking of doing is waiting 10-14 days from today (or whenever fermentation has finished) and then dry hopping both beers at on the same schedule, then cold crashing both beers at the same-time as I only have the one fridge.

This would mean that the beer I brewed last week will have been in the fridge for close on to 3 weeks. I think this should be fine, but, was hoping for some advise as to whether this will be OK or could ruin the beer?

Many thanks in advance, Mister C.

 

[SBOB]

definitely wont ruin the beer having it sit in the fermenter for 3 weeks, assuming temperature control

Also clarity can come via other ways apart from cold crashing and gelatine (and depending on the yeast/beer type, clarity might not every be possible)

Just leaving the beer in your bottles to condition for longer can increase clarity also (assuming you dont pour the dregs into your glass)

 

[Ciderman]

1. Without knowing your system you can achieve clear beer by completing a decent vorlauf after mash and before sparging. As well as that you don't want to disturb the grain bed too much as it is a natural filter. Taking care here is all you need to achieve. Rye and Wheat can make it harder so use rice hulls.

2. Forget about time as a measurement. The time frame you suggested is good practice but most beers are done in 7 days. I have a Kolsch still going after 14 days and made a Best Bitter in 3 days. It's all different. Checking hydrometer readings once the Krausen has settled will let you know when it's done. At this time you can cold crash or dry hop. This also helps to clear the beer.