When Do You Start Crash Chilling?

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paulmclaren11

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I am looking for some critique on my chilling/fining method. To date I have been leaving an ale for example, at 18c for 14 days, then crash chilling for a few days, adding gelatine into the fermenter for a couple of days, then adding polyclar a day before kegging.

The whole process is nearing 3 weeks.....

As my kegs got a huge work out over xmas (I have 3 empty kegs and it makes me ill to look at them empty), I am looking to shorten my fining process to get another batch into my fermentation fridge.

I am planning on starting my crash chill tonight on an APA which has been in the fermenter for 10 days (FG has been reached), gelatine and polyclar for a couple of days then keg on the weekend.

Will this shortened method still be as effective? I assume once it hits FG crash chill away??
 
as a rule of thumb.. once FG has been reached + 3-4 days at raised temps, Im usually ramping temps up toward the end of ferment anyway, generally finish ~20-21'c (Ales)

once it's finished and had a chance to clean up, Crash for 2-7 days depending on how busy I am.

Recently I had notto go spastic on a brew and was done in 3 days (1060-1010), and I mean done, I only gave it a few days to clean up, and a couple more crashing.. notto drops like a rock so thought it'd be fine.. it was kegged in 9 days from pitching which is about my best yet... naturally I ran out of bloody gas.. had enough to purge and get to 12 PSI and still havnt had one yet ;)

:icon_cheers:
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't gelatine more effective in chilled circumstances?

I've found that geleatine is almost unaffected by temperature - cold augments the dropping out that gelatine provides.

At 18C, in 3 days it'll be crystal clear with gelatine. At 4C, most of the yeast has already dropped out in the 2 days it took to get there from 18.

Hence, "cold is needed for fining". #73 in the "lets have a think about what's actually happening here" old wives brewing tales.
 
Is it better to rack to another fermenter to crash chill or is it not neccesary.
 
no need at all to move the beer into a secondary container for the crash chill. if anything it is more beneficial to leave it in the primary and avoid the added risk of infection and oxidation.
 
RAD1 said:
Is it better to rack to another fermenter to crash chill or is it not neccesary.
I always do. Means I can wedge the fermentor on an angle to allow me to get as much beer out as possible.

My process is generally: 7-10 days ferment to FG. Rack to secondary, add gelatine, swirl to properly mix, and set the fridge to 1C. Leave it for 3 days.
 
RAD1 said:
Is it better to rack to another fermenter to crash chill or is it not neccesary.
I never rack any beer, irrespective of whether I'm cold conditioning or not, as to me (and this is only my opinion) the risks outweigh the benefits.
 
isn't crash chilling used to lager condition a beer? or is it used to drop yeast out of suspension? or both? or am i totally off the mark?
 
both

some people say to slowly lower the temperature for lagering a few degrees a day

FWIW, with a nice fast ale ferment at 19C, I ferment for 10 days, then crash chill for 3 days and keg two weeks after pitching.

Carb it up over night at 300kpa, and I'm drinking the next day. Comes to full-condition/carbonation over the next week.

BUT that's with a nice yeast pitch and oxygenation
 
Lagering is the process where a lager funnily enough (although there are numerous other beers that are lagered too) is left at cold temperatures for an extended period of time (usually 2 weeks +). Crash chilling is simply cooling the fermented beer down to help it to clear up (+/- finings) and is usually only done for 3-4 days (how well/quickly stuff drops out of suspension is very much temperature dependent).
 
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