Yeast reaction if crash chilled prematurely?

[Mr. No-Tip]

This is an odd question I know, but I am pro at asking them.

I've been asked to do a Chicha (Indigenous Peruvian corn beer) demonstration in a few weeks. (I plan to do a bit of a post about my journey of enzymes and stuck mashes when we actually taste it and I get the reactions)

Chicha is drunk young and still fermenting. For this reason, I didn't want to do it too far in advance, but I also didn't want to find myself a week out without a product to show, so I did it three weeks out. I have done two differnet chichas: a traditional Chicha de Jora with 100% corn and enzymes to mimic the spit and a bunch of commercially available yeast and bacteria to mimic spontaneous fermentation, and a Chicha Moderna, effectively a corn heavy cream ale again with wild yeasts.

I am happy for my chicha moderna to end up as dry as it will by the time I need to serve up, but I want the Chicha de Jora to have that still fermenting, still sweet taste that by all accounts is a hallmark of the beverage. It's dropped from 1.054 to 1.030 in a couple days. I am not sure how much of my gravity is starch and how much is sugar, but I am concerned it will keep chewing down below the ~1.020 I am aiming for.

My thoughts are to crash chill the Chicha de Jora when its around 1.020, but I am wondering if the yeast and bacteria (Roselare, Brett, Lacto, US05, the kitchen sink) might shit out some nastiness if I drop them while they are still eating. Any experience or theory to share?

 

[damoninja]

I've read about chicha and how it's made... Glad you're not chewing all that corn?

I don't think chilling mid ferment will cause a lot of issues, I've heard of people doing this with wines and ciders allowing back sweetening.

If it's supposed to be fermenting when it's drank then the yeast will still be in suspension and contributing to flavour, no?
Then again, do you normally chill chicha before drinking anyway? I didn't think the traditional method called for it, straight out of the pot!?

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I don't think chilling mid ferment will cause a lot of issues, I've heard of people doing this with wines and ciders allowing back sweetening.

I guess I worry about diacetyl, acetaldehyde or other fermentation biproducts not being reabsorbed yet. I guess it's not being BJCP'd so I should just chill.

If it's supposed to be fermenting when it's drank then the yeast will still be in suspension and contributing to flavour, no?

I think so...I am just too ahead of schedule...the alternative is something finished and bone dry, which will be even less authentic. Probably should have done a test run!

Then again, do you normally chill chicha before drinking anyway? I didn't think the traditional method called for it, straight out of the pot!?

I don't think so, I might let it warm and just use a picnic tap on the day.

 

[damoninja]

Perhaps if it was chilled and warmed the yeast might need to be agitated to get them fired up and in to suspension again.

Strange brew, I'm entirely speculating...

Brewmasters (the dogfish head TV show) did an episode on chicha, they served it on tap might be worth watching and seeing that they did.