cold conditioning bottle necessary

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henryls

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Hi. my first brew has been in the bottles for about a week and a half. it's an ipa.

I've had it in the cupboard under the stairs where it is pretty warm. I'd say 20c.

my place is pretty warm so the only cold option is the shed where it is pretty cold at this time of year.

is cold conditioning totally necessary? what happens if it just stays at 20c? I'm worried it could freeze in the shed if we have another cold snap.

I've tasted one bottle and it wasn't too great (a bit fizzy I think I over primed it plus a bit bitter and a possible 'homebrew twang') so I'm hoping for a bit of an improvement as it conditions.

what's general opinion?
 
Being cooler than room temperature helps the yeast to drop out and the beer to clear. 12C is cellar temperature and recommend. Shed will be okay if you keep the beer off the floor and put a blanket round it.
 
Your beer will go past its best considerably quicker at 20 c than cellar temps.
 
The cool phase also help the CO2 generated in the warm phase to dissolve into the ale instead of sitting under the cap.
I reckon your shed will be fine.
 
How cold can you go with cold conditioning? Would a Fridge at 3C be too low?
 
oldbloke said:
The cool phase also help the CO2 generated in the warm phase to dissolve into the ale instead of sitting under the cap.
I reckon your shed will be fine.

this. the co2 is generated, but won't really be a part of the beer until at least a little cold conditioning.
 
oldbloke said:
The cool phase also help the CO2 generated in the warm phase to dissolve into the ale instead of sitting under the cap.
I reckon your shed will be fine.
Is it correct that once the cold phase has helped to dissolve the CO2 into the beer, the beer can then be brought back into the warmth and the gas will stay in the beer?

I tend to bring my bottles inside and leave them at room temperature for a few days before I drink them.
 
Yes but it will come out of the beer very quickly once you've opened the cap which could cause sediment issues and gushing if over primed.
If you drink at room temp then I'd recommend you prime you bottles a bit less.
 
Shed will be absolutely fine. I would be very surprised if we saw temps below freezing now. My beer has been in fridges in the garage all winter with absolutely no issues at all.

As previously said the cold conditioning allows the liquid to absorb the CO2. This leads to finer bubbles, a nicer head and much better retention. The easiest way to describe it is like sodastream. If you have ever used one you will know that the fizz bubbles are a lot bigger when done via a sodastream. This is because the liquid hasn't had time to absorb the CO2 so it comes out in clumps rather than at a finer rate when allowed time. The CO2 will dissipate much quicker from your beer in this instance so it's always best to cold condition.

Also, being cold the volume of CO2 is reduced (as with all gasses). This means that when you take the beer out of the fridge you won't get a rush of CO2 and the sediment will be left undisturbed. However, once poured and as the beer temperature starts to increase with the heat in the room the CO2 will begin to slowly expand. This is what allows a beer to have a gentle fizz for such a long time, as long as the CO2 is expanding it will continue to fizz. Having it at 20 degrees, even if the CO2 is absorbed properly, will mean that when you open the bottle the CO2 volume will already be at its peak, thus rushing out of the bottle. This makes it appear that a beer has been over primed (unless it's deliberate) and it will also dissipate MUCH quicker than if it was chilled prior to opening. Clearly this means that the fizz won't last anywhere near as long and you will end up with a flat pint much quicker than if it was cool.
 

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