Cold Crashing

Galena said:

f I let it warm up first will this defeat the purpose and allow particles back into suspension?

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Dutto said:

Stop worrying!

Cold Crashing doesn't mean that the wort will immediately stop the slow fermentation that happens as the yeast finishes cleaning up the brew.

Carbonating means that there will be sufficient CO2 generated to provide the "fizz" in the brew and to prevent oxidation.

The main thing to worry about is that if you Cold Crash at say 10*C (normal for me) and then serve the bottled brew at 5*C, you may get a "haze" form in the bottle.

Personally, I hate serving any chilled brew. In my home "Cellar Temperature" is ordinarily the floor temperature of my shed; 'cos that's where the brew is stored!

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Galena said:

if I take the lid off a contracted cold crash can it do any oxidisation harm as it draws the air in?

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Drunkula said:

A tiny, tiny bit - but it's something that we've all got to do unless you're brewing in something where you can pressure transfer with co2.

How are you priming the beer for bottling?

Some people will put sugar in the bottle which will cause a little co2 to be released when it touches it which you could argue pushes air out so there's less oxygen left in the bottle. Don't shake the sugar in afterwards.

Another side of the coin is that if you leave it warm back up it'll fermenter the bottling sugar faster and consume the oxgen in the headspace faster.

But as long as you're not splish-splashing about like some nutcase in a paddling pool you haven't got much to worry about.

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Galena said:

I am considering giving this a try but have a query:
Oxidisation is a potential issue and I have seen several ways of trying to cope with this, however in the meantime I was thinking of just removing the airtrap and sealing the top so that no air can be drawn in. Obviously the FV will contract but I am thinking that the Speidel is strong enough to cope.
However, after crashing I gather I should bottle it whilst still cold in which case if I open up the cap then it will suck air in. If I let it warm up first will this defeat the purpose and allow particles back into suspension?

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foxy said:

Two things you can't stop contraction and expansion.
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As for letting your beer warm up after cold crash I would say yes you are defeating the purpose, haven't tried it myself but Charlie Bamford mentioned it in one of his BeerSmith podcasts.
What someone else mentioned you are worrying too much regarding oxidation, unless you are going to have your bottled beer lying around for an age and a half I wouldn't be worrying.
Keep your beer under 20 C and in the dark they will be fine.

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