Cold Crash - lifting out of fridge vs raising fridge

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bendeneo

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Hi all,

Just a quick one really.... I am going to cold crash for the first time in a spare fridge I have.... should have done it ages ago really.

So, the question is this.... the fridge is an under counter one..... so should I.... a) Create a plinth to put the fridge on, so that I can drain from the bucket into the keg without any chance of disturbing it.... or b) not worry about it too much, and just lift the bucket out of the fridge carefully onto the bench and then drain into the keg?

What are your opinions please?

Regards,
 
I just lift the bucket or carboy up carefully and it does fine. I try not to slosh it around but sometimes it happens. It usually settles back pretty quickly.
 
agree, it will be chilled with CO2 in headspace the bigger issue is on your transfer method and minimising contact there. just if possible pump some more CO2 in just crack it and feed more in. Ensure your keg is also prefilled with CO2 and burped then let pressure out should be fine, try to get hose all the way to the bottom of keg and fill bottom up with minimal disturbance
 
I built a little table to put my fridge on as I got a wonky back..on bottling day I grip the fv and carry it from the garage into the house...like 10 men!
 
Hi all,

Just a quick one really.... I am going to cold crash for the first time in a spare fridge I have.... should have done it ages ago really.

So, the question is this.... the fridge is an under counter one..... so should I.... a) Create a plinth to put the fridge on, so that I can drain from the bucket into the keg without any chance of disturbing it.... or b) not worry about it too much, and just lift the bucket out of the fridge carefully onto the bench and then drain into the keg?

What are your opinions please?

Regards,

I leave mine where it is and use one of those cheap solar pumps that you see everywhere into a bottling bucket sat on top of the fridge.

Think it would bother me cold crashing for a few days and then mishandling it afterwards - they aren't light! Would then also be unsure as to where the 'let it settle back down'/'package before it warms up' line should be drawn.

No doubt over thinking it slightly but then that's homebrewing.
 
I'm a fridge plinth fan. I just open the fridge door, connect a hose to the FV tap and run the beer into a primed PB.
IMG-20200725-WA0002.jpg

Not boasting, but I also have a fridge chute which is a table the height of the fridge shelf so I can just do a straight lift of the FV up to the table, then slide the FV into the fridge.
 
Hey everyone..... thanks ever so much for all the great responses here.... really helpful!

I've got a 'normal' fridge, and may copy the plinth idea.... but also just found a large tall fridge locally, which I think might get 2 buckets in it.... so I might get very cunning, and therefore the top bucket is easy, and the bottom bucket will not be too hard.... if I copy the plinth idea too!

I'll let you know and report back.

Cheers again all.
 
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