Cold Crashing

[imperialipa]

I'm hoping I can get some feedback on my set up.

Will be a 2bbl brewery.

I have a 6x10 insulated room for the fermentation tanks I can hold at 68 degrees with an AC unit no problem.

I also have a 6x8 walk in cold storage unit.

1. My plan was to ferment, dump the yeast out for reuse and then transfer beer to brite tanks for dry hopping.

2. Dry hop in the brite tanks at 68 degrees in the same room. (its my experience dry hopping gets the oils out alot better at the warmer temperatures)

3. After dry hopping is complete remove Hop bags and roll the brite tanks into cold storage for cold crashing and carbing.

So the question arises... I would imagine sicne I did not cold crash in the fermenter that I will get yeast in my brite tank. They are not as angled at the bottom as a conical. Can I still purge yeast out of the brite tanks thru the bottom dispensing valve?

What I dont want is to have a bunch of yeast I cannot dump out of the brite tank effecting my clarity when I transfer from brite tank to kegs.

Would it be a better idea to wheel the fermenters into the cold storage to cold crash and dump the yeast out then transfer to brite tanks. Put the brite tanks in the 68 degree room for dry hopping and then roll the brite tank back in cold storage for carbing?

The goal is to get a clear beer without using finings. I will be using mainly Wyeast American II 1272

[uptown brothers]

ever think about filtration? there are some homebrew solutions which might be effective not to mention cheap, believe it or not, at the 60 gallon level...

You could also fit the brite with a standpipe, there are some threads on here about that. Basically insert a piece of (sanitized) plastic pipe with an OD equal to the ID of your drain, so that it sticks up an inch or two above bottom of the brite...Lose an inch or two of beer tho....

[Luch15]

What you are describing is exactly what we have been doing for the last couple years. my days of fermenting in a cool room are almost over, just ordered 10bbl jacketed tanks and brights. Having said that, the process as follows has yielded great results although it did take a couple batches to get it just right for our tanks. We do 3.5 to 5 bbl batches depending on the beer.

1. pump out to fermenter at 68 deg f and pitch yeast during transfer
2. maintain 61 deg f in the fermentation room at all times
3. internal temp of active ferment is maintained at 65-68 deg
4. at the end of ferment dump yeast and secondary/dry hop as appropriate
5. at end of secondary transfer using racking arm to brite in the cold room and apply co2 via stone
6. when appropriate carb level is reached transfer to kegs via racking arm to avoid flocked yeast at the bottom
7. drink/sell beer

I have never used the yeast strain that you are using so I can't speak to the level of floc you will get but the clarity on our beers is pretty good using no kettle or tank finings. I had originally thought about doing the fermenter dance you described moving them in and out of the cold room but decided against it and have had good results.

[imperialipa]

Thanks for the feedback! So it sounds like to me in both cases unless I want to wheel the fermenter into cold storage to cold crash I am going to send up with some sediment in the bright tank and need to either have a tube going above the flocced yeast line or rack with a cane...

Time to experiment...

[Luch15]

What kind of fermenters and brites are you using, do they not have a racking arm on them?

[callmetim]

We ferment in plastic conicals at 65 degrees. once we hit terminal gravity it either goes into the walk in or is dry hopped in the fermenter. They are on wheels so we roll to the walk in. drop the cone right before moving and the next day after they have crashed in the walk in. transfer to bright tank.

We have 5 fermenters and 1 bright tank. it seems logical to me that with that ratio, time in the bright tank is at a premium so it is only used for carbonating and not dry hopping.

I really don't think filtering is necessary. you may get a little carry-over but if you use good process from milling, through, brewing and fermenting, it shouldn't be a problem.

Tim

[imperialipa]

The fermenters do have a racking arm. They are conical-fermenters.com units.

It sounds to me like I will wheel the fermenters into the cold stroage room to cold crash after dry hopping then transfer to brite tanks to minimize the amount of yeast/sediment in the brite tank

Thanks again everyone for helpling me flesh it all out