Way too much cold conditioning in a unitank

[Moutas]

Hey guys,

We had a debate with a fellow brewer and I wanted to ask your opinion too. Is there a quality issue if a malty beer (like a red ale) cold condition in a unitank over 4 months in -1 Celsius? Would the tiny leftovers of yeast (of course yeast is emptied several times from the tank) give off-flavors?

Cheers

[dick murton]

If you are asking will it increase carbonation any more at four months compared to say 4 weeks, or even 4 days, then providing there was only a degree or two (SG not plato) of fermentable sugar left when chilled, then no. If you are asking if it will deteriorate due to autolysing yeast, again, providing there are not excessive amounts left, then again, no. I started a job at one brewery, some of whose beers I was very familiar with. and they had one tank which had been in store for 7 months - beautiful - best batch of that beer I had tasted - ever. So no worries. I've matured beer in sherry casks for over a year at around 10 deg C - no problems. Plenty of people mature beers in for example whisky casks for months on end as routine (e.g. Innis & Gunn in Scotland). So minus 1 - no problem at all.

[Moutas]

Thanks a lot