a few random 10 questions on beer conditioing

[perfection]

(i) Does cold crashing apply to lagering (or only to conditioning of ales)

 

(ii) is lagering always done by racking into a secondary/brite tank/conditioning tank or can be done in the primary fermentation tank if temperature control and pressurization facilities are available?

 

(iii) are lagers fully carbonated after lagering or is additional carbonation done before bottling.

 

(iv) It is the carbon di oxide from primary fermentation that is allowed to dissolve in the fermenting wort or something from the secondary fermentation that dissolves in the green beer? If it is the former, then pressure must be maintained in the secondary as well if there is a secondary

 

(v) does not filtration affect the level of carbonation? (especially if centrifuged)

 

(vi) are carbonation, filtration and pasteurization all considered conditioning

 

(vii) what is meant by stabilization of beer? How is it achieved?

 

(viii) When is fining done for clarification

 

(ix) usually when ate ales carbonated commercially (during the primary fermentation or bulk carbonated in a holding tank before bottling assuming they are not bottle conditioned)

 

(x) where does a di-acetyl rest fir into the above post primary fermentation activities?

 

Thanks folks for any help on this - it is for my project at college. Wherever possible please answer in terms of commercial brewing

 

[ben 10]

Wherever possible please answer in terms of commercial brewing

 

As I am not a commercial brewer I cannot answer any of that.

[Quokka]

I'm not a commercial brewer, but I've been around a while, and took a serious look at it when my sister still owned her bar...

 

i. When we cold crash an Ale we usually drop it into a nice cold keezer to drop the yeast right out and start clearing - if done right it eliminates chill haze (must crash and hold about 2C or more below serving temp) and usually other cloudiness. When lagering the temperature should be gradually reduced to lagering temperature (usually no lower than 2C) and it is commonly believed that the yeast retains some activity at these temperatures.

 

ii. Lagering traditionally was done on the yeast bed, but in modern commercial breweries it is "racked" as they want as little beer-type flavours as possible. Not many Specialty brewers do true lagers, but I believe most also rack (but never filter.)

 

iii. Commercial lagers are almost universally force carbonated after lagering - in the old days they would re-use the CO2 produced from fermentation, but these days just buy it in. I believe the original real lagers were naturally carbonated.

 

iv. I think you are thinking of modern pressure fermentation, which should work well, except your pressure fermentation vessel will be tied up for a month or two.

 

v. Commercial slugging beer is filtered, sometimes through mediums including carbon or such, Pasteurised and often otherwise messed with, such as centrifuge, so any remaining natural carbonation is insignificant.

 

vi. Carbonation is often confused with conditioning in bottle conditioned beers, as they share some of the same time (the carbonation occurs during the warm initial part of the conditioning.) Good beers - including as far as I know the traditional Cooper's - do not undergo Pasteurisation or filtration.

 

vii. Good question - is there a reason you asked it in American? I'm not sure any beer truly stabilises, though there are ideal periods to drink various styles.

 

viii. Fining usually refers to two of the main steps of clarification. The first is a good hot break - nothing but a rolling boil can achieve this. The second is a kind of secondary hot break or whirlpool where whirlfloc, Irish moss, etc. are very helpful. The third is the cold break - achieved by chilling the wort below 65C within 15-20 minutes, though this kind of crosses over with the whirlpool break. The last is the conditioning fining - usually done a day or two into cold break. Gelatin is the best and cheapest, but if you can't use it for religious or other reasons there are apparently some good (though more expensive) synthetic substitutes.

 

ix. Traditional ales were naturally carbonated in casks, hence the low carbonation levels. As far as I know all modern bulk ales are force carbonated, only some bottled ales are naturally carbonated (and some cheat.)

 

x. The diacetyl rest is most important for lagers, which should be raised to 16-18C for 2-3 days once primary fermentation is complete to allow increased activity of the yeast to digest the diacetyl - any undesirable byproducts of lager yeasts at these temperatures are insignificant as most of the fermentable sugars have been consumed. It is rarely needed for ales, but the taste and smell will tell any experienced brewer the beer should be left another day or two before the cold-crash/lagering.