filtration
Cold crashing
Chill finished beer sharply to near freezing to force yeast and haze-forming material out of suspension before packaging.
What is actually happening
Cold reduces the solubility of protein-polyphenol complexes and slows yeast enough that it flocculates and settles. A few days near 0 °C removes most of what would otherwise cause chill haze in the glass.
Typical conditions
| Temperature | -1–3°C |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1–7 days |
| Scale | Used at both homebrew and commercial scale |
Ranges, not targets. These describe what is usual across the styles and breweries that use this step, and a value outside the range is a decision rather than an error.
What goes wrong here
Risks rather than certainties. This step does not cause these faults; getting it wrong can.
- Chill haze — A temperature-dependent haze from protein and polyphenol binding — cosmetic only, and by definition it clears as the beer warms.
- Permanent haze — Cloudiness that does not clear with warming, usually from incomplete starch conversion or irreversible protein complexes.
Related steps and concepts
- Fining — The chemical route to the same end.
- Filtration — The mechanical route.
Also at the filtration stage
Centrifugation · Filtration · Fining
See the whole process in order on how beer is made.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.