cold-crashing

I was recently told that the technique of "cold-crashing" was commonly used by micro-brewers when they reach their targeted final gravity. In further discussion the term real ale was used and also bottle-conditioning. I understand the definition of these terms, just wondering about a beer that is cold-crashed and bottled, if not filtered to remove every trace of yeast cells (and in which case it would no longer be considered a live or "real ale" anyway) wouldn't this practice have the potential for bottle explosion? Is it assumed that if you are using cold-crashing in a micro-brewery that you know what you are doing and very little sugar remains to be fermented anyway?

Porter,
I have been "cold crashing" the last few brews without any problems.  I use a chest freezer with an external thermostat to control temperature.  AFTER the fermentation is complete, (2-3 weeks) I turn down the temperature to 35-40 degrees.  The theory is this will cause more stuff to fall out, including yeast.  I warm the beer up to room temp before I bottle.  I add the conditioning sugars as I normally would.  So far all is good.

I was originally apprehensive that I might drop out all of the yeast but that has not been a problem.

Bottle condition as far as I am concerned in bottle carbonation with the addition of sugars (corn sugar) at bottling.  Presumably, all of the maltose sugars are already consumed and the only sugars available is the stuff I just added.

There is a conditioning step in the original fermentation.  During the primary (and secondary) fermentation, the yeast do produce some off by-products.  I let the beer sit at least a week past any sign of fermentation activity.  During this conditioning stage the yeast start to "eat" up their own by-products.

If you filter the beer before bottling, you will remove all of the yeast and bottle carbonation will not be possible, unless you introduce new yeast (same or different strain) to consume the sugars added at bottling. 
I'm not sure what is meant by live or real ale.  I presume that is ale with the original yeast still intact for bottle carbonation.  The cold crash will slow the yeast down but not harm it.  The yeast will reactivate when the temperature is increased back into the yeast's target range.

Hope this helps, David

I too have been cold crashing my brews. Porters, Stouts, IPA you name it and haven't had a problem with bottle finishing. I find that I can use less fining's like Irish moss or Gelatin and in some cases like a Pilsner none at all and get good clarity. Unless you filter I don't think you can really stop the yeast form doing it's job or getting in the bottle. At least I have always had some sort of yeast cake in the bottom of mine and I have crashed them for as long as two weeks and still had good carbonation.