Aging question

**flagman** · 09-28-2009, 04:06 PM

I am brand new to kegging and brewing. I have been given some bad advice by local brew shop already so I wanted to confirm how to age in a keg. I was told to put the beer in the keg and purge the O2 out a couple of times with about 5 pounds of pressure. Then turn the regulator up and put 25 pounds on the keg, disconect and store it in a cool place (my cool place is 70 degrees). After a couple weeks the beer will be carbonated and no need for suger or other to carbonate. I really like stouts and porters so I wanted to give them ample time mature but I did not want to leave them in the secondary forever. This is my first stout and my second beer ever to brew, I have had it in the secondary for three weeks. Also I bought four kegs and my chest will only hold two at a time so I thought it would be nice to have a couple setting around maturing while the other two were on tap?

Any advice would be appreciated

Tonedef131 · 09-28-2009, 04:11 PM

Are you asking if it is okay to leave the kegs around before carbonating? If so the answer is yes.

**flagman** · 09-28-2009, 04:24 PM

Yes that is what I was wondering, sorry for not being clear on that. I assume that the 25 pounds that I put on the beer would carbonate a little but work more as a preseravative and to make sure the keg is sealed until I am ready to move to the fridge and corbonate. Just wanted to make sure this was the correct procedure to take to store the kegs with beer in them.

**AnOldUR** · 09-28-2009, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagman

I was told to put the beer in the keg and purge the O2 out a couple of times with about 5 pounds of pressure. Then turn the regulator up and put 25 pounds on the keg, disconect and store it in a cool place (my cool place is 70 degrees). After a couple weeks the beer will be carbonated and no need for suger or other to carbonate.

If you disconnect the CO2 it will absorb what's in the head space and not carb anymore. You have to give it time (a few days or more) for full absorbsion. Use this chart to determine what pressure, at a given temperature, you'll need to get the volumes of CO2 appropriate for the style.

To check that it's fully carbed, disconnect and let it sit for a day. Reconnect at the same pressure. If you hear CO2 going into the keg leave it connected for a few more days.

Edit: Using the chart, for your stout to be at about 2.0 volumes, you'd want to set your regulator for 25lbs at 70 degrees.

**AnOldUR** · 09-28-2009, 04:45 PM

One other thing. If you use this method to fully carb your beer before you chill it, be sure to bleed off the pressure before chilling. After it's at serving temperature, use the chart to set the regulator to the volumes required.

**flagman** · 09-28-2009, 05:03 PM

Thank you very much for the quick replies. I am going to give this a try and see how it comes out.

**springer** · 09-28-2009, 05:19 PM

you would need to leave it on the gas for a while to carb but this method will work if you use priming sugar.

**flagman** · 09-28-2009, 08:39 PM

Do I have to carbonate at this time? I was thinking about just using enough gas to keep it sealed and fresh and then Force Carbinating when I was ready to serve. After I read the comments it dawned on me that if I put 25 ponds of gas on a keg it will absorb into the beer. So I am guessing the pressure is going to drop with time. Is this something to be concerned about?