Cakehole

Recipes 

Long-time lurker, first post.

I am currently deployed with the AF in a hot sandy location so the best I can do is read the forums.

I have decided to jump back in to brewing with both feet. I plan to get a 3 carboy system ( I want to be able to have 2 batches in secondaries within 7-10 days of each other ) and also plan to skip the whole bottling thing and go straight to kegs.

I plan on having 4 Cornies in a rotation to start off with, and depending on what I can find for fridge/freezer, adding a few more kegs to allow for longer maturation times before I tap and drink. I also have a young son that likes Root Beer, so I will probably need to add a RB tap and keg for him to whatever I use for the beer.

I enjoy a good beer, but the main thing that worries me is my HB will go stale in the keg after I tap into it as there will only be me consuming the goodness. ( no SWMBO for now )

I figure I probably drink about 2 or 3 pints of beer a day on the average, some days more, and some days a lot less.

Do you folks think I will have issues with stale, nasty beer because I don't drink it all that fast?

On another note, I really appreciate all of you folks out there that take the time to help everybody else out. From what I have read here, this is a very supportive community. I should return to Albuquerque mid-summer and will begin brewing shortly thereafter. I hope to learn until then and hit the ground brewing when I get home.

Dennis

discgolfin

Recipes 

I think from my experience you are very close if not the same as what is in the bottle. The only major effect I notice over long periods of time is loss in hop aroma. I have a 4 tap system and I only have maybe 1 beer at most on week nights and several on weekends with friends. My kegs do not go very fast for this reason. I usually find they need several weeks to mature as it is and still get better for the first 2 to 3 months. Unless u think it will be 6 to 12 months before u finish I forsee only better beer as it gets older. U can always dry hop in keg to keep the aroma longer..I do this and love it. I have several beers made over 6 months ago that still taste very fresh and better than what I buy.

J

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Primary: DFH 60 IPA
Secondaty: Blond Ale, Apfelwine, Crandaddy mead
Bottle: Blue moon clone,Kolsch, Eds House Ale, Barley wine, Stone IPA, Oatmeal stout, Hefe,

Drinking: 60 minute IPA, Honkers Ale, Wheat, cherry wheat, Appfelwine,

On Deck: Imperial Stout,

EdWort

Recipes 

Beer kept cold and on gas will stay fresh for months.

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Cheers,

EdWort

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Danek

Recipes 

BTW, welcome aboard, Dennis!

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Bottle conditioning: Pliny the Elder clone; Tramp's Overcoat Barley Wine
Next up: Vanilla Porter

Bad Shark Brew

Recipes 

I'm in the same boat...lots of beer, few people to drink it. My kegs average 2-3 months before they get tapped out. Usually it's just me and one or two neighbors enjoy the tasty beverages I make, so they tend to last a while. One advantage is the way the beer mellows as it ages (I have paitience issues and usually keg sooner that I should!!).

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Primary: Nothing
Secondary 1: Air
Secondary 2: Air
Kegged: Stout, Blonde Ale
Bottled: Dust
Upcoming: APA, Summer Ale

david_42

Recipes 

I've got a brown that went weird (sour) after 17 months. Currently on tap, I have a 12 month old 3CPA, a six month old porter and a blond about the same age.

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Bad Shark Brew

Recipes 

I wish my Blonde would last that long!! Whenever I have the Blonde on tap, if I leave the garage open and unattended, it's easy to find my neighbor - in front of the kegerator!!!!!

__________________
Primary: Nothing
Secondary 1: Air
Secondary 2: Air
Kegged: Stout, Blonde Ale
Bottled: Dust
Upcoming: APA, Summer Ale

Dr_Deathweed

Recipes 

I believe that beer going stale will be the least of your worries.

Running out on the otherhand.......

+1 what Ed and everyone else has said, if kept cold and under pressure by CO2/Beergas it will be good for a long time. You may even find it becomes MUCH better with a little age I believe what you are thinking of as "stale" beer is beer pushed with those hand pump taps at keggers. Those push O2 into the keg, oxidizing and ruining the beer. Keep O2 away from your beer and you shouldn't have any problems.

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"Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence." - Napoleon Bonaparte
“An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.” - Ernest Hemingway

Fermentation Cabinet●Adding Faucets to a Tower●DIY Hopback●Portable Kegerator

Cakehole

Recipes 

OK, good to know that "stale" beer will not be a problem.

I am quickly beginning to realize that I just might need a bigger house. I see ideas here for stuff I want. 7 tap keezer for one!!

Too bad I have a few more months in the sand before I can even begin brewing...

Dr_Deathweed

Recipes 

Plenty of time to design yourself a nice little AG setup, kegerator, fermentation chiller, lagerator, CFC, ad infinitum.....

__________________
"Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence." - Napoleon Bonaparte
“An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.” - Ernest Hemingway

Fermentation Cabinet●Adding Faucets to a Tower●DIY Hopback●Portable Kegerator