DrVertebrae

Recipes 

I have a brew that I fermented for three weeks and transferred to a keg. I immediately put it in the frig. I guess I should have left it out for a few weeks. Now it tastes pretty good but isn't changing the way I would like.

Leave it in the frig and just let it take time if it ever will or take it out and let it sit for a while?

It doesn't have any off flavors per say but it doesn't taste as I think it should. Its and IPA that the local brew store put together for me. An extract brew.

I must say, the best IPA I've made was a Mr Beer IPA called American Devil.

NCangler17

Recipes 

If you left it in the primary fermenter for 3 weeks sitting on the yeast cake, that can contribute to off flavors.

Once the keg is cold, I don't move it back out again until it's gone. It should age ok in the keg and I the fridge. Make sure your temps aren't Arctic too, as too cold and it mutes flavors present in a beer.

jubelale

Recipes 

It will continue to condition at cold temperatures. Just not as fast as warm temps. If it doesn't have off flavors like acetaldehyde (apple) or diacetyl (butter) then leaving on the yeast longer really would not have mattered much. Let it sit in the keg cold for a few weeks. Make sure its carbed up properly. The flavors should meld over a few weeks.

Beer-lord

Recipes 

Did you naturally carbonate or use gas? If you used sugar to carb, it really should sit in room temperature for about 2 weeks.
I'm an IPA nut and snob and can't say that Am. Devil IPA was all that great. Not bad but of course, tastes vary. I find that I had to add malt and hops to it ti make it good for my taste.

__________________
Wherever you go, there you are!

DrVertebrae

Recipes 

OK thanks. But since yo brought it up, I thought I had read that 3 weeks was the minimum for good beer, that the extra time helped reduce the off flavors. So two weeks or three? Also, what temp do you ferment your ales at? I can keep it pretty reliably down to 64 or 65. Would that help hold down off flavors? I really haven't had but one that had a real off flavor. It was banana ester which went away with conditioning. And since I'm on it, what is the best tasting extract brand? Will al grain be that much better?

DrVertebrae

Recipes 

@ Beerlord, thanks for the input. I love the IPA's too. Whats your favorite? Any good extract IPA's? The American Devil is just the better of the ones I've made. I'm sure I have about 99% improvement to go.

DrVertebrae

Recipes 

Oh yes, I carbonated with CO2.

i4ourgot

Recipes 

One week in primary than two weeks in a keg should be fine. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/aging-beer-facts-myths-discussion-84005/
You can always dry hop it if its not quite tasting right. Also don't worry about it sitting on the yeast cake because it sounds like you have been tasting the beer, so most of the yeast cake should have flushed out.

NCangler17

Recipes 

1) primary for 10 days, then rack to secondary. Leave in secondary 2-3 weeks

2) I don't monitor my temps religiously. Anywhere from 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Temps only really affect how active or inactive yeast is (I.e. how long to totally ferment)

3) tastes vary a lot. When I extract brew I use what my lhbs can provide (coopers or their own house brand). I BIAB all grain now and love it. It adds time to my brew day but it's enjoyable to me. Makes great beer, but then again you can make equally if not better beer with extract. I've seen a lot of top notch extract brews, and is a totally legitimate art.

ManyBrews

Recipes 

i'm not sure where all this info about short primaries is coming from in this thread. at least three weeks is great for primary. extract can make as good beer as all grain.