When to Keg?

I have my first batch of kit brew going. It has been going for about a week and is looking good! I have about another week before it goes into the secondary. My question is, I have picked up two 5 gal. soda kegs and would like to use these in my under construction keezer. I am wanting to know when should I keg them? Do I skip the secondary and go to the keg or would it be better to put them in the secondary and let it settle out then transfer? Thanks for the help!

Newbie Grant

3 weeks primary -> keg. There's a ton of info on primary vs. secondary on this site. Do a little searching around and you'll be surprised at the wealth of knowledge that's in this forum regarding the topic.

Ask five homebrewers, and you'll get five different answers.

For me, I rarely use a secondary unless I'm going to be aging it for a while before kegging, trying to get a super clear beer, or adding fruit or wood. However, I rarely keep beers in primary less than 3-weeks. It gives the chance for the yeast to do their duty and let it all settle real nicely.

I look at it this way (and again, you will get different answers from different folks). Every time I rack my beer, I run the risk of introducing oxygen or an infection to the beer. The less I move it, the happier it is.

For me its 3-4 weeks primary....depending on the beer, and then staight to the keg. When I first started brewing I used a secondary all the time to clear my beer. Now I just leave it in the primary longer...it saves a step.

Eric