shelf life of kegged homebrew?

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Tophe

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Hey guys....It has been a while since I posted here, pry over a year.

Heres a little background.....I was brewin it up for a couple seasons and in the last two years I havent brewed at all and was considering selling all my stuff.......but everytime i went to list my stuff I couldnt do it after all Ive invested.

So the last time I brewed, I had bought my first used corny keg, and filled it up. I had a co2 tank, regulator and stuff for commercial kegs. I never got around to buying the hardware to tap the darn thing. I finally got on northern brewer the other day and spent the $15 on the stuff lol.

It has been kept at room temp all this time, I havent checked to make sure it still has pressure in it, figured it is probably a good idea. I primed it as i was recommended here when i kegged it. I figure it should still be pretty good....

What do you think?

It was suppsoed to be a lighter brew when i made it. I remember I accidently doubled one of the grains....It was a grain for head retention..cant remember the name...i could probably dig up the recipe somewhere.


Anyways, I think it may also have sparked my brewer side back up a little bit. Especially once I drink it. I think I still have some bottles in the basement of some HB.

Cheers!
 
If kept under normal conditions and if purged of all oxygen it should last for a year easy, if not indefinitely.

The characteristics may change as it ages of course, but that is what keeps beer exciting!
 
Yeah, it was a brew i had never made before, I didnt have real high expectations anyways. I will have to post up the results of the 2 year old beer.
 
With something at the light end stored at room temperature for two years, I wouldn't have high hopes.
 
I will tap it and try it though.....might taste crappy, but shouldn't make me sick or anything should it?
 
Years ago, I had a brew buddy. We brewed many, many batches. We would have 15 cornies ready at any one time, and usually 20. Our paths separated like things do and I moved away. I took a minimum amount of equipment. When one of my sons wanted to really get into homebrewing, I looked up my buddy to see what had become of the equipment. Sure enough, he had stored it in a warehouse his father owned. He said that there were even a couple of full kegs in one of his Dad's (air conditoned)office store rooms. We picked up some of the equipment and the 2 kegs. One of them had lost pressure and was pretty much vinegar. The other was a brown ale and we drank it. This beer was almost 10 years old. I'm sure it was better in it's prime but I couldn't believe it was still drinkable in a cornie. I read the story of the shipwreck off of Scotland where they salvaged 100 year old beer from the waters of the north sea. But, that beer was in oak kegs sealed inside from beer, outside from salt water and a very stable albiet cold, temp. As long as it tastes OK, go for it. Let us know how it is. Luck - Dwain
 
I will tap it and try it though.....might taste crappy, but shouldn't make me sick or anything should it?

If it's gross, spit it out. You'll be fine. About 5 years ago I brewed wine and I know I have some bottles laying around somewhere, gotta go find them, would be interesting to try. I think the thought of beer I made 2 years ago and had the patience not to drink it would make me totally excited. Even if it wasn't patience that made me hold onto it. You'll probably get a renewed interest in brewing, hopefully it last a long time this go around.
 
Well, I keep forgetting to get me a flare fitting from work for my regulator. Its an oldie but goodie regulator that had a different fitting on it......

But just a little while ago, just for S&G's I put the tap fitting on it.( just a ball lock, hose and plastic tap fitting). Poured a couple ounces in a glass, still had good pressure. Let it settle and it tasted pretty dang good!

My problem is that I dont have a kegerator for it, My main fridge has room, but it is all glass shelves and I dont think they will hold it.

My other option is to throw it on ice for a night and get some buddies over to play horseshoes and drink beer! This may definately get me to brew some more though. Will have to get another keg or two. The worst part was always cleaning bottles, and bottling beer...just too many things to clean!
 
When I first went into a group buy of brewing equipment with some buddy's we acquired 6 3 gal cornis full of beer. The recipes were a sam adams clone and a bass ale clone, all of them were a allgrain brew and were 2-3 years old. I decided to chill one and try it, I believe these were stored at low room temps 60-70 deg. To my suprise this tasted great, and after talking to the other guys theirs tasted good too. 6 3gal kegs not spoiled.
 
Tophe,
Since you're probably going to need an IC, why not go ahead and build one, then just drop it in a jockey box with some ice. You can only chill the beers you drink and you can still invite your buddies over for a taste. After you get a few! I agree with the bottle thing. I started kegging many years ago. Now the only way any bottles get put up is if my son puts up a sampler when he's over to help me brew.
 
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