Aging the keg

[hoplobster]

So, my last three beers have all been rather bland after 4-5 days in the keg, but after 3ish weeks and beyond, they opened up and tasted as they had, or better, from the fermentation vessel.

I've been pitching dry yeast (1 packet) into beers with an OG less than 1.060, and at most, moderately hopped and they have all exhibited the same change in flavor. Good at kegging, bland at 4-5 days, and there's a slow curve back to good/great after 3 weeks and beyond. The turn is very gradual. I have also been storing the keg in the fridge @ 40ish F, on gas at about 8-10psi. Warming the beer does not help at the early stages.

I have a simple extract Hefe (6 lbs of wheat DME, 1 oz @ 60 min Hallertau, WLP300, no starter) that is going nuts right now and I plan on kegging after 7-10 days; which is my usual turn around time. I'm planning on setting the lid on the keg and then either aging it warm, off of the gas for a few weeks, or more than likely, priming the keg with some cane sugar and then putting it in the fridge after two weeks and then hitting it with 5psi to serve.

Will aging it warm (room temp) "quicken" the time in which it will mature and taste better? How is (almost) everyone that kegs getting good, flavorful, beer at 10, 14 and 21 days? It seems that my kegs that are stored and carbed cold have a bite (carbonic acid?) that takes a few weeks to dissipate, and a few more until it regains its flavor. What is causing the beer to initially lose all of it's aroma and flavor after kegging? I know it's not infected, as it tastes better over time, and I'm not over carbing.

I'm also hoping that I can get a pipeline going by priming the keg, as I won't really be able to sample as often as I do when it's on the gas in the fridge... I'd just be forced to brew more often, which means I'll need some more kegs...

I'm sure I'll get differing opinions, but I appreciate your input!

 

[RonPopeil]

Maturation is highly preferential. One person is going to say one thing and another will come in and disagree. In truth, knowing when it's time to drink it is part of the process/recipe. That's why so many recipes tell you to age for X amount of time.

I have a general rule of thumb that I use. Some will say it oversimplifies things, and it does to some extent, but it's a good base to go off of.

• 1.050 or lower: 2 weeks primary, 1 week in keg to carbonate
• 1.050 - 1.070: 2 weeks primary, 1 kegged cold then 1 week on gas to carb
• 1.070 - 1.080: 4 weeks in the bucket. 1-3 months cold then 1 week on gas to carb.
• >1.080 4 to 8 weeks in primary, 1-12 months cold, 1 week on gas to carb.

There's exceptions to the rules. Lagers follow a different set of rules. Low OG lagers sit for 90 days cold unless they're hoppy (pils) in which case they sit for 3 weeks cold. Generally lagers benefit from more time "lagering" than the traditional 90 day number. I have a 5 month old lager that is quite fantastic at an OG of 1.056. Hoppy ales (99% of the time it's IPA's or similar) go two weeks in the bucket no matter what the gravity. Carb up and drink immediately. If i dry hop I dry hop in the keg or in the second week of primary. They start bitter, roll into stronger hop flavors and less bitterness after a week or two and then begin to decline in flavor to grainy, bitter things.

There's other things to consider as well. Some styles benefit more from aging than others. Any high gravity beer will be quite rude and need to settle down in cold storage for a few months. Russian Imperial Stouts, big belgians, barleywines, etc. Some styles depend on aging to smooth out. Nearly all lagers will as well as any beer that needs "finesse" or is "delicate".

Long story short any brew will get better with time up to a point. Only exceptions are hoppy beers and potentially infected beers. Aging warm can be tricky because of infection risk. Cold aging (lagering) is most preferred. I would even say to leave a beer on yeast to age if it has to be warm. They yeast inoculation will buy you some time.

 

[flars]

Try three weeks in the primary as the first change in your usual routine. Rushing green beer can give some odd results.

 

[j1n]

40f @ 8-10 psi after 4-5 days is not enough time to carb the beer. Your beer tastes better after 3 weeks cause after 3 weeks at 8-10 psi it should be fully carbed. I wouldnt touch it for 3 weeks if i was carbing it up your way. Next time try 30 psi for 24 hours then drop it to 12-15 psi for a week, then drop it down to 8-10 psi to serve.

3 weeks primary is a bit much IMO. i usually only let mine go for 10-14 days in the primary. i ferment at low to mid 60s depending on the yeast then after fermentation is done ill let it raise to 70 on its own and then leave it at that temp til i keg.

 

[theck]

2 to 3 weeks I love most mine, I can sample at 5 to 7 days but usually hold off really digging into it till 2 weeks. Just leave it at the carb level, sample along the way and drink when good. You'll find the closer it gets to being kicked the better it tastes too. My Hefe is almost out but way better than when I first put it in.

 

[hoplobster]

What about your aging practices when kegging?

After primary, do you put it in the fridge and in the gas right away, or do you prefer to age it warm?

 

[jekeane]

Just a reminder. Now that you can keg it doesn't always mean you should keg. At some point I would think your kegged Hefe will drop most of its yeast which to me is an important flavor component. Some beers in my mind are better enough in bottles to justify the time and work bottling. (ie beers that want yeast in them, big beers)