After kegging - immediately put in fridge or let it condition at room temp?

[wantonsoup]

I'm used to bottling where I've been told to let the bottles hang out at room temp for weeks before putting in the fridge. Is it different with kegging? I'm going to be doing it in a day or two for the first time, and not sure if I should set the dial for 30 psi, fill it, purge it, and plop it into the fridge, or if I should leave it out for awhile to condition?

Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

I'm used to bottling where I've been told to let the bottles hang out at room temp for weeks before putting in the fridge. Is it different with kegging? I'm going to be doing it in a day or two for the first time, and not sure if I should set the dial for 30 psi, fill it, purge it, and plop it into the fridge, or if I should leave it out for awhile to condition?

Thanks.

It really depends on the beer. Some beers need a bit more time to condition, and it depends on how long it has already been conditioned.

For example, I have an oatmeal stout I make fairly often. I generally leave it in the fermenter 10-14 days or so, and then keg it. It needs another week or so at room temperature, as beer ages faster at room temperature than at fridge temperature. That beer will sit at room temperature for a week-ish, and then it goes in the kegerator to chill and carb up. Most other of my 'regular' ales don't need that extra week and are ready to package and then chill right away.

Some beers, like those with complex flavors, higher alcohol beers, and so on will need a bit of time. Some brewers get around that extra conditioning need by leaving the beer in the fermenter longer, and that works too.

 

[Rockn_M]

If you are carbing with priming sugar then you will want to let it sit out at room temperature so it can carb properly. If you are carbing with an attached co2 tank the keg will carb better if the beer is at serving temperature. Look for co2 carbonation charts to see what you need to set your co2 psi based on the temperature of the beer. Either way you'll want to purge the o2 out of the keg with co2.

 

[wantonsoup]

Definitely carbing with CO2 - thanks for the input! I guess I'll get it carbed and cold and if it doesn't taste "ready" I can always let it sit at room temp for a week and try again.