Aging

[Lunarpancake]

Do temps matter when aging in a keg? Fermentation is complete and I just want the beer to age.

 

[TipsyDragon]

yes and no. the temp of aging will affect how well your beer can absorb CO2. the higher the temp the harder it is to carbonate the lower the temp the easer it is. the lower the temp the lower your PSI needs to be to properly carb your beer. storage temps over 80F will kill the flavor of your beer. after carbonation you should keep the beer at the fermentation temps so the yeast can continue to condition your beer till you are ready to serve. then chill to the target temp and wait a week for the yeast to settle.

 

[bdaddy]

after carbonation you should keep the beer at the fermentation temps so the yeast can continue to condition your beer till you are ready to serve. then chill to the target temp and wait a week for the yeast to settle.

I'm interested in understanding this as I hope to get a kegging setup soon.

So today I ferment in primary for a month and bottle condition at 70 degrees for 3 weeks.

With a new setup my gas will be in my kegerator. So if I want to age my beer that's just out of the fermenter do I:
a) Put it in the kegerator (which will be 40some degrees) and force carb it then let it age for 1-2 weeks in the kegerator (and if so, do I leave it on the gas for those 1-2 weeks?)
b) Put it in the kegerator (which will be 40some degrees) and force carb it then take it out of the kegerator (and off the gas) and let it age for 1-2 weeks at 70 degrees?
c) Let it age for 1-2 weeks (non-carbed) at 70 degrees then put it in the kegerator and force carb and server

 

[3bals]

I also have a question on aging/conditioning. I have that dreaded #13 IPA that I brewed (again) on 8/31. After the 3 or 4 weeks in the primary, a week with dry hop in a secondary then moved it to another secondary, where it is today. I want to have it for the holidays and plan on kegging it tomorrow. The question is: has the flavor been set by now and the only thing missing is the carbination? Will several days on the appropriate CO2 level make it beer or does it still have to condition more after being carbonated? I have kegged before, some I primed with sugar and some force carbed, but I have always waited several weeks before trying them and they didn't sit in the secondary this long. Also the carboy has been sitting in the garage at about 40 deg +/-.

 

[Yooper]

With a new setup my gas will be in my kegerator. So if I want to age my beer that's just out of the fermenter do I:
a) Put it in the kegerator (which will be 40some degrees) and force carb it then let it age for 1-2 weeks in the kegerator (and if so, do I leave it on the gas for those 1-2 weeks?)
b) Put it in the kegerator (which will be 40some degrees) and force carb it then take it out of the kegerator (and off the gas) and let it age for 1-2 weeks at 70 degrees?
c) Let it age for 1-2 weeks (non-carbed) at 70 degrees then put it in the kegerator and force carb and server

Beer ages much more slowly at cold temperatures, so for beers that need age, it's best to keep the keg at room temperature until it's ready to be chilled. It doesn't matter at all if it's carbonated or not- carbonation doesn't affect aging. You can have it on the gas, or not, while aging.

Green beer is still green beer. Kegging doesn't change the aging requirements of beer. Green beer that is kegged and carbed up is just now green carbonated beer instead of green flat beer.

I usually leave my beers longer in the fermenters, and then keg them when they are ready. If it's a "big" beer, I keep it at room temperature a couple of weeks longer and then chill.