Beer Storage

[brew703]

I have a two tap keezer, both taps being utilized at the moment. I need to brew this coming weekend. I have a spare keg that I can use once fermentation is complete.
My two taps will not be available for a month or so, maybe longer.
Once I transfer my finished beer to the spare keg, what is the best way to store until needed?
Keezer or no keezer? Gas or no gas?

 

[Elky]

If you have room to keep it in the keezer I'd put it in there with some gas on it.

 

[mongoose33]

If you have room to keep it in the keezer I'd put it in there with some gas on it.

And then put a picnic tap on it so you can serve from that one as well.

 

[flars]

Carbonate the beer and store at room temperature or slightly cooler if possible if there is no space available for chilling. this will still be cooler than warehouse conditions of commercial kegs.

 

[GPP33]

I'd try to keep it cold for three reasons:

1) Beer changes over time, the warmer it is the quicker it'll change. Unless it's a beer that is meant to be conditioned at cellar temps (~50ish I believe) or it has some off flavor you are trying to age out keeping it cold will keep it more stable. It also stands to reason that oxidation reactions could be slowed down by keeping it cold.

2) We work hard to keep unwanted bugs out of our beer but sometimes they get in, it's more difficult to thrive in a cold environment than a warm one. There is a thread about a guy who sells his beer and they store it next to an industrial oven, beer gets warm, bugs thrive, beer turns to crap.

3) Cold carbonated beer is ready to be tapped as soon as you kick one the two you are working on now. Less down time = more enjoying time.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

In a similar situation I will keg, purge, pressurize, and then store them in my laundry room until space is available in the kegerator. (laundry room does not get any warmer than the rest of the house. It's just out of the way)

Kegs and cases are stored in warehouses that are not climate controlled for weeks and sometimes months. I doubt my beer will have to wait that long. If I know a keg will not be tapped for a few weeks I will take advantage of that and naturally carb it. Not something that can be done at keezer temps.

 

[ba-brewer]

Prime with sugar and allow to naturally carb in the keg at ambient temp, that will burn a couple of weeks.

Seems like your pipeline is full, maybe let your current brew go another week before kegging and that will reduce the amount of time the carbonated keg is sitting at ambient temp.

If your kegerator can only fit two kegs, you can bottle some beer from one of the kegs to make room for the third keg. Give away the bottles or put them in you food fridge or squeeze into your kegerator.

edit:
Just seen the OP location after posting, may not best time of year of to have beer sitting at ambient temp, maybe allow the current beer to go a few more week in the fermentor assuming you have temp control. If you keg will fit in your ferment chamber store it there.

 

[brew703]

I can fit 3 kegs in my keezer and may opt for the picnic tap for now. I would like to naturally carb but dont have a spunding valve and never did it before so somewhat unsure of the process except for what i have read.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I don't have a spunding valve either. I just throw the right amount of sugar in there then wait 2 - 2.5 weeks then draw off a pint of goop before moving the keg to the fridge.

 

[ba-brewer]

If you have room for 3 kegs in the kegerator I would just put it in there.
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In general use half the amount of sugar you would use to prime beer for bottling. Make up your priming solution and add to the keg before filling, it will get mixed up as the keg fills. I purge the keg a few time to reduce O2 and pressurize the keg to normal cold serving pressure(my kegs don't reliably seal without pressure) and allow to sit at ambient temp(no CO2 connected).

You don't need a spunding valve, but having a way to check pressure is very handy. I have a gauge hooked to a disconnect I temporarily connect to check progress. If pressure gets too high I use the PRV to bleed off some of the extra pressure. Normally if you wait for the beer to get to a stable gravity before kegging over pressure is usually not a problem.