Can I leave beer in kegs for four months?

[KC10Chief]

I am in the Air Force and getting ready to deploy in a month. I still have time to brew some beer, and it would be nice to have some when I get back. Can I just make a couple of batches of beer and then leave them sealed up in the kegs in my garage until I get back? Normally, my beer doesn't last that long around my house. But I won't be back until the end of January sometime. Should I put some sugar in there to keep it carbonated like I would do if I were bottling? Thanks!

 

[WilliamstonBrew]

How much does the temperature fluctuate in the garage?

If the temps are steady and appropriate, it'll work great. Only use 1/2 of the priming sugar you normally would, though. Then seal it with CO2 and burp it like you normally would to get all the O2 out then set and forget.

 

[KC10Chief]

How much does the temperature fluctuate in the garage?

If the temps are steady and appropriate, it'll work great. Only use 1/2 of the priming sugar you normally would, though. Then seal it with CO2 and burp it like you normally would to get all the O2 out then set and forget.

Well, it will be pretty cool in the garage. Around 50 to 55 degrees out there. I live in Alaska. It will drop when my wife moves the car in and out of the garage though. Could drop down into the 30's I'd guess. I could keep the kegs in the house, too.

 

[steinsato]

The beer will certainly last 4-5 months in the keg. I'm sure you plan on sparging the O2 out of the keg and sealing with CO2. Keeping them at a constant temp would definitely help them. If your able to leave them in an area that it'll be warm enough to carbonate them then I'd go ahead and add your priming sugar so they'll be ready to go when you get back. If you leave them in the garage where it is cold, the yeast may be so inactive that they won't carb the beer up. But once you bring them back inside they will probably wake up start carbonating it again.

But to answer you main question, Yes, you can leave beer in kegs for 4 months. I've done it for over a year.

 

[SevenFields]

I know someone that kept a keg of thier homebrew barleywine in a closet for 5 Years before they even tapped it. Beer turned out great!

 

[Brewing Clamper]

I know someone that kept a keg of thier homebrew barleywine in a closet for 5 Years before they even tapped it. Beer turned out great!

I would love to taste a 5yr old barleywine!