couple of keg aging questions

[Hercules Rockefeller]

First off, I apologize if this is a repetitive post - these topics have been addressed but not directly, so I figured I'd ask specifically.

1: Is there any difference between aging / conditioning in the keg as opposed to secondary? personally, my preference would be to fully condition in the secondary fermenter, then chill and force carb for a day or so in the keg before drinking.

2: If you're conditioning in the keg, should the keg be carbed first or can you just hook it up to the co2 long enough to pressurize the cap and then disconnect and move to a good conditioning location? my kegerator is in the garage, so If I leave it connected to the co2 It's either at 35f in the fridge or 90f outside of the fridge

 

[Area51BrewCo]

This is actually an argument you will find amongst us brewers. I personally prefer to "Keg condition" my beer because i don't bottle. This will pull the Yeast out of suspension and allow the flavors to mellow out. The problem with this method is some will say you expose the beer to oxygen and as we know oxygen is bad for aging beer. One trick is to fill the Keg with CO2 before filling ti as CO2 is heavier the air and will stay in the keg.

The truth is there is no right answer to your question as to where to condition the beer. I think most of time it is more convient to cold condition in bottles and kegs then to tie up a fermenter for months.

 

[Shaggy]

You can fill your corny and then pressurize with CO2. Then pull the relief valve a few times to expel oxygen and let it condition as you would in a carboy.
I'd not let any of my beer sit in 90F weather personally.
If you're trying to force carb fast by shaking etc., you basically are mixing everything back up that may have settled. When I go to force carb, I hook up to my regular serving pressure (12psi) and let it sit a week and its good to go. That way anything that settled is sucked out in the first glass or so and I'm good to go the rest of the way.

ymmv

 

[Tweeder]

Kind of had the same thought. After it's been in the primary for 2 weeks siphon to the keg, put it on 12psi and be ready to pour in another week? I would like to free up 1 of my fermenters by tossing it straight to the keg. I have 3 kegs on the same regulator so I think this will be the best way for me. Also garaged in GA so too hot to condition elsewhere. I am doing good to keep the fermentation room below 75* right now. Anyways, good question, was wondering the same thing.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Thanks guys!
the brew hut in Aurora co has a sale on cornies 1 for $25 or 4 for $90, so that kinda settled it for me (at that price you could use a keg as a fermenter in a pinch, if you could rig up an airlock)
I'll rack to the keg after a couple weeks in secondary, then move to the basement for conditioning until there's room in the fridge in the garage. later during the winter it'll be ok to condition in the garage, but definitely not now.

 

[Shaggy]

Kind of had the same thought. After it's been in the primary for 2 weeks siphon to the keg, put it on 12psi and be ready to pour in another week?

Well, first make sure your fermentation is finished at that 2 week mark.
If so, then transfer over to sanitized keg etc.
Hit it with some CO2 and then pull relief valve a few times to expel oxygen.
Hit it again with like 30psi to help seat the lid nice and tight then let it age as appropriate. Let it sit at proper fermenting temps for the yeast used.
A week or so before you want carb, hook it up to serving pressure, put in fridge, and let it sit at least that week. If you don't shake it, anything that settled in the aging time will be expelled in your first glass or so.

Best of luck!

 

[skyeman]

Well, first make sure your fermentation is finished at that 2 week mark.
If so, then transfer over to sanitized keg etc.
Hit it with some CO2 and then pull relief valve a few times to expel oxygen.
Hit it again with like 30psi to help seat the lid nice and tight then let it age as appropriate. Let it sit at proper fermenting temps for the yeast used.
A week or so before you want carb, hook it up to serving pressure, put in fridge, and let it sit at least that week. If you don't shake it, anything that settled in the aging time will be expelled in your first glass or so.

Best of luck!

Revitalising an oldy here.

I've been wondering the same thing. As a newbie to kegging I want to age my beer before drinking. I was thinking about just using corn sugar in the keg then storing for 4 weeks after secondary but I'm not sure about the seals on my kegs so that might be a waste. Otherwise, would aging with only a little CO2 (as described above) detract or enhance any of the flavour development?

Cheers