First time kegging

[whackfol]

I am going to keg my beer for the first time. I have read what I can and can't seem to find a concensus on the following questions:
1) The beers completed fermentation about a week ago (a lager and an ale) and is still in the fermenter to condition and clear. Should I just go from here to the keg or move to glass to continue to clear and condition? I ask because I can't get a grip on the amount of sediment that may be pulled across when I rack to the keg. The spout in my fermenter is above the trub and it should be fairly clear. Still I want to keep it as clear as possible.
2) If there is any sediment on the bottom of the keg, it appears it will be pulled out early as the dip stick draws from the bottom. Can I expect sediment to be drawn off early and then clear or start out milky and continue for a while? I ask because I want to serve this at a party and the look will be important.
3) Prime versus force carbonating? Priming will increase the sediment while force carbonating will not. As I mentioned in #2, I'm trying to produce a clear beer.

Any additional advice is solicited and appreciated. I have been brewing for a while, this is my move to corny kegs.
Thanks in advance,
Whack

 

[BadgerBrewer]

Good questions for a first time kegger!

1) I am a strong believer in leaving the beer in the primary for 3-4 weeks and moving directly to the keg. There is a lot of threads on this and once I switched my beers seemed to be better
2) If any sediment is in your keg after cold crashing and conditioning, it will be pulled out after your first pint or so and will run clear the rest of the way unless you shake the keg - I actually discovered gelatin and add it to the keg and it really clears up the beer. Crystal clear. Of course it will clear after sitting in the keg for a few weeks, but mine don't seem to last that long
3) why prime when you can force carb in 48 hours! Make sure the keg is cold, as CO2 absorbs easier, then set the pressure at 30 psi for 48 hours, bleed of the gas from the keg, and set to serving pressure of 8-12 psi and enjoy!

 

[mightynintendo]

1) For your lager you can go ahead and keg it and then lager in the keg. I prefer to rack my lagers to a 5 gallon carboy with very little head space and let them sit for 3 months or so before racking them to kegs. In that time more sediment will fall out and you will end up racking perfectly clear (or almost so) beer to the keg. For your ale, go ahead and keg it now. If you force carbonate, setting it to 10 psi and letting it sit for two weeks will give it enough time to condition, settle out a bit more, and become fully carbonated.

2) How cloudy/clear your beer will be depends on how much sediment is still suspended in your beer. If you let it sit undisturbed for two weeks in the keg, you will probably pull out most of the sediment with the first couple pints. After this time and those two pints, if it's still hazy you can add gelatin which will clear your beer quickly in a matter of days.

3) Priming will change the profile and character of your beer slightly. I prefer force carbing myself for that reason. If clarity is an issue then you will have a slight advantage with force carbing.

 

[whackfol]

Thanks Badgerbrew and MightyNintendo!

Badger Brew, when you say you keep in primary for 3 to 4 weeks are you including fermentation time or post fermentation? It has been almost 3 weeks since I started fermentation and at least five days since I hit my final gravity target and bubbling stopped, I was thinking about moving my ale directly to the keg and letting it sit in the keggerator for a couple of weeks and then carbonate. My original thought letting it sit a temperature with no pressure would allow it to settle and condition. It would also simulate a cold crash.

Regarding the use of gelatin, I understand you to say you add it to the keg. Does the fining create more sediment? If so, is this a problem?

Mighty Nintendo, did I undersatnd you to say move the lager to a corny and put in the cooler for a few months, then carbonate?

The "similiar threads" attachment popped up at the bottom of this thread and it was helpful in answering other questions.

 

[kryolla]

filter it and it will be bright

 

[BadgerBrewer]

@ whackfol - I ferment for 3-4 weeks and leave it in the primary. So from pitch to transfer to keg is 3-4 weeks. If you are at 3 weeks and the FG is stable after a few tests, you should be okay to transfer to a keg. If you leave it in the keg and place it in the keggerator for a few weeks it will condition and clear. The gelatin creates a little more sediment on the bottom of the keg, but nothing which causes a problem. Very fine and after the first half pint it runs clear from there on out.