General Kegging Questions

[UTaustinBrewer]

Just kegged my first beer tonight. It may be a little early for me to carbonate but I was too excited to restrain myself.

1. Is it okay to keg beer right after you reach your fg? what about force carbing and serving right away?

2. If you chill and carbonate your beer, can you then let it warm back up and condition it before re-cooling and serving?

3. How long should I condition an ipa? (It seems that many people suggest drinking ipas while they are still very fresh).

4. If I use gelatin finings in my serving keg, how much beer to I need to draw out before it should be clear.

I have some other questions that I might add tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[RedRaiderDavid]

Just kegged my first beer tonight. It may be a little early for me to carbonate but I was too excited to restrain myself.

1. Is it okay to keg beer right after you reach your fg? what about force carbing and serving right away?

2. If you chill and carbonate your beer, can you then let it warm back up and condition it before re-cooling and serving?

3. How long should I condition an ipa? (It seems that many people suggest drinking ipas while they are still very fresh).

4. If I use gelatin finings in my serving keg, how much beer to I need to draw out before it should be clear.

I have some other questions that I might add tomorrow.

Thanks

Ha, I just started a thread with almost exactly the same questions.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

1) Sure. It might just taste a bit green.
2) Sure, but kind of a waste of time, IMO. Just let it condition, then chill & carb. OR you can do what some us us do and get a second CO2 tank and carb and condition at the same time. I call this 'carbitioning'.
3) Depends on the IPA. I've had ones that were good three weeks after the first bubble from the airlock. Others, not for months. That one's up to you.
4) 1/4 pint should do it.

 

[OleGoatBrewing]

1. That is what I do. 14-19 days in a primary and then I force carb in a keg. It's usually really good. Darker beers benefit from a longer conditioning period, but light beers such as a pale ale, IPA and hefe's are good "fresh" if you ask me.

2. Once at carb temp I try to keep it, but I've had some brews warm up and be fine. Just keep H2O away from it and you should be fine .

3. I use the schedule from list #1. I've never gotten any negative feedback.

4. I don't get wrapped up with clarity so I can't tell you.

Good Luck!