Getting ready for my first keg

[GIusedtoBe]

brew and was wondering if some of you sage keggers would give me a rundown on your method as far as aging etc.

My beer is a SNPA clone and it has been in the secondary for two weeks after two in the primary.

I plan on force carbing this beer but also want to use my spare fridge to ferment a pilsner so a few questions:

Can I keg it and set it aside at room temp for a few weeks without harming it? I don't want to prime it so i will force carb it.

Should I force carb it chilled and then remove it to room temp or should I just pressurize it and vent the O2 and set at room temp for a few weeks and then force carb when I have the fridge space back.

Above all, what would you do in this situation?

Sorry for the newbie questions but i don't want to ruin my first kegged beer.

Regards,
Al

 

[BierMuncher]

Pressurize slightly to purge O2 and seat the seals.

Set aside at room temp and continue to let it age and mellow.

Chill it about 2-3 weeks prior to desired serve date. You don't need that much time to chill and carb, but the beer will clear a lot better with that much time.

Once chilled, either set the PSI to ~12 and forget about it for 10 days, or if you're in a hurry, set to 30PSI for 60 hours and then set down to 10-12 until just right (usually another day or so).

Don't try and carb the beer at room temp.
Don't be in more of a hurry to chill longer than necessary to clear and carb.

 

[jesse]

Pressurize slightly to purge O2 and seat the seals.

Set aside at room temp and continue to let it age and mellow.

Chill it about 2-3 weeks prior to desired serve date. You don't need that much time to chill and carb, but the beer will clear a lot better with that much time.

Once chilled, either set the PSI to ~12 and forget about it for 10 days, or if you're in a hurry, set to 30PSI for 60 hours and then set down to 10-12 until just right (usually another day or so).

Don't try and carb the beer at room temp.
Don't be in more of a hurry to chill longer than necessary to clear and carb.

why not carb at room temp???

 

[BierMuncher]

why not carb at room temp???

Chilled liquid absorbs CO2 much more efficiently than room temp.

Trying to carb up at room temp would take a ton longer than if the beer were chilled to...say...37 degrees.

Not sure of the physics aspect, but it's pretty widely held as a fact-of-life in kegging.

 

[jesse]

Chilled liquid absorbs CO2 much more efficiently than room temp.

Trying to carb up at room temp would take a ton longer than if the beer were chilled to...say...37 degrees.

Not sure of the physics aspect, but it's pretty widely held as a fact-of-life in kegging.

can i bring it back to room temp after carbing it???

 

[BierMuncher]

can i bring it back to room temp after carbing it???

Once the beer has absorbed the CO2, the gas shouldn't "disappear". Much like bottled beer on the shelves hold their carbonation, a keg...properly sealed, should also do the same.

 

[GIusedtoBe]

So if I'm going to keep it at room temp in the keg for about 3-4 weeks then I should chill it, carb it and then bring to room temp or just store it flat in a pressurized keg and carb it later? Does it make any difference to the quality of the beer?

Thanks,
Al

 

[BierMuncher]

So if I'm going to keep it at room temp in the keg for about 3-4 weeks then I should chill it, carb it and then bring to room temp or just store it flat in a pressurized keg and carb it later? Does it make any difference to the quality of the beer?

Thanks,
Al

No difference. Work around the schedule of your chiller.

The easiest would bo to store it at room, chill and carb 2-3 weeks before serving time.

 

[GIusedtoBe]

Thanks for all the info BM

Do most of you advanced brewers have a dedicated fridge for fermenting lagers as well as a kegerator?

While your out there BM, does it improve bottled ales to store them refrigerated once carbonation is complete?

Regards,
Al

 

[BierMuncher]

Thanks for all the info BM

Do most of you advanced brewers have a dedicated fridge for fermenting lagers as well as a kegerator?

While your out there BM, does it improve bottled ales to store them refrigerated once carbonation is complete?

Regards,
Al

I don't lager. To much of a PITA. I do have a chest freezer (for chilling and caribing) and a mini-fridge kegerator (for serving).

Longer cold storage will help your beer move past the chill haze stage and be clearer. Once carb'd, I prefer to chill-store for that reason.