How long before kegging IPA?

[grittanomyces]

In general. I know the answer tends to be "it depends", but I recently took some guff that I kegged my IPA too soon, after 1 week in primary and 1 week of dry-hop/secondary. The claim is "2 weeks of secondary for IPAs". I know that's probably not absolute, but what's the rule of thumb or how do you know how long to go?

They may have a point, I did overlook the fact that when bottling, it would be at room temperature for a week or 2 and thus the remaining yeast would be conditioning the beer, whereas in a cold keg the yeast obviously are completely dormant.

I think the beer is tasting better every day from the keg, but it does have a slightly unpleasant bitter spicy note on the finish (though it is fading a bit), that I'm not sure is from being young, or because I mistakenly relied on a meat thermometer and had the grains end up steeping too hot. It is a really dry spicy-hot bitterness all the way to the back of the throat, that I haven't experienced from even the most bitterly hopped beers.

But regardless of how this beer turned out, just wondering some general info on how you determine how long you go before going to keg with an IPA?

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

Most of my beers have a 3 week primary period. When I make IPAs, I let ferment 2 weeks, then add dry hops for 5 days. I keg and serve on day 21. I only use primary bucket to ferment in, no secondary.


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[masskrug]

Same thing as Joe, except I bottle for two-three weeks.

 

[Demus]

IPA's are generally good fresh. Once you reach a stable terminal gravity, you can dry hop for a few days to a week and keg away. Two weeks total doesn't sound too short to me as long the above was true. Give it a few weeks in the keg before you rush judgement. Age mellows hop bitterness. Hopefully that back of the throat flavor will fade. You may have extracted tannins in your handling of the grains. They can have an astringent, medicinal bite...


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[TheBeerGuy]

My first IPA was considered "vegital" and I rushed it too much. I was only in primary for about 8 days and then into the bottles it went for 2 weeks. I enjoyed it, and that's all the matters here right? I did not like to off flavor it produced in the end. My second and all subsequent IPAs have been in the primary for 2 weeks and then I either add my dry hopping or no dry hopping. If I dry hop I will let it sit on there for about another week or two. I keg them all now and I make sure that I am super sterile on all of my keg parts and I'll store it under pressure at room temp (66-70* F) for a week before putting it in the refrigerator. Then I'll let it go in there for another week to "chill" out. When I tap it now it is nice and smooth. Maybe its not my procedure but I get great IPAs from this. I usually use the same/similar hops so it may be the types I am using.