How long do I need to keep beer in keg before serving?

[Elysium]

I am planning to ferment a pale ale for 3 weeks and then keg it (primary fermentor for 3 weeks), then force carbonate it.

How long shall I wait between kegging and serving? What your experience when it comes to this?

Cheers

 

[chickypad]

When doing set and forget method I tend to tap kegs at a week. They are usually not all the way carbed yet but enough to drink (I do 13 psi at 40-41* for about 2.5 vols). The chill haze usually continues to clear over another week or so. If you burst carb you could have it ready sooner like in a couple days.

 

[Yooper]

I am planning to ferment a pale ale for 3 weeks and then keg it (primary fermentor for 3 weeks), then force carbonate it.

How long shall I wait between kegging and serving? What your experience when it comes to this?

Cheers

You can serve it as soon as it is carbonated.

I do it two different ways, depending on the beer and my timeline.

If the beer is pretty clear, and ready to serve as soon as it is carbed, I'll put it in the kegerator (40 degrees) and set the regulator to 30 psi for 36 hours. Then, purge, and reset it to 12 psi (my carb level preference) and drink beginning the next day. The carb level will improve for the next two days or so, but it's pretty good by day 2.

If the beer is not quite clear, and needs a bit of time to clear with some cold conditioning, I'll put it in the kegerator at 12 psi and it'll be ready in 10-12 days.

I am firmly in the "no shake, ever!" camp as I don't like sediment ridden foamy beer, but some will shake to hurry the process along.

 

[Homercidal]

I have shook my kegs before, but only when I've cold crashed and hit the keg with 30 lbs. Shook it right away so there was no concern about sediment being stirred up.

And I overcarbed the keg!

 

[saeroner]

I drink it flat as soon as the gas can force it out.

Serve as soon as you can get it carbed up. 3 days for me. It's better though after a week.

 

[dk21]

I just "set it and forget it" and tap it two weeks later.

 

[Gavin C]

36 hours at 30 psi and then serving pressure. 12 psi usually. A bit lower for stouts. A bit higher for a hefeweizen. Works like a champ every time and I only have 5' of lines (Less than ideal but seems to be working in my kegerator).

This is a method of force carbing that I learned from reading @Biermuncher 's posts. I never shake the keg. A 2 day wait for a beer when I have another tap on the go anyway is no great hardship.

 

[Rivenin]

i'm not in the same boat as these guys but as long as it's carbed (unless you like flat beer). you'l find what works for you.
i set my regulator to 20psi, roll it around on the ground and wait till i can hear the hissing slow way down - tap a bit later. but it gets better a few days later.

 

[brewprint]

Mostly I will chill for 12-24 hours and then put it at 30psi for 36 hours. Then purge and set 10-12psi. It's carbed decent 12 hours after the purge but in a couple more days it's good.

I've chilled for 12-24 hours and rolled at 30psi for 1 minute and that works but again it needs a couple more days.