How long?...

[mahilly]

...does it take for bottle conditioning to "complete" before it's OK to refrigerate the beer? Conversely, how long is too long before refrigerating? The beer in question is a Scotch Ale (OG 1060 and FG 1018 in case it matters). Thanks! Mike.

 

[hopsalot]

3 weeks is a good rule, warmer temps promote carbonation. don't worry about your beer aging it is beneficial.

 

[J-Man]

I always try to base it off of how carbonated I want the beer, since the longer that it stays at room temp., the more potential carbonation. After I reach my desired carbonation level (this information attained through drinking at least one beer per week), I try to keep the beer cold, so as turn any active yeast dormant. This seems to work well for me in the ales that I brew, however lagers may be different, as I have never attempted a lager.

 

[ifishsum]

I keep mine at room temperature for a minimum of 3 weeks, and no real maximum. It generally gets better and smoother over time, some of them sit for a couple of months before I refrigerate and drink them.

Carbonation level is best adjusted by the amount of priming sugar you add, so you don't have to worry about refrigerating them after a certain time. Carbonation will only go so far, based on the amount of priming sugar added - the rest of the time is just aging and conditioning.