Kegging and green beer question

[tschafer]

So. I brewed 10 gallons of my go-to pale ale that i've brew multiple times.

The only new thing is we are kegging now.

SO....7 primary...14 secondary...2 day for cold crashing.

KEGGED it, carbed it, drank it, and hmmmm....doesn't taste like it should. Green like, or muddled flavors.

Or atleast it doesn't taste like it did when I was bottling it.

I know this will sounds like a newbie question, but I can not seem to finding a definitive answer on this.

The question is:

IF KEGGING, should you still have a 30 day conditioning period?

 

[BigTerp]

I don't think it's a solid rule that you NEED to have a 30 day conditioning period. But I've noticed this when I went from bottling to kegging as well, but only with certain styles that seem to benefit from a little more aging. My pales and IPA's I tend to primary for 2 weeks, naturally carb in the keg for 2 weeks and they are great. I do the same with by browns and caramel amber, but I find they get much better after about 4 weeks in the keg at room temperature. Before I went to kegging I also used to always primary for 3-4 weeks then bottle condition for at least 2-3 weeks. So when bottling, all of my beers were conditioned/aged for longer than with kegging.

I most recently noticed this with a 10 gallon batch of caramel amber that was always spectacular when I bottled. I just finished drinking the first keg of it and it was so-so when first tapped. But got better as time went on. Noticeable difference from the first beer of the first keg to the last beer. Both kegs were naturally carbed at room temperature but the second keg stayed at that temp for about 4 weeks before being thrown in my kegerator. I've yet to have a beer from the second keg, but I'm guessing it's going to show improvements from the first.

Another thing to keep in mind is a solid brew process (proper pitching rates, fermentation temp control, etc.) will help keep off-flavors to a minimum resulting in less of a need to "condition" them out.

 

[Sailingeric]

Since I have started kegging I have noticed what you are saying. I get good beer, then it becomes odd, then good again, then a little less odd, then very good and holds there. With bottling I had a pipeline and beers could age before I got to them while kegging is instant gratification.

 

[chudsonvt]

SO....7 primary...14 secondary...2 day for cold crashing.

This is roughly what I do before kegging. Did you taste a sample before kegging? I like to have a taste before cold crashing. If I think it tastes good, then all is well, cold crash, keg and carb. Then, the result is good. If I think there is a benefit in conditioning longer, I will.

So, my initial thought is that it could have been a one off issue that caused the change in taste. I would bet that the next batch will be different. Just my guess based on my kegging...

 

[brewcat]

It depends on the beer. I would try it again in a week and go from there. Usually a couple weeks is still ideal. I have one I just tapped after 4 days that won't necessarily change in flavor. Before that I had a pale that was still too young the first couple weeks.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I have never bottled so take this for what its worth....

I have however, kegged my share of beer and in my experience alone I think the beer needs to stay in the Primary a little bit longer b/c it dosen't have that extra time to age that it does when you bottle condition. So I would say at least 14 days in primary and I don't usually go longer than 21 (not b/c it cant but b/c I want to drink it).

 

[PrinceOfThePoint]

This thread addresses something I find incredibly interesting. The beer is ALIVE; its characteristics change significantly throughout its early life. I begin with about 3-4 weeks in primary, where the last ~5 days are for dry hop. Brief cold crash then keg. Uncarbonated sample tastes juicy and delicious. Force carbonate for ~3 days. During the first week after, the beer truly does taste "green." Hop compounds seem muted and slightly vegetal. In fact, flavors in general are muted. Mouthfeel isn't quite there, often seems a little thin.

At two weeks after carbonation, the beer has suddenly COME TO LIFE. This is the IPA you were expecting to see! Mouthfeel has suddenly improved, aroma and flavor are suddenly exploding. It hardly bears any resemblance to the beer you tried 7-14 days ago.

I am unclear as to what really is the cause of this. I also believe that nobody currently has a proper explanation. I don't believe it is the breakdown or processing of "off-flavors" that were present. Call it "conditioning," but that entirely nonspecific. I believe it has something to do with the carbonation process, and is mostly unrelated to the amount of time in primary. My beers seem exhibit this effect right after kegging regardless of whether the beer was primary'd for 2.5 weeks or 5 weeks. The beers "come into their own" after the same amount of time.

I look forward to learning more about what is actually going on here! Cheers