Kegging-how long do you wait to drink it?

[Beer-lord]

Assuming you aren't waiting for space in your kegerator to free up, after you've kegged your beer, how long do you wait before you drink it?
I usually let it sit in the keg at room temp for a week and many times 2 before I chill it for 24 hours then gas it up for a week. It's usually very good.
A few of my darker beers take a bit longer and taste better if I wait but I read so much how some people keg, go right into the kegerator and force carb it and drink it in one day.

 

[day_trippr]

When I rushed a brew through the tail end of my process it was a minimum of 2 weeks from kegging to first pour (I refuse to succumb to the burst carb sirens). The maximum was however long I could manage to let a brew cellar before chilling and carbing for those last two weeks.

I don't have the rush problem as I've been running a separate carbing/holding fridge for the last couple of years. So unless I were to break the pipeline there's always plenty of time for carbing and cold conditioning. I'm a big fan of infrastructure

And I do brews that definitely do well with months of cellaring - typically my stouts and porters. Setting kegs aside is easy enough as long as other brews keep the pipeline filled...

Cheers!

 

[sigmund]

I'm not as good as I should be about keeping my beer supply current so I'm lucky if my beer sits undisturbed for 2 weeks after kegging.

 

[Hammy71]

Minimum is three weeks in the basement hooked up to CO2. Maximum could be months.

 

[m00se]

I'm interested in seeing what everyone says. Fairly new to kegging, but i've definitely noticed that after two weeks on gas (which is tough for me to hold off on) the beer typically gets better and better.

I'm currently drinking a saison that's been on co2 for 1.5wk and it needs half a vol or so of carbonation until it hits the perfect mouthfeel.

 

[Cranny04]

Usually 4 days after its in the keg. I put 30lbs on it for 24 hours purge and set to serving psi. Check in 3 days, if it need adjusting I adjust. If not i drink...

 

[govner1]

Since I keg condition I'm waiting 10-14 days after i put my beer in the keg anyway. Then I cold crash 24-47 hours & hook up the gas at serving pressure & enjoy!

 

[Yooper]

It depends on the beer and how many kegs I have hooked up already.

Usually, for a quicker beer I put it in the kegerator at 30 psi for 36 hours, then purge and reset to 12 psi with the other kegs and start drinking it then. That's best for IPAs and APAs. For my stout, it's in the kegerator for at least a week and then I start drinking.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

At minimum once keg'd 2 weeks on co2 in fridge before drinking! At max if all my ports are full it could be up to 2-3 + months siting outside the fridge. . But once they get into fridge 2-4 weeks to chill before I attempt to drink it.

1-1/2 to 2 weeks minimum inside or outside to carb! If its carbed outside fridge I let it sit in fridge for at minimum 2 weeks before drink'n.

 

[Beer-lord]

I asked because it seems a good many people ferment 2-3 weeks then keg and force carb and drink it right away. I know my IPA's don't want to sit forever before they lose some aroma but my beers are usually 1.065 and above and need the week or two to condition. I try to treat them a little bit like big bottles but admit, sometimes the pipeline is low and I need a beer.

 

[jmmy3]

At minimum once keg'd 2 weeks on co2 in fridge before drinking! At max if all my ports are full it could be up to 2-3 + months siting outside the fridge. . But once they get into fridge 2-4 weeks to chill before I attempt to drink it.

1-1/2 to 2 weeks minimum inside or outside to carb! If its carbed outside fridge I let it sit in fridge for at minimum 2 weeks before drink'n.

Damn that's a long carb... I was under the impression you could start pouring a few days after chilling it.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Damn that's a long carb... I was under the impression you could start pouring a few days after chilling it.

For sure u could drink after a few days. If I were to do that again I would turn PSI up to 25-30 for 2-1/2 days then turn down to dispensing PSI

OF COURSE BLEED THE 30psi out of keg after the 2-1/2 days.

Mine just sit around that long because my pipeline is so long

 

[GarageDweller]

on average: 2wks at 11psi. mmkay

 

[Doed]

After I keg my beer, I immediately put it in the keezer and put gas on it, 12psi. I will let it sit for 2 weeks before drinking.

 

[Beer-lord]

Wow, more variance than I expected.Thanks for all the info.

So, does beer condition better at room temps or in the keezer? YMMV I guess.

 

[tshinefield]

After appox 2 week primary I keg my beer. I immediately put co2 on it and purge the air off the top and let it sit for week before putting it in the keezer on 12psi. I will let it sit for 1 - 2 weeks before drinking. Not to say I don't sample....

 

[tre9er]

It depends on the beer and how many kegs I have hooked up already.

Usually, for a quicker beer I put it in the kegerator at 30 psi for 36 hours, then purge and reset to 12 psi with the other kegs and start drinking it then.

I also do this, most of the time. I just cant wait to taste it and I currently only have 3 kegs, so pipeline can be an issue.

 

[Yooper]

Wow, more variance than I expected.Thanks for all the info.

So, does beer condition better at room temps or in the keezer? YMMV I guess.

Beer ages faster at room temperature, but once it's conditioned, cooler temperatures preserve it longer (that's why "good" beers are cellared). For a beer that needs a bit of age, it'll happen faster at room temperature. Cold temperatures slow down maturation remarkably.

 

[tre9er]

Beer ages faster at room temperature, but once it's conditioned, cooler temperatures preserve it longer (that's why "good" beers are cellared). For a beer that needs a bit of age, it'll happen faster at room temperature. Cold temperatures slow down maturation remarkably.

Of course, if it's clearing you're after (like with lagers) you'd want to cold-condition it. (I know Yooper knows that, just clarifying for the OP/others)

 

[slunkmonky]

I'm naturally carbonating a batch in the keg starting today but found a co2 tank on clist today for pickup tommorow.

I run a shop with 10-22 guys depending on the day. We work until the bars close and then typically hang around the shop cracking beers until 5-6 in the AM.

I don't know enough about force carb so what is a good resource to learn from?

Will I be able to force carb with a 5lb tank and then transport the keg to work and serve it with a hand held 16 gram unit? I don't want to lug my co2 cylinder all over and the keg each Saturday. I'm hoping with 3 corny kegs a primary bucket and 3 carboys that I can have a rotation where I brew every Monday and have a keg ready every Saturday.

 

[Yooper]

I'm naturally carbonating a batch in the keg starting today but found a co2 tank on clist today for pickup tommorow.

I run a shop with 10-22 guys depending on the day. We work until the bars close and then typically hang around the shop cracking beers until 5-6 in the AM.

I don't know enough about force carb so what is a good resource to learn from?

Will I be able to force carb with a 5lb tank and then transport the keg to work and serve it with a hand held 16 gram unit? I don't want to lug my co2 cylinder all over and the keg each Saturday. I'm hoping with 3 corny kegs a primary bucket and 3 carboys that I can have a rotation where I brew every Monday and have a keg ready every Saturday.

Yes, you can force carb a keg and serve it with one of those co2 "guns". that would work out good.

We have some good advice in the "sticky" threads on force carbing and kegging, but if you have any questions feel free to ask!

 

[day_trippr]

One mole of CO2 (44.0095 g) as a gas occupies 22.414 L at STP.
So a 16 gram cartridge holds about 8 liters of gas at STP.

A corney keg holds around 19 liters. The P in STP is one atmosphere. My major was in Electrical Engineering, but I think it would be optimistic to expect a single cartridge to empty even half a keg...

Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

One mole of CO2 (44.0095 g) as a gas occupies 22.414 L at STP.
So a 16 gram cartridge holds about 8 liters of gas at STP.

A corney keg holds around 19 liters. The P in STP is one atmosphere. My major was in Electrical Engineering, but I think it would be optimistic to expect a single cartridge to empty even half a keg...

Cheers!

Oh, you need about 3 cartridges! I hope I didnt imply that one would do it. But it works, you just have to change the cartridges when needed.

 

[day_trippr]

Oh, you need about 3 cartridges! I hope I didnt imply that one would do it. But it works, you just have to change the cartridges when needed.

Whoops! Sorry, Yoop - that wasn't a retort, just for info. I was still typing when you posted so I didn't even see your post to retort to

Cheers!

 

[Anon]

my new rule of thumb is 10 psi for 2 weeks

 

[tre9er]

I use a 20oz paintball tank and it lasts a lot longer than you'd think. Carb and serve at least a half dozen kegs for $3.75 per refil. Actually probably closer to 6-8 kegs.

 

[day_trippr]

I use a 20oz paintball tank and it lasts a lot longer than you'd think. Carb and serve at least a half dozen kegs for $3.75 per refil. Actually probably closer to 6-8 kegs.

Dude - do you understand the difference between 16 grams and 20 ounces?

Cheers! (hint: it's friggin' HUGE )

 

[tre9er]

Dude - do you understand the difference between 16 grams and 20 ounces?

Cheers! (hint: it's friggin' HUGE )

Yeah. My post was unrelated to the one about cartridges. I was responding to the guy regarding portable options

 

[DiggerinOregon]

Cold crash for 1 day. Force carb and let sit for 1 day. Drinking day 3. Why wait for weeks when you can drink in 72 hours?

 

[day_trippr]

^ As the preponderance of folks posting to this thread seem to have a different preference, maybe there are good reasons?

Cheers! (Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Badly Carbed Green Beer )

 

[DiggerinOregon]

I've tried carbing for two weeks and found no difference(to me) in the outcome. I usually do my primary for 3-4 weeks. I also have found that if I need to "age" my beers in the keg, it's because I missed a flavor profile in my recipe, and I'm hoping it mellows out.

 

[DiggerinOregon]

I would like to qualify that I usually make lighter in gravity and color beers.

 

[slunkmonky]

I use a 20oz paintball tank and it lasts a lot longer than you'd think. Carb and serve at least a half dozen kegs for $3.75 per refil. Actually probably closer to 6-8 kegs.

I think I'll be a 1-3 day carb guy so I can just have my carboys loaded up with beers on-deck and then I'll probably find a paintball cylinder to serve so I'm just paying refill fees and not a huge 16 gram cost. 5lb at home, 20 oz sitting at work.

 

[BansheeRider]

It depends on the beer and how many kegs I have hooked up already.

Usually, for a quicker beer I put it in the kegerator at 30 psi for 36 hours, then purge and reset to 12 psi with the other kegs and start drinking it then. That's best for IPAs and APAs. For my stout, it's in the kegerator for at least a week and then I start drinking.

Do you fill the keg to 30 psi then disconnect it from the gas for 24 hours? Or do you leave it hooked to co2 the whole time?

 

[tre9er]

Do you fill the keg to 30 psi then disconnect it from the gas for 24 hours? Or do you leave it hooked to co2 the whole time?

I leave it on

 

[BansheeRider]

I leave it on

The reason why I asked is because I watched a youtube video on force carbing and the guy used a slightly different method. He chilled the keg for 12hours, filled the keg to 30 psi while rocking the keg on the floor, purged a few seconds, then pulled the gas off. After a day (24 hours) he lowered to serving preasure and tested. The beer was perfectly carbonated.

I ordered all my kegging equipment today along with a kegerator conversion kit. My first keg will most likely be forced carbed because I can't wait to try it. I am trying to learn the best method for this.

 

[tre9er]

My beer is cold crashed before kegging so it's chilled going in. I put on gas, shake for a minute, leave in fridge on gas for about24 hours, then turn down to serving, bleed and try

 

[rkorn74]

That is essentially my method. After primary, I prep a keg and purge the air with a couple of vents. I will put in my kegerator for 24 without a bottle on it. Next I pul it out and put 30 psi on the keg while rocking it back and forth for 10 to 15 minutes, then vent. After that I adjust to serving pressure and drink when the keg in front is empty. Usually that's not too long after, as my friends have become fond of my hobby.

 

[evancold]

I cold crash for a week before kegging. When kegging I will set it to 30psi and shake the hell out of it for 5 minutes. I leave it at 30psi for 48 hours, then reduce it to 12-14psi and start drinking after 48 hours. I am too impatient to wait weeks to drink my beer after being kegged. Even if I already have 40 gallons on tap I still want to try the "new" one lol. Works great for me and the beer is always carbed very well.

 

[BansheeRider]

I cold crash for a week before kegging. When kegging I will set it to 30psi and shake the hell out of it for 5 minutes. I leave it at 30psi for 48 hours, then reduce it to 12-14psi and start drinking after 48 hours. I am too impatient to wait weeks to drink my beer after being kegged. Even if I already have 40 gallons on tap I still want to try the "new" one lol. Works great for me and the beer is always carbed very well.

Do you disconnect the gas during the 48 hours?