Of Fermenting and Kegging

[Petho]

I am not sure which category this belings in but I am beginning to Keg on this batch and I have a question about fermenting.
Do you need to hit your FG before the beer hits the keg? Supposing the FG is still a bit high and you are ready to keg, what is the conventional wisdom on that? Supposing you are stuck at .020?

 

[COLObrewer]

Well, it either needs to spend time in the fermentor or in the keg, if it needs to it will still ferment in the keg. Niether one will make the beer ready faster or slower, it will still be ready to drink at the same time. You will have more trub/sediment in the keg if transferred early, in essence you are using your keg as a clarifying/clearing/conditioning tank (or secondary). Some would refer to this as a cask ale unless you continuously relieve the pressure.

If you're creating a lighter beer or wheat, it will be ready faster, If you are creating a heavy beer or barley wine it will still be weeks if not months depending on the brew. The only other thing is that if it's going to stay in the keg more than a few months you may get some autolysis if there is alot of yeast.