Poll - Keg Conditioning Time

[WhiskeyR]

After connecting the gas, burst carbing and cooling the keg to around 40*, when is the beer "ready" in your personal experience:

I'm new to kegging, having only kegged two batches so far. My first batch tasted funky until about 10 days in the keg, then it was great. My second kegged batch also tastes funky at the moment but has only been in the keg for 5 days now.

I feel like there are two schools of thought to kegging, from what I've read in my searches. For some, the beer is ready when its carbed, plus maybe a couple days. Others seem to condition in the keg as long as they would in a bottle.

 

[WhiskeyR]

*poll

 

[heferly]

3 wks is my experience, even with 30 psi for 2 days, dropped to serving..not that i wait quite that long!

 

[bighand]

I'm not sure what you mean by burst carbing but I set my regulator around 12 PSI in a 40* fridge and it seems to take about 2 weeks to carbonate fully.

How long do you wait to keg after brewing/fermenting. I have beers that have improved with aging but the carbonation level doesn't seem to have too much impact on that.

 

[WhiskeyR]

I'm not sure what you mean by burst carbing but I set my regulator around 12 PSI in a 40* fridge and it seems to take about 2 weeks to carbonate fully.

How long do you wait to keg after brewing/fermenting. I have beers that have improved with aging but the carbonation level doesn't seem to have too much impact on that.

By burst carbing I mean 30psi for 24-48 hours, then 12ish. What I mean by the poll is to find out, from others experiences, the difference between a beer being carbed and a beer being "ready," or tasting right.

 

[Yooper]

I couldn't answer. My answer would be "never" to "one week"

With my experience in burst carbing, sometimes it comes out ok. That is 30 psi for 36 hours, then purging and resetting at 12 psi. this usually comes out ok.. The first two days it has a distinct carbonic acid bite, but it's ok in about five days to a week.

Or, I can set it at 12 psi in the kegerator and it's pretty good in about a week to 2 weeks.

So, to "save" a week, I can burst carb or I can let it sit for two weeks. Either way is usually fine, but the "set it and forget it" method is more dependable.

 

[CPooley4]

I typically do 30 psi for 48 hours and then set it at 12. Quite reliable in my experience though I think it takes an additional 5 or so days at 12 before it tastes ready.

 

[Malticulous]

It depends on how good (or ready) the beer was when it was kegged. For the most part I don't "package" my beer before it's ready for carbonation and then drinking. One day is all it takes with high pressure and some shaking.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Avoid Bursting I start with 30psi only to set seals and check for leaks then 12psi @ 42* for 2 weeks tried and true always good to go............my.02

 

[cheier]

I'll say in 5 or less. Actually, for me, I'll say 5 minutes. I separate keg conditioning from keg carbing. I usually carbonate after letting the beer age in a keg for a couple weeks, then I'll pass it through a filter to another keg, drop 30 PSI on it and shake it up for about a minute or so, then start drinking.

It tastes great when 'flash' carbonated, but there is a light bite and wateriness that goes away the next day usually. Still tasty in my books...

 

[mountainman13]

I cold crash the carboy overnight, siphon to keg, set to 30psi, roll in my lap for 7 min, drop to 10-12 psi and drink it. Never fails.
Depending on style, it might get a little better with some age. I usually have some variation of a Moose Drool clone on tap, and it does get a little better with some time, but I really think my IPA's are best right off the bat. Maybe I'm just really happy to drink them?

 

[Beezy]

Its crazy the different things I hear. Some tell me 8 hours or overnight. A week or two? My bottled beers are pretty much good in a week. I have to work on patience.

 

[PGHBrew]

I do 48 hrs at 30 psi then drop to 12 psi. The beer is drinkable, but as most have already said there is a carbonic bite to it. Usually a week after they are pretty good, but I always reserve judgement until it's been at 12 psi for 2 weeks.

 

[WhiskeyR]

I do 48 hrs at 30 psi then drop to 12 psi. The beer is drinkable, but as most have already said there is a carbonic bite to it. Usually a week after they are pretty good, but I always reserve judgement until it's been at 12 psi for 2 weeks.

I think I'm going to follow this line of thinking. For some reason as a noob, I have a tendency to try to see kegging as a "short cut" when I probably shouldn't.

 

[HHP]

I think I'm going to follow this line of thinking. For some reason as a noob, I have a tendency to try to see kegging as a "short cut" when I probably shouldn't.

Its just easier, and better.

 

[jayavery]

man, this is the biggest debate in the world.. everyone does it differently and still acheive pretty good results. these are t he two methods i use:

1. after burping, set it and forget it at 10psi for 2 weeks, perfect beer.
2. after burping, set it at 10psi for 8 hours (to coool) then force carb at 20psi for 5 mins or until you no longer hear gas going into solution - whichever comes first. release pressure, leave at 10psi for 24 hours, done .. again.. perfect beer I use 20 because I've had trouble with over carbing doing it at 30.

Here's my setup: www.youtube.com/epicbeerdude

 

[WhiskeyR]

But the question is really not "When is the beer carbonated" but "when is it ready". Its interesting seeing that some people's beer tastes good after 24 hours in the keg. So far for me, I need a couple weeks after burst carbing for the taste to be right. I wish 24 hours works, but i'm going to try to learn some patience.

 

[Yooper]

But the question is really not "When is the beer carbonated" but "when is it ready". Its interesting seeing that some people's beer tastes good after 24 hours in the keg. So far for me, I need a couple weeks after burst carbing for the taste to be right. I wish 24 hours works, but i'm going to try to learn some patience.

My beers taste great before going into the keg. They don't usually need more time (except my stout always seem to need a bit of time for the flavors to meld). So, it's ready when it's carbonated.

I'm not much of a fan of burst carbing, but it does work for me if I set it at 30 psi for 36 hours, then purge and reset to 12 psi. It's definitely ready within 5 days or so. It's also ready if I set it at 12 psi and wait a week.

 

[remilard]

With the exception of something like Barleywine or Imperial Stout or a lager, the beer is ready to drink 10-20 days after brewing when it hits the keg. I am too lazy to figure out some complex force carbing so I just put it on 30 psi and shake for like a minute and then leave it 1-2 psi higher than target for about another week and it is usually about right.

From there I rarely leave c02 on (just an expensive way to find out you have a leak). If I need higher carb after trying some I hit the headspace with a high pressure (how high depends on how much headspace, it is a feel thing). And if I need less, unless I need dramatically less, I just don't hit the headspace after trying some and maybe pull the pressure release valve.

 

[jubelale]

5 days or less. My brew is ready to drink when it goes in the keg. It just needs to carb up. I am temp controlling fermentation and have a sanitary process. Plus most of my beers are moderate ABV. I force carb at 30psi while shaking then to 20 psi for a day and its good to go.

 

[edie]

7 days at 12psi / 38*

might taste a little better at 14 days but i've waited long enough!

 

[Hammy71]

If the OP's contention is "Burst carbing" causes off flavors for a week or so......the question that begs to be asked....Why bother? I set the keg at serving pressure and after 3 weeks, voila.....perfectly carbed beer. Patience is your best friend. I know it's hard....but your beer and palette will thank you.