Primary Time W/O Kegging

[Metaloaf]

Currently fermenting my first batch, an Irish Red, and have been waffling about how long to leave it in the primary (no secondary). Planning on three weeks to allow for conditioning, but on all the threads I've been reading times seem to vary depending on whether the brewer is kegging or bottling. Does the beer continue to condition more (or faster from the pressure) in a keg vs in bottles? If someone says they primary for 2 weeks and then keg, is that equivalent to something like 3 weeks and then bottling?

No need to find this out immediately, still quite a ways away from kegging, just figured I should clarify.

 

[Revvy]

I've never read anything about folks opting for something different based on whether they are keeging or bottling. It really doesn't matter how the beer is going to be served in decided how long to keep the beer on the yeast. If someone thinks so, they've some to that conclusion on their own.

You want the best quality beer no matter whether you are ultimately going to serve it in a keg or a bottle, so why would you not want to condition the beers on the yeast differently for one or the other?

I leave my beers in primary for a month then bottle. If I kegged, I'd do the same.

 

[Yooper]

I've never read anything about folks opting for something different based on whether they are keeging or bottling. It really doesn't matter how the beer is going to be served in decided how long to keep the beer on the yeast.

I agree. Instead of using the word "kegging", the word could be "packaging". When you keg your beer, it's just like bottling. Except it's one giant bottle instead of 53 small ones.

Packaging your beer comes last, and is done after the beer is done fermenting, has had a chance to clear a bit and condition, and is ready to be kegged/bottled.

 

[Revvy]

I do know some keegers (inlcuding iirc Yoop) often condition their kegs for a few weeks before tapping them like bottle conditioning. But that still doesn't effect the amount of time you want to leave the beer in primary.

I like your analogy...Packaging.