Time From Start to Finish

[majake]

I've been glued to this forum for the past 6 hours seeing as I'm about to keg a batch of beer for the first time. I've read all about the two types of force carbonating and how long they take. I've also read that carbonating time counts as conditioning time. What I haven't been able to find is a simple time line. My beer has only been in primary for about 4 days but it's finished fermenting. Can I keg and carbonate it now and then just let it sit in the keg for a while? I was told to let it sit in primary for 3 weeks so is that 3 weeks in primary 2 weeks in keg and drink? Could I do 4 days in primary 5 weeks in keg and drink? I realize that the time from being finished fermenting until drinking is important but during this time does it matter if its in primary, secondary, or keg? I don't mind letting it clear in the keg and dumping my first pint or two. Can some pros give me a time line of how long it should stay in each phase and what the total time should be from now until I drink it? I only have one primary fermenter so the sooner I get it into a keg the sooner I start a new batch. I could use the secondary fermenter as well but I'd rather not if I don't need to.

 

[ScottSingleton]

I wouldn't keg it yet... while the fermentation may have slowed way down after 4 days your yeast are still suspended and active. They've got a bit of cleaning up do and need to flocc down and drop out of suspension.

You really want to have at least several weeks in that fermented before kegging, if if you (Like I do sometimes) Keg Prime and condition. You don't want too much crap fouling up your keg. I've been Keg conditioning/priming now for about 5-6 months but still go through about a 4 week primary.

Best thing to do is go spend 15-20$ on another primary You'll appreciate that more in the long run given how addicting this hobby is.

 

[Yooper]

I typically leave a regular type of ale in the fermenter for two weeks before kegging.

It usually takes about 3 days to ferment out, and then a couple of days for the yeast to go back and "clean up" after themselves, even digesting their own waste products. After that, they start to fall out and the beer will start to clear. Once the beer is pretty clear, I keg it. That's usually about day 14 or so.

I hope that helps some. It really depends on several factors. One is to make the beer correctly in the first place, as pitching enough yeast and controlling fermentation temperatures mean less off-flavors to have to age out. A well made beer can usually be packaged by about day 10, sometimes earlier, but it doesn't hurt to go a few extra days.

Another thing to consider is the yeast strain yeast used as a yeast strain like S04 will leave a very clear beer in only about 3 days after fermentation ends, while it seems like S05 takes forever to clear!

"Bigger" beers can take a bit longer to be ready, while some ales with more complex flavors can take longer for the flavors to meld.

If you need to start another beer before the first one is ready to package, you could buy another "ale pail" fermenter and another airlock and be all set.

 

[Golddiggie]

IMO/IME, WAIT until the brew is ready to drink before you keg it. The only thing missing should be carbonation. Kegging green beer, carbonating it in the fridge/keezer/kegorator will give you carbonated, slightly less green beer. Carbonation time is NOT the same as bottle conditioning time due to the temperature differences. You bottle condition at ~70F for 3+ weeks. You carbonate, at serving pressure and temperature, for two weeks. At the lower temperature aging/conditioning happens MUCH slower.

I would wait until the brew tastes like you want it in the glass (sans carbonation and what it brings) and THEN keg it up and put it to serving pressure (once it's chilled of course). If you plan on leaving the brew out of refrigeration, then you could count that as conditioning time. But, IMO/IME, you're better off not.

For reference, I use 3 gallon kegs, getting 6 gallons out of primary (so filling two) for my normal size batches. One goes into the brew fridge as soon as a spot opens up, the other is saved for later on. I leave my batches in primary for 3-4 weeks for my normal batches (usually the OG is over 1.060), with bigger brews getting longer. I have a batch that was probably done fermenting in the first week, but it won't be kegged until either this weekend or sometime next week (it will be 3 weeks on Saturday).

As for your desire to rush a batch through... DON'T!!! Also, 4 days in primary and 5 weeks in keg (in the fridge) is NOT the same as 3 weeks in primary and two weeks in keg (carbonating)...

Also, have you taken a SG sample/reading since you think it's done fermenting?? Take another about three days from this one and compare. IF it's a 100% identical reading, chances are fermentation is finished.

As for your desire to brew another batch... Get more primary fermenters. I have three for my normal size batches, one for a 10-12 gallon batch, soon to have another for my normal size batches, as well as smaller ones for meads and such. Right now, I brew once a month, but I can easily handle twice a month with the fermenter count. I'll be able to do every weekend once I get my fourth fermenter finished. A twice a month brewing schedule can be challenging, when you have other things you need to do on weekends too.

Basically, give your brew the TIME it needs/deserves to become the best it can be. Otherwise, just go an buy a case, or keg, of BMC...

 

[oakbarn]

Forget seconday but I would leave in the primary for a bit longer. I think I would leave for at least 11 days. You will read a lot about 2 weeks here, 3 weeks there and condition. The first extract we made was kegged after 6 days in Primary and 5 days in secondary, Then kegged and forced carbed. Some of the best beer we made (see as it was our first baby, we were anxious and ready to try it. Beer does get better with age, although I think that certain styles drink very well early. We make our Raymond;s best bitter and run out within a month. We rarely have any chance to age it. We do age our lagers but I just tasted one that has been in the primary since Feb 26 at 49 degrees (e)xcept for diacytel rest at 7 days) and it was perfect. I always taste the hydrometer. We should be drinking that starting in July, but my vote would be Cold Crash and carbonate, and drink next week. If you are entering a contest, time is better, but some beers are at least at 90 % after primary. We stopped doing secondaries as we believe it only aerates the beer. Leaving on the trub does make leaving in to age necessary, but if you transfer after 10 to 11 days, that should not be a problem, If you get a Stout Conical, you can even dump the trub, Get some production and then you can leave some to age. We made a Bock last July for Xmas, and it was good then, but by the end of January it was excellent. We are going to launch our Texas Mesquite Bock for Xmas next week.

 

[oakbarn]

Another thing about kegging

1. Put the beer where you can leave it undisturbed for 2 days. This lets every thing settle.
2. Transfer to keg with minimal disturbance of the bee.r in the fermenter.
3. Make sure that you discard the first bit that come off as it is likely to have some trub in it. Wait to it runs clear before putting in the keg.
4, You hose should go to the bottom of the keg. Do not splash.
5. Leave at least two inches or more on the top of the keg. You need some space for CO2 or it will not carb. If you have extra, bottle it.
6. Clean and sanitize everything. Best to use an autosiphon but if you do not have one we used Vodka or Tequila (my favorite mouth sanitizer)
7. Put CO2 in. We normally crank it way up. We fill and dump several times. Leave at 30 psi.
8. Cold Crash
9 Without moving the keg for a couple of day, get rid of the trub again by burbing the keg. We have a beer out with an open hose. Just dump a little until your line is clear.
10. Carbonate
11. Bring over to my house so we can share it. I have CO2

 

[majake]

Thanks for the fast replies. What I'm hearing is if I leave it for 3 weeks in primary and then carbonate by the time carbonation is done the beer should be ready to drink. Is that correct?

 

[Golddiggie]

Thanks for the fast replies. What I'm hearing is if I leave it for 3 weeks in primary and then carbonate by the time carbonation is done the beer should be ready to drink. Is that correct?

Wait until it's ready for drinking EXCEPT for needing carbonation before kegging it. That could be at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, or several months after it's been brewed. Completely depends on the batch and style you make. A low OG pale ale will be done before a high OG barleywine or RIS/RIP...

Don't let a calendar dictate when you keg/rack/etc. a batch. Until you learn your system, yeast, and processes better, use gravity readings and taste to determine when it's actually time to do something.

The only exception, IMO, is dry hopping. IF you're going to dry hop outside of the keg, don't go beyond 10-14 days on a hop addition. Since I started dry hopping in keg, that's become a non issue. The cold temps the keg is kept at makes the hop flavors/aromas stay great for the entire keg (about 4-6 weeks from when it went into the brew fridge until it kicked).