When to keg?

[jcs401]

So I usually do 2-stage fermentation. This time for my spiced Xmas ale I am trying single. It's been in primary for about 16 days and I am wondering should I wait longer to rack into keg or should it be good now. I want to make sure the yeast have time to clean up but not so long it will develope nasty flavors. ???

 

[peterj]

Anywhere from 2-3 weeks is probably fine to transfer to the keg as long as your final gravity readings are in the right range and have been stable for a few days. The yeast cleanup of fermentation byproducts really only takes a day or two, and it occurs right at the tale end of active fermentation, just after the yeast have finished with all of the easy sugars but they are still active.

 

[Yooper]

Once you have been at FG for 3 days or more, and the beer is starting to clear, it's fine to package.

Since beer ages faster at room temperature than at fridge temps, if the beer needs a bit of time to smooth out and mellow, you can keep the keg at room temperature for a while before chilling it.

 

[jcs401]

If I wanted to add some cinnamon sticks could I do that for a couple days without transferring to a secondary?

 

[Yooper]

If I wanted to add some cinnamon sticks could I do that for a couple days without transferring to a secondary?

Sure.

 

[budbo]

So I usually do 2-stage fermentation. This time for my spiced Xmas ale I am trying single. It's been in primary for about 16 days and I am wondering should I wait longer to rack into keg or should it be good now. I want to make sure the yeast have time to clean up but not so long it will develope nasty flavors. ???

What nasty flavors do you fear? My Xmas porter gets brewed in late September and is aged perfectly by Xmas

 

[jcs401]

Most things I read(John Palmer) says if left on the yeast cake and trub in primary to long, it can develope some nasty off flavors???

 

[peterj]

Most things I read(John Palmer) says if left on the yeast cake and trub in primary to long, it can develope some nasty off flavors???

Palmer's 1st edition (the online version) of How to Brew is a bit dated in that regard. Autolysis is almost never a concern on the homebrewing scale. The fear of autolysis came from commercial brewing knowledge where they have huge conical fermenters putting tons of pressure on compacted yeast cakes. Palmer himself has more recently said that he got it wrong in the 1st edition and that he rarely uses a secondary anymore.

Some people can pick up a more yeasty flavor if the beer is left longer on the yeast cake (though I've never noticed a difference in my beers). Depending on your preferences this may or may not be a bad thing.