Why is the bottom of the keg the best?

[quantrellc]

Why is the beer at the bottom of the keg the best? It is clearer and smoother to me is there a reason or is it just me. Enjoying one from near the bottom now and just curious.

 

[Bobby_M]

As a beer sits, the clearest beer is always at the top. When that beer finally gets down to the diptube, you get it in the glass.

 

[Gameface]

With more patience more of the beer will be "bottom of the keg" beer. Unfortunately I don't have any patience so I really cherish those last few pulls.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

My favorite glass is usually number 3. This is the first glass that doesn't have any of the cruft that fining/settling may pull off. I do generally make highly hopped/and/or session beers though, so I love a fresh pour! :fro:

 

[shelly_belly]

I use a keg as a bright tank. You would not want the beer at the bottom of that keg.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

I use a keg as a bright tank. You would not want the beer at the bottom of that keg.

This^^

I also let kegs sit for a good week out and then another week in the fridge before serving. If your going straight from primary to the "shake" method you might be drinking your beer to "green" and when your at the bottom of your keg its when its at its prime! Take that into condiseration next keg and watch the best "end of the keg" becomes the entire keg!

Cheers

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

It's pretty simple, really: The yeast, protein/cold break, hop bits (if any) and any other matter will have been drawn out before you get to the last few pints. It also will have given the beer more time to condition and mature.

MC

 

[Gameface]

When he says "bottom of the keg" he's not talking about the dregs that collect at the bottom but the last couple beers in a keg.

I'm so impatient I often get to those last few and think "hey the beer is finally starting to really clear up and it's tasting fantastic" then I'm blowing CO2 out of the tap and I'm like "$%&*" and I cry.

 

[Bobby_M]

The best way to make more of the beer taste like that is to cold crash the primary for a good 3 days before you rack to the keg.

 

[quantrellc]

Thanks for the tips guys. I took a couple pics because this is one of my ten gallon batches I thought we could compare. At little background on the brew, it is a vienna lagerish type beer 15lbs pale malt 5lbs vienna and 1lb carapils fermented at 62 degrees with wyeast 2112 two weeks primary 9 day secondary and 7 days cold crash (got busy at work) and has been in the keg for two weeks. In the first pic the beer on the right is from near the bottom of the keg and the one on the left is about six pours into the other keg from the same batch, in the second pic they are reversed. Both are good beers it's just those last few are really nice. I think Bobby hit when describing how they clear overtime with the top (last few beers) being the clearest.

 

[Gameface]

I think the taste is quite different, as well.

 

[scubasteve03]

That is how I know my leg is going to kick. The beer tastes better, must be almost done.