Aging In The Keg

[mesa]

Frag_Dog, absolutly correct. Although if you're prepared to wait for 2+ months, I'd consider adding all the sugar you would have put in bottles into the keg and naturally carbonating the keg (the first glass may have sediment, but you will use less CO2 this way.

As for water. My wife was into sparkling water. So I put a keg of it on top. Then she decided she liked tonic water better. So it turns out I drink the sparkling water with cordial (lemon lime and bitters or ginger beer mostly) and she drinks the tonic water in the inside fridge. Ideally water should be gassed at a higher pressure than beer. I do it at the same pressure, but at some point I'd like to buy the add on for me regulator to make it a dual pressure reg (its a micromatic, some of the site sponsors sell them although I got mine from the LHBS). Maybe something to keep in mind when you buy your setup (whether you buy a dual pressure to start or make sure its upgradable latter)

 

[Frag_Dog]

Thats a good point, I guess the extra outlay for the fancy regulator is worth it in the long run.

Time to start putting this all together...

 

[KHB]

I have a lager fermenting at the moment and was wondering do people cc in the keg over a month. If so how do you go with force carbing and keeping it clear. I was thinking of drawing a pint off before gassing up.

Would this work??

Cheers KHB

 

[Beerbuoy]

MMMM hydrometer sample tasting :icon_drool2: .

Ha! Ha! I thought I was the only one that drooled over the hydrometer samples. mmmmmm think I might check the SG again .

As for Soda Wa#%!$^. I think that sort of foul language is a bit out of place on a family forum like this!!

Seriously tho, I have been pondering the answer to your question myself and its hard to find a firm answer as to why kegs "apparently" need less aging. From my limited experience I think its more to do with the quality of the beer, ie a kit with dextrose compared to all grain. My kit beers get better with age in the bottle but I just tried a fresh wort beer after 2 weeks in the bottle and its fantastic. In fact its that good I'm now setting up for AG. I think the kits have more bad attributes that benefit from aging.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Frag_Dog]

Ahhh ok so its a AG vs Kit and Kilo thing...

Well I think I'll keep doing the Kit and Kilo thing for now. The beer ends up tasting pretty good after 2 months and its easy. Once I'm comfortable with Kegs then I'll look at expantion (I still don't know what I'm doing when it comes to hops...)

Thanks for all the answers guys!

 

[Benbrewer]

Ahhh ok so its a AG vs Kit and Kilo thing...

Well I think I'll keep doing the Kit and Kilo thing for now. The beer ends up tasting pretty good after 2 months and its easy. Once I'm comfortable with Kegs then I'll look at expantion (I still don't know what I'm doing when it comes to hops...)

Thanks for all the answers guys!

Frag Dog

Just started with kegs last couple of weeks after doing bottles for years.

Just finished my first keg, took a week, due to much scientific sampling. I have done 2 coopers lagers straight out of the kit as it is a beer I have done heaps of in bottles so I know what it should taste like.

I have found that after two to three days on 35psi it is gassed to my liking. At two days it wasn't 100% clear and tasted about what I would have expected a two week old bottle to taste like, drinkable but still a little green. At 5 days in the keg it was crystal clear and tasted about the two month mark which for my brews is generally when they taste great. At 7 days in the keg it was gone!

Had help from some mates, so 19 litres is as much as you think it is. Have another coopers larger which is at day 4 in the keg now and is the same asthe first so four me, I expect that one week in the fridge, gassed at 35 psi for 2-3 days then drop to about 8 psi to pour is great for my setup. The beer is crystal clear at this time and tastes like a very good aged bottle. I am gassing a coopers australian ale now and will be sampling on the weekend.

I have two kegs and I think I will get two more. Bout time the wife gets a new fridge so I can move another outside and convert my current setup to 4 kegs.

You will not regret kegging. I am keeping track of my progress in my blog.

 

[Frag_Dog]

I figured I would add a follow up to this now that I have kegs (YAY!)

I kegged a Imperial Voyage Pale Ale (Cascade Kit and Kilo job) on tuesday after work and chucked it in the fridge and started it gassing. I gassed at around 15psi for a day and tried some last night. Apart from heaps of foam and no carbonation it didn't taste too bad.

I don't know if this is because its an ale, speed of fermentation (airlock going so fast I thought it would blow all the water out - thank you SafAle and doing a Starter), use of finnings, or the keg. But it SEEMS to cut down the amount of time needed for conditioning.

Next beer to be kegged will be a Morgans Chairman Selection Cervesa (Swill beer for State of Origin + non-home Bronco games) which is a Lager. I'll try the same thing and post back for the people interested...

 

[samhighley]

I gassed at around 15psi for a day and tried some last night. Apart from heaps of foam and no carbonation it didn't taste too bad.

15psi (103 kPa) is around where you want to be, but it'll take a week or two to get to a nice level of carbonation at that level.

Did you force carbonate beforehand?

 

[Frag_Dog]

I didn't force carbonate as its described in other threads. I took it out and gave it a shake around and could hear the gas going in but i left it at 15psi. I shook it for a few mins over the course of an hour.

I'm using a Bronco tap with 4m of beer line, so that may be part of the problem with foaming. I have a Pluto style gun that came with the gear I got, but it smells of vinegar so it will need a rebuild.

 

[Benbrewer]

I didn't force carbonate as its described in other threads. I took it out and gave it a shake around and could hear the gas going in but i left it at 15psi. I shook it for a few mins over the course of an hour.

I'm using a Bronco tap with 4m of beer line, so that may be part of the problem with foaming. I have a Pluto style gun that came with the gear I got, but it smells of vinegar so it will need a rebuild.

Frag dog,

Been doing 35 psi for 3 days starting with the keg just filled, so not cold. After three days I drop dowm to 8-10 psi to pour. Excellent carbonation and good head, not too foamy. Don't know what temp my fridge is at which could effect gassing times.

 

[Frag_Dog]

After much stuffing around I've come to the conclusion that my Regulator is stuffed. At below 5psi on the dial the beer maintains good carb level and pours well. I've ordered a new reg. No way I'm going to keep something holding back 1000psi of gas if i think its stuffed.

 

[samhighley]

I'm putting my money on the system being unbalanced, rather than a faulty regulator.

I think you've just ordered a spare regulator.

I assume you've read the wiki on balancing a draught system?