How Long Can You Keep A Half Empty Keg?

[milob40]

hi all, i brewed a megaswill (xxxx gold clone) before chistmas but as i now drink mostly ales, i save it for visitors.
the last couple were not that taken with my brew so i decided to try it and don't i feel stupid talking up my beer now.
the damn thing was starting to turn, not a real bad flavour but a significant increase in bitterness with a slight sourness.
i never have this prob with ales as they're normally gone in a week or two. i should mention i had several glasses of it just after kegging and it was good.
what's the max time for keeping a half empty keg.?

 

[mxd]

under co2 and in fridge, I would think 6+ months for 4.5% 12+ for 7% and wheat 2-4 months ?

 

[QldKev]

hi all, i brewed a megaswill (xxxx gold clone) before chistmas but as i now drink mostly ales, i save it for visitors.
the last couple were not that taken with my brew so i decided to try it and don't i feel stupid talking up my beer now.
the damn thing was starting to turn, not a real bad flavour but a significant increase in bitterness with a slight sourness.
i never have this prob with ales as they're normally gone in a week or two. i should mention i had several glasses of it just after kegging and it was good.
what's the max time for keeping a half empty keg.?

Should still be great, if anything a lot clearer.

You said you had a couple of glasses originally, did you just have one glass full recently? If so I think maybe all the **** has floc'd and the first glass your pull with be the sediment. Dump a couple until it looks clear.

 

[Brewer_010]

...the keg is half full h34r:

if it's tasting strange then ditch it.

 

[brucearnold]

...the keg is half full h34r:

if it's tasting strange then ditch it.

Totally agree... especially if it is a mega swill clone and not something that you want to drink. Visitors can always learn to appreciate a good ale, even if it is basic, that you are also happy to drink.

 

[Ross]

There is no real max time as too many variables. All unpasteurised homebrew is basically infected & it's only a matter of time before it turns.
So it depends on the bacterial level at the start, how cold you store it etc. Generally the colder, stronger & hoppier the beer, the longer it will last.
The only true test is taste & it appears there you have your answer on the current batch - tip it.

Cheers Ross

 

[milob40]

There is no real max time as too many variables. All unpasteurised homebrew is basically infected & it's only a matter of time before it turns.
So it depends on the bacterial level at the start, how cold you store it etc. Generally the colder, stronger & hoppier the beer, the longer it will last.
The only true test is taste & it appears there you have your answer on the current batch - tip it.

Cheers Ross

yup, midstrength, and could be (i just realised) forgot to clean my lines for 2 weeks, done today, christmas makes you lazy

 

[katzke]

May not be your lines. Could be the way you hancle your beer or even how you clean your kegs. Ever have beer go up your gas line?

 

[stux]

The cleaner your beer, kegs, lines etc the longer your beer will last.

Of course, if you don't keep it under refrigeration, then its even worse!

 

[Bats]

It's been interesting reading this thread, but the beer in my house never get the chance to go off.

 

[cdbrown]

I've got an irish red which has been in the keg for about 10 months (chilled and carbed) and no problems. I'm guessing there's only a few pints left in it (although that's what I've been thinking for the past 6 months). It was the 2nd keg of the batch and have brewed numerous other beers since which have been taking priority on the taps.

 

[Nick JD]

I reckon if it's filtered it'll last longer. Dead yeast cells don't taste good.

 

[Sammus]

ive kept half kegs for much longer than 5 weeks and they only normally improve. In two cases they were left for 2 years plus a bit (warm, not in the fridge - a Rye IIPA and a robust porter), and they were much better than they originally were! Sounds like you may have picked up an infection or something...

 

[brucearnold]

Keeping the keg sitting for a several months is a good way of letting that "too much banana" taste quieten down in wheat beers that foolishly used WLP380 not realising how much banana a yeast could give.

 

[Nick JD]

Keeping the keg sitting for a several months is a good way of letting that "too much banana" taste quieten down in wheat beers that foolishly used WLP380 not realising how much banana a yeast could give.

There is no such thing as too much banana.

Are you MAD?

 

[Pennywise]

Damn straight, banana is king in all my Dunkelwiezens

 

[Cocko]

All unpasteurised homebrew is basically infected & it's only a matter of time before it turns.

Ross, can you please explain this further?

I understand you are saying that pasteurisation is a apparently a fail safe method of eliminating infection and homebrewers do not do this, so conditions vary from every home and even batch to batch conditions etc...

BUT - What about the Micros, that are basically HB rigs stepped up to scale? Are they all infected time bombs, and as above time bomb dependent?

Please don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be smart, I have had some micro breweries beers that have been obviously infected by something, at what stage they may have picked up on or not...

IN SHORT:

Are you saying that it is impossible to brew a batch of beer that is not infected unless it is pasteurised??

:icon_cheers:

 

[beers]

I reckon if it's filtered it'll last longer. Dead yeast cells don't taste good.

"Filtered beer tends to have a relatively short shelf life, rarely more than a year, as many compounds in the sterile beverage break down into unpleasant tasting ones. Live yeast inside the bottle acts against these processes, giving the beverage a much longer shelf life. A good bottle conditioned beer can maintain its drinkability for many years, and some can be aged for decades."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_conditioning

 

[Liam_snorkel]

fark me. what about polyclar then filter?

Removes/prevents chill haze & ******* the formation of stale & astringent flavour characteristics.
Consistently achieve maximum shelf life.

 

[brucearnold]

Still looking into Polyclar, but is it considered a preservative or just another fining agent?