Ferment / Condition time

[_jon_]

Hey Guys,

Just a quick question re timing. I've read a load of posts regarding it, and the general consensus is 2 weeks in the fermenter and bottle condition for 2 weeks?

If I keg it, and force carbonate at 20psi for 2 days, then bring the PSI down to 12psi, how long should I then leave the keg for?

If I don't force carb at 20psi, and I just keg it and pressurize it to 12psi, how long should I leave it for then?

Is there a 'rule of thumb'?

Thanks
Jon

 

[_jon_]

I have this chart from the web, with a calculator for PSI using gas laws.. Do you guys tend to work out the PSI for the beer and serving temp? Or just wing it?

I've read that 20psi for force carb and 12psi to serve is about right for an average IPA, but according to this chart and calculator it should be served at 38.9psi, which seems high?

Typical Carbonation Levels
Beer Style CO2 g/L Vol. of CO2

British-style ales 2.7 - 3.9 1.5 - 2.2
Porter, stout 3.3 - 4.5 1.7 - 2.3
Belgian ales 3.7 - 4.7 1.9 - 2.4
European lagers 4.3 - 5.3 2.4 - 2.6
American ales 4.7 - 5.3 2.2 - 3.0
American lagers 2.5 - 2.8
Lambic 4.7 - 5.3 2.4 - 2.8
Fruit Lambic 5.9 - 8.8 3.0 - 4.5
German Wheat 6.5 - 8.8 2.8 - 5.1





Keg Carbonation
Desired CO2 Volume Level = 5.0
Serving Temperature (°F) = 40
Keg Pressure (psi) = 38.9

 

[JapanBrew]

It depends on your length of keg line. If you use a party type thingy at a meter length then 3 psi is fine. Standard tap hose lengths ar at least 3 meters long. Mine are somewhere near 4.5 meters. That takes about 18 to 20 psi to push the beer through. You just have to play with your setup. Remember to purge your keg each time you fiddle with serving pressures.
Your 20 psi at 2 days sounds decent. I force carb by rolling my kegs at 35 psi for 4 minutes and seems to be fine.

 

[_jon_]

It depends on your length of keg line. If you use a party type thingy at a meter length then 3 psi is fine. Standard tap hose lengths ar at least 3 meters long. Mine are somewhere near 4.5 meters. That takes about 18 to 20 psi to push the beer through. You just have to play with your setup. Remember to purge your keg each time you fiddle with serving pressures.
Your 20 psi at 2 days sounds decent. I force carb by rolling my kegs at 35 psi for 4 minutes and seems to be fine.

I wouldn't have thought about that. Force carbing with extra pressure and a good jiggle. Nice idea.

Once it's carbed though, do you leave it any time in the keg before you tap it and taste it?

 

[JapanBrew]

I wouldn't have thought about that. Force carbing with extra pressure and a good jiggle. Nice idea.

Once it's carbed though, do you leave it any time in the keg before you tap it and taste it?

Its better. Things settle out, become clear and the hop oils tend to bind and make a smoother taste. That is another kind of condition. We tend to think conditioning is letting the carbonation to form and debris to settle. But conditioning is really letting the beer mature. Some beers should be drunk ASAP like IPAs. But a lot of ales benefit from allowing it to condition for 10 days or so.
With me, everyone catches wind of my beer and it’s gone in a week.

 

[_jon_]

I see, makes sense.

I kegged it today and only ended up with 3/4 of a keg due to a dodgy bottling excersize lol. But it's by the front door now at 20psi (keeping it cool, I thought it may help). Then in a couple of days I'll bring the pressure down.

My kegerator arrives tomorrow, so in a couple of days it could go in and be sampled... but a few others have suggested leaving it a few weeks to mature. I suppose I could stick it in the kegerator, pour one or two and leave it there for a while and see if it tastes any different?