Return to TheElectricBrewery.com
  [ Shop ]   [ Building ]   [ Using ]   [ Recipes ]   [ Testimonials ]   [ Gallery ]   [ FAQ ]   [ About Us ]   [ Contact Us ]   [ Newsletter ]

Log inLog in   RegisterRegister   User Control PanelUser Control Panel   Private MessagesPrivate Messages   MembershipClub Memberships   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   Photo AlbumsPhoto Albums   Forum FAQForum FAQ


Shelf life

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Packaging & Serving
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
sandovalch




Joined: 29 Jul 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Guatemala

Working on: Irish Red Ale, American Amber Ale


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:42 pm    Post subject: Shelf life Reply with quote


        Register to remove this ad. It's free!
Hi, I have a question:

Assuming you have a used 5 gallon Cornelius beer keg with whatever beer you are drinking. You have it at 41 deg F all of the time. 12psi CO2 carbonation.

What shelf life would you give this product? Meaning: what time the beer stays the same flavour and color before it changes?

Thanks in advance.
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All beer changes all the time, how fast depends on what kind of beer it is. What kind of beer is it? What are it's properties? (ABV, IBU, style, lager? Ale? etc). Posting the recipe would be good too.

Hop forward beers are best drunk young as they use their hop "punch" and freshness. Some like Stone Enjoy By IPA even have the best before date as part of the name. The higher the ABV, the fresher it should be consumed too (ie: IIPAs before a Pale Ale). I find my Electric Pale Ale at 4.3% is great for 6+ months (but it doesn't last that long) but IIPAs I try and get rid of within a couple of months.

Wheat beers like Belgian Wit's and Weizens are also best consumed fresh.

Some strong beers like a Russian Imperial Stout (RIS) or a Barley Wine can take a year before they're considered "acceptable" to drink and can further age/change for 10+ years. I have a RIS on tap now that I aged 1 year before putting on tap and a Barley Wine that's 3-4 years old.

Some other low ABV/low IBU/low malt flavour coloured beers like light American lagers will not tend to change much over 6-12 months.

Because of all this, I plan ahead. The colder you can keep it before it's consumed (put on tap) the better. I like to keep all of my beers near 32F.

For more info, see our recipes. I talk about this too in some places there: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/recipes

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
jphussey




Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 171



PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kal, or others...

If you brew a 10G batch and put it into 2x 5G kegs, do you keep both kegs cold at all times? Give you'd likely only have one of those two kegs on tap at any given time, where is that 2nd keg? In another holding freezer? If so, is it carbing up while sitting in that other freezer?
Back to top
dp Brewing Company




Joined: 08 Jul 2013
Posts: 664
Location: Midwest

Drinking: Chocolate Taco, Raspberry Mango Cider, American X, Sandy Dunes

Working on: Nothing


PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I carb my second 5 gallon keg in basement temps (around 64 degrees). Once the first keg goes I move that one to the fridge. I used to bottle beer and leave it in the basement for 6 months plus before so I don't feel like I have any concerns with leaving the second keg at room temp.
_________________
Visit dp Brewing Company
Hangovers hurt....but good memories last forever!
Back to top
View user's photo album (3 photos)
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jphussey wrote:
If you brew a 10G batch and put it into 2x 5G kegs, do you keep both kegs cold at all times?

Other than some very rare occasions like possibly a 12% barley wine, I always keep all my kegs cold. Keep them as cold as you can (close to 32F) and don't allow the temperature to swing. I don't make beer if I can't immediately tuck it away at a stable ~32F after kegging. I find it makes a big difference if you can keep beer cold at all times. I don't seem to be the only one - Stone Brewing, for example, is very strict about keeping all their beers cold from brewing to consumption and even mandates chilling during storage and during delivery on their trucks: http://www.stonedistributing.com/stone-difference

Quote:
Give you'd likely only have one of those two kegs on tap at any given time, where is that 2nd keg? In another holding freezer? If so, is it carbing up while sitting in that other freezer?

It's in my conditioning fridge carb'ing up:





My keezer also holds 10 kegs and with 8 taps, I can have 2 in the wings waiting. My 2-tap kegerator also holds 3 so there's an extra one possible in there.

More info in the "Ferment and Package" part of my BREW DAY STEP BY STEP article: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/brew-day-step-by-step?page=11

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
jphussey




Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 171



PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 10:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hah! That's like 19 Kegs full of beer at all times, Kal. /bow

I am not worthy. Time to up my game!
Back to top
kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I only have 17 kegs so there's a bit of breathing room. Wink

I bought most of them years ago in big group buys when we paid less than $10 USD / each (used kegs in great shape - many were still half full of pop). I should have bought more!

jphussey wrote:
I am not worthy. Time to up my game!

Well, they are on sale:

http://www.homebrewing.org/AIH-New-5-Gallon-Corny-Keg-Ball-Lock_p_5100.html?AffId=95

Just sayin! Wink

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
Back to top
View user's photo album (21 photos)
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Packaging & Serving All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum



Forum powered by phpBB © phpBB Group