Does temperature matter once kegged?

Thanks for a refresher in the metric system ...if fermented at 66*F with ambient temps of 77*F low and 90*F high, it still depends WHAT you are brewing, but generally speaking if kegging, you want to drop the temp to normal refrig temps to force carbonate (~ 35*F or 2*C)...many variations if using odd-ball yeasts, dry-hopping, or you like fusel alcohols.

Question for you: What's going on between week 3 and 4? Cheers

 

like any food, beer will stay fresh longer if kept cold. homebrew is a bit unique in the world of kegged beer but it is still beer, and thus cold temps will help to keep the beer fresh.

warm temps increase the effects of oxygenation and decrease the time required to have an effect. warm beer stales faster than cold beer.

warm liquid will not hold as much CO2 gas as cold liquid. so if you want your carbonation to be anywhere near ideal you must force carb at 38F. i'll let you convert. once you have obtained the proper carbonation, you can store the beer at a warmer temp, but you must dispense at 38F, and attach your regulator to the cold keg. you can not carbonate or dispense warm beer, not even cool beer. it must be cold, preferably as close to 38F as possible.

cold temperatures allow the beer to lager. all beer, even ales, benefit from some lagering. with a lager beer the lagering is clearly mandatory but an IPA or any ale will be noticeably better if allowed to "ripen" at a cold temp.

long term aging may require cellar temps, but that is a different subject. and even then cellar temps are a lot less than room temps.

basically, unless you can't, keep homebrew keg beer cold always. not always possible and not a crime if you have to store a keg in the basement or cold garage until time to drink.

Cheers.

 

Out of curiosity, how were you planning on serving your beer if you do not have a fridge or kegerator for your keg?

 

When GK101 talked about dropping the temperature, he was talking about after attenuation was finished. I don't think he was alluding to the yeast still working.

 

get yourself a small chest freezer to serve as your beer fridge…it pays dividends

 

this is good advice, but you do need a temperature controller too. whatever they have in Trinidad that is equivalent of Craigslist, that is where you want to be looking.

Cheers.

 

Does temperature matter once its kegged? Yes it does! Unless you want to drink warm, room temperature beer and pour a big glass of foam IF you can get it carbonated.

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Carbonate for two weeks and serve at 2-5C.

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/... controller&qid=1448466554&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

the standard dial control no frills Johnson A19 controller is industry standard. it is used all over to control walk in coolers, chillers and anything you can think of. reliable, simple, wont ever break. probably not ever. cheap too. just set the dial, position the probe and your done. you do need to fiddle with the probe to get it just in the right location, but that's it.

the Ranco ETC and the Johnson A 419 are digital and offer a bit more control.

I am using all of them in various projects. any of these are a very good choice.
Cheers.