fermenting and kegging?

[bela]

HI, I have a few questions on the brewing process. I'm fairly new to brewing so I don't understand all the specific's. I started out doing the 1-2-3 week fermenting. After reading some I now keep in the carboy for 1 month. And keg for 3 weeks. They seem the same to me either way I do it.



One question I have. if my fermenting is usually done in one week why can't I go right to keg? I know the extra time is for clearing aging but will it taste that much different if I kegged after only I week fermenting. One month seems a little long. But what do I know.



The other question I have is on kegging. Normally I leave in keg for 3 weeks. It seems a little flat. 4 weeks is better and 5 weeks seems better yet. What are your thoughts on this. I put 15 to 20 lbs to start for co 2 and after 3 weeks drop to 10 lbs. and use 1 cup of corn sugar.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

you are double carbing yor beer it seems to me.. you are trying to naturally carb it PLUS putting it on gas. You need to pick one or the other I think. Either let it set 2-4 weeks ( I tend to agree 4 weeks is unnecessary if everything was done right but I am an amatuer myself) Then rack to a keg and put the lid on and hit with about 5 lbs pressure and release...repeat a couple of times then crank the pressure up to your serving pressure and leave it for a couple of weeks..........or rack to your keg with your priming sugar mix in it...put the lid on and hit it with 5 lbs of pressure and then release it, repeat a couple of times. Hit it with about 20 lbs to seal it up then take it off of the gas and store it at 70 degrees for 2-3 weeks. chill it down and release the pressure then hook the gas back up at normal serving pressure............OR rack to the keg....do the 5 lb pressure thing and then crank it up to 35 PSI and leave it a couple of days . turn off the gas and bleed off ther pressure. Hook the gas back up at normal serving pressure........OR rack to the keg and do the 5 lb thing then crank to 35 PSI and lay the keg on its side and start shaking it back and forth for about a half hour. Turn the gas off , bleed off the pressure and set at serving pressure...........AGAIN I am new to this but this is what I have gleaned from reading and kegging a few batches so far.