Secondary fermentation...is it a must?

[K. C.]

I’ve posed this question to the Facebook group, but wanted to ask here too for exposure. 
I’m brand new to the hobby, watched the videos and just started my first brew a few days ago. (US Chiller Lager).  I bought a 10 liter stainless steel keg which came with a keg tap and mini CO2 regulator that uses those mini 16g CO2 canisters. My question is once I keg the beer can I just use the CO2 to carbonate the beer then is it ready to drink immediately? Or is it a must that I put the primer into the keg and let it sit 4-6 weeks? 

[Captain 3 Droids]

6 hours ago, K. C. said:

I’ve posed this question to the Facebook group, but wanted to ask here too for exposure. 
I’m brand new to the hobby, watched the videos and just started my first brew a few days ago. (US Chiller Lager).  I bought a 10 liter stainless steel keg which came with a keg tap and mini CO2 regulator that uses those mini 16g CO2 canisters. My question is once I keg the beer can I just use the CO2 to carbonate the beer then is it ready to drink immediately? Or is it a must that I put the primer into the keg and let it sit 4-6 weeks? 

Welcome to the forum K.C. 
Yes you can just carbonate with the Co2 and once carbonated you certainly can consume straight away however note that it will not be “at its best” as maturing/aging the beer does improve the outcome. 
No other primer is required. To carbonate under your setup the keg and beer should be first chilled (4C or less), regulator set to your desired serving pressure and away you go. You will need a few canisters to carbonate and dispense the beer. You may want to look at the soda stream bottle and adaptor for the regulator, cheaper and easier way to go.

Note:- make sure the mini regulator is set to zero when first attaching the canisters, damage may occur if set at a pressure.

[Rob Courtney]

12 hours ago, K. C. said:

I’ve posed this question to the Facebook group, but wanted to ask here too for exposure. 
I’m brand new to the hobby, watched the videos and just started my first brew a few days ago. (US Chiller Lager).  I bought a 10 liter stainless steel keg which came with a keg tap and mini CO2 regulator that uses those mini 16g CO2 canisters. My question is once I keg the beer can I just use the CO2 to carbonate the beer then is it ready to drink immediately? Or is it a must that I put the primer into the keg and let it sit 4-6 weeks? 

Can be drunk immediately, will better itself with further secondary though

[K. C.]

My corny (like) keg is 10 liters.  I’m assuming the two primers that came with it were each supposed to go into one brew keg. So do I put both primers into my stainless steel keg? Then, just wait about a month?  Do I have to do anything about trying to remove oxygen from the keg when I fill it?

[Captain 3 Droids]

4 minutes ago, K. C. said:

My corny (like) keg is 10 liters.  I’m assuming the two primers that came with it were each supposed to go into one brew keg. So do I put both primers into my stainless steel keg? Then, just wait about a month?  Do I have to do anything about trying to remove oxygen from the keg when I fill it?

I’m sorry K. C. but 1) I’m a bit lost “My corny (like) is 10l”  means what type of keg do you actually have?

2)  Now if you are using CO2 to carbonate then don’t add the primers, purge the keg by adding co2 and releasing the pressure valve 4 to 5 times.

3) If you use the primers, await 2 weeks+ and it should be carbonated.

[K. C.]

5 hours ago, Captain 3 Droids said:

I’m sorry K. C. but 1) I’m a bit lost “My corny (like) is 10l”  means what type of keg do you actually have?

2)  Now if you are using CO2 to carbonate then don’t add the primers, purge the keg by adding co2 and releasing the pressure valve 4 to 5 times.

3) If you use the primers, await 2 weeks+ and it should be carbonated.

Sorry, I’m bouncing back and forth.  I am using a stainless keg that is 10 liters. I think it’s called a Yaebrew 10L keg. So the entire batch will fit as opposed to having to split it in two separate 5 liter brew kegs as BrewArt designed. If I use the primer that came with the brew print, and not do the forced carbonation, then I’m assuming I just put both primers into my one 10L keg? Because it was supposed to be one primer for each 5 liter beerflo keg, right?

[Captain 3 Droids]

8 hours ago, K. C. said:

Sorry, I’m bouncing back and forth.  I am using a stainless keg that is 10 liters. I think it’s called a Yaebrew 10L keg. So the entire batch will fit as opposed to having to split it in two separate 5 liter brew kegs as BrewArt designed. If I use the primer that came with the brew print, and not do the forced carbonation, then I’m assuming I just put both primers into my one 10L keg? Because it was supposed to be one primer for each 5 liter beerflo keg, right?

Yes, both primers in.

[K. C.]

4 hours ago, Captain 3 Droids said:

Yes, both primers in.

Thanks for taking the time to help a newb

[Captain 3 Droids]

1 minute ago, K. C. said:

Thanks for taking the time to help a newb

Pleasure, any time

[Dustin Frothman]

Hi @K. C. I can't really imagine any of these beers tasting all that great without some sort of maturing phase after kegging or bottling. I know there are all-grain recipes where you can drink them almost immediately but I think these recipes need time and some more than others. Some much more.

If you have the patience then it's certainly worth the wait.

[K. C.]

On 02/06/2021 at 9:12 PM, Captain 3 Droids said:

Pleasure, any time

 

Do the primers change the taste of the beer? Or if I CO2 carbonate and wait the roughly four weeks will it taste the same as using the primer?

 

[Captain 3 Droids]

2 hours ago, K. C. said:

 

 

Do the primers change the taste of the beer? Or if I CO2 carbonate and wait the roughly four weeks will it taste the same as using the primer?

 

•  

Different primers can to some degree depending on what is used eg sucrose, honey, malt, dextrose ect. In addition they will slightly increase the alcohol level, 0.5%?

I personnel feel the beer is crisper using co2 gas and tends to have a tighter head. Over carbonation of co2 gas can result in an increase bitterness.

I’ve have had bottle sucrose tablet bottle beer and kegged of the same brew and would only say that if consumed early (2-3 weeks there is a taste difference (not detrimental to either) however after longer maturing the taste evens out. However this is bottled vs kegged and haven’t compared keg vs keg with the different priming methods.