[bboy9000]

Most yeast strains will deliver beer ready for carbonation in two weeks or less, particularly if you have good fermentation processes and you ramp temperatures as primary fermentation starts to wind down.

Yes, but when refermenting in the bottle a few weeks seems to help improve the flavor.  Here's some good information on bottle conditioning:

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2010/Bottle_Conditioning_Like_a_Pro-Jennifer_Helber.pdf

[HoosierBrew]

Well, sort of. Yes, colder beer will absorb CO2 quicker. But that is just the first part of carbonation. The second part is the hydration of the dissolved CO2. Since it is a chemical process, I am pretty sure that it will proceed quicker when the beer is warmer.

I think that most of us recognize fresh carbonation. The bubbles are big and coarse, just like at the soda fountain. It takes time for the carbonation, that we can easily inject into the beer, to hydrate and produce those nice fine bubbles that we prefer in our glasses.

So it seems to be a balance between time and temperature for carbonation. In my experience, it still takes about 2 weeks to get the fine bubbles in beer. But you can still enjoy that beer with coarse bubbles in the interim.

I agree, Martin. The carbonation is much better after 2 weeks (to me).

[bboy9000]

In my experience, it still takes about 2 weeks to get the fine bubbles in beer. But you can still enjoy that beer with coarse bubbles in the interim.

That has been my experience too.   I can carb in 24 hours but the carbonation seems to be better after two weeks at serving pressure.  Unfortunately half the keg is gone by then.

[Joe Sr.]

I've had a Boulevard Wheat clone ready to pour from the keg on day 10.  I force carb at 40psi for 20-24 hours as long as the beer is warm when it goes into the keg.  It will carb faster than that if the beer is already cold.

You're saying warm is faster?

No colder beer carbs faster.  Unfortunately I found out from experience even though I knew better.

Cold beer carbs faster with forced carbonation.  Bottle conditioning, I would keep it warm for a couple weeks at least.  Colder is slower if you're bottle conditioning.

[flbrewer]

Most yeast strains will deliver beer ready for carbonation in two weeks or less, particularly if you have good fermentation processes and you ramp temperatures as primary fermentation starts to wind down.

Yes, but when refermenting in the bottle a few weeks seems to help improve the flavor.  Here's some good information on bottle conditioning:

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2010/Bottle_Conditioning_Like_a_Pro-Jennifer_Helber.pdf

Good deck but I've never heard of adding dry yeast while bottling.

[Stevie]

I needed beer for a party with little notice. Brewed on Sunday, poured on Friday and Saturday. Used a heavy pitch of wlp90. It was a good beer, but I would rather not have to do it that way again.

[denny]

Most yeast strains will deliver beer ready for carbonation in two weeks or less, particularly if you have good fermentation processes and you ramp temperatures as primary fermentation starts to wind down.

Yes, but when refermenting in the bottle a few weeks seems to help improve the flavor.  Here's some good information on bottle conditioning:

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2010/Bottle_Conditioning_Like_a_Pro-Jennifer_Helber.pdf

Good deck but I've never heard of adding dry yeast while bottling.

It's not uncommon for big beers that have aged a long time, but pretty much unnecessary otherwise.

[tommymorris]

When you all say the beer is in the keg and your drinking it in 7-14 days, is the beer drinkable or peaking at that time? I find beer keeps getting clearer, cleaner, and better carbed for the first 2-3 weeks in the keg.  So, I like to be patient when I can.

[brewday]

I think it only gets so clean or clear, so to me it comes down to how quickly I can get that done.  Raising the temp to close out fermentation, crashing cold (32-33°) and using gelatin at kegging, and keeping it really cold through the first week it's in the keg.  I do use a very flocculant yeast strain, so I'm sure that helps.  And I ferment in a conical FWIW.

These are low to average strength ales I'm talking about, but yeah, two days in the keg and I'm thoroughly enjoying it - one week in the keg it's done.  That usually falls on day 14-17 for me.

The improvement in carbonation (as Martin pointed out) is the only real difference to me once I get the beer crystal clear, but after about a week that seems fine too.

There's been a lot of talk here recently about Marshall's blog, and I think this is pretty close to how he's doing it.  His ale schedule is around 9 days I think.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

When you all say the beer is in the keg and your drinking it in 7-14 days, is the beer drinkable or peaking at that time? I find beer keeps getting clearer, cleaner, and better carbed for the first 2-3 weeks in the keg.  So, I like to be patient when I can.

for every beer there's a season..or in this case a time to go thru the process and ready to drink. as mentioned its a typical 3 weeks and under for some, and others longer. then you add in personal preference and personal experience and the season changes. lots of right answers here.

[cascadesrunner]

Planning and patience is always the best course of action, but in a pinch a beer can  be ready in a couple of weeks.  Just pick a lower gravity recipe and go for it.  Being drinkable and at its peak don't necessarily match up in this scenario however, you can still have a decent beer to drink.

[S. cerevisiae]

Any brewer who has a waiting problem should brew as often as possible.  Sooner or latter, he/she will experience a beer queuing problem.   

[flbrewer]

OK, now you are making me want to order those refrigerator plastic keg setup things again.

Not sure exactly what product you're talking about, but make sure it can be force carbed.  Some of those things need priming, which is no faster than priming bottles.

Something like this...http://www.morebeer.com/products/tapadraft-homebrew-setup.html

Carbing in an hour you say???

[majorvices]

Any brewer who has a waiting problem should brew as often as possible.  Sooner or latter, he/she will experience a beer queuing problem.   

+ 1. I've actually had to dump good beer to make room for better beer.

[majorvices]

FTR I can have a bee carbed up in 10 minutes with a corny keg.