[smitty]

I'm kegging my first batch this weekend!  If anyone has a moment, I have a couple of questions, and could use a little advice.

-So, the first batch, a MaiBock, spent 3 weeks in the primary and another 3 in the secondary.  Can I/should I force carbonate, or let it age in the keg for awhile?  How does each process work?

-About how long does it take to chill a five gallon corny keg?  I've got a double tap kegerator.  

Any advice/suggestions/anecdotes that any of you feel might be helpful for a first time kegger would be greatly appreciated.  Cheers, everyone

[IHBHS]

you could do either, but i would force carbonate it, and it takes a couple hours to chill a 5 gallon keg, hit it with co2 when you put it in the fridge

[mrcceo]

After you fill the keg and seal it hook the co2 to the liquid out post, set the psi to around 5, and then pull open the releif valve on the top of the lid for a few seconds in order to bleed out any air at the top of the keg. Don't bleed it for to long or beer foam will start shooting out of the valve.

[BrewArk]

I hate it when beer foam shoots out the hole in the top.

[IHBHS]

another tip is to hook your racking cane to the liquid side coupler and use co2 to start the siphon by pressurizing the carboy, unlock the relief valve by pulling it and turning it 90 degrees so it will stay open that way you reduce disturbing the beer and if you purge your keg with co2 before hand you eliminate the chance of oxidizing your beer.     Brilliant!!!

[svejk]

Can I/should I force carbonate, or let it age in the keg for awhile?  How does each process work?

I would go ahead and force carbonate it.  The easiest way I have found is to attach the tank to the "gas in" fitting and set the regulator to 15psi at about 40F.  It will take several days to carbonate, but it is fairly consistent.  You really need to be sure to check for gas leaks in your system, or you will end up with an empty CO2 tank.

Another option is to prime the keg like you would when you bottle condition.  There is a recent thread about this option that goes into it quite a bit, so that is probably worth reading.  The process for this option is to rack the beer into the keg, add the priming sugar, seat the lid by pressurizing the tank to about 15 psi (if you don't do this there is a chance that the lid won't hold the CO2 produced by the yeast, and it will leak out), and hold the keg at room temperature for a week or two so the yeast can do their job of carbonating the beer.  Once the beer is carbonated, you can throw it in the fridge and serve it.  The first couple of pints may be a little cloudy.

[bluesman]

For lagers I like to lager them uncarbonated until I'm ready to move into the serving chest and then I force carb.
I think either way would be okay.  Once carbonated you have mitigated the natural oxidation process to work it's magic.

[gordonstrong]

You should at a minimum put some head pressure on the keg so that it seals properly, after you have displaced any oxygen in there.

You didn't say what you were going to do with it next; that is what determines how you handle it.

If you are going to filter it sometime, I would leave it uncarbonated.

If you are going to serve it soon, carbonate it.

If you are going to lager it, you could do either but I prefer to keep it uncarbonated. Less pressure on the yeast when you're still expecting them to do something.

[bluesman]

You should at a minimum put some head pressure on the keg so that it seals properly, after you have displaced any oxygen in there.

+1

I always employ this method to help protect the beer from oxidation.