MSK_Chess
enthusiastic learner
I, unfortunately, don't have a conical yet. I figured I would just take a gravity reading a day after krausen peaked, and go from there.
Would there be any ill effects from transferring too early? Let's say like mid-1.020s? The only thing I can think of is just transferring more yeast than usual which will be handled by cold crash anyways. I just built a spunding valve, and it'll bleed off excess pressure then reseal.
So my plan is to check gravity a day after high krausen, if its below 1.025, rack to keg and set spunding valve to desired pressure (21.6psi @ 60F). Let it go a full two weeks post pitching. Then just throw in the kegerator at serving pressure, and wait a few days to crash the yeast out. Will this work? And more inline with the OP, is ~10 days long enough to carb it?
I transfer in the mid twenties all the time because I discovered to my detriment that British ale yeast drops really fast so if you leave it too late there may not be enough to finish fermentation. All my beers manage to finish out. I cut about 10mm from the end of my liquid out tube on the serving Keg and don't get any yeast pick up going into the glass, I love it, no murky horrible last pints either when you are practically finished the batch. I just let it sit at room temp at 30psi (for an Ale) until it ferments out, chill it and you get a beautiful creamy finished beer.