Corny Keg Cleaning

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Bonestar

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Is it necessary to completely dismantle the corny's to clean them between each batch? Or can you leave the posts and dip tubes intact and just clean the internals and the lid? Maybe dismantling every few batches...

:rockin:
 
Or can you leave the posts and dip tubes intact and just clean the internals and the lid? Maybe dismantling every few batches...

:rockin:

This is what I do. Although I push oxyclean and starsan out the keg during cleaning after the keg kicks.
 
I take mine apart only because it takes just a few seconds and I like to clean the dip tube inside and out. You don't have to though.

Here's a neat trick also - If you put some cleaner in your keg (I use Oxyclean) and then hot water, close up the lid and shake it. The hot water causes the air to expand. You can then depress the poppet on the dip tube and dispense cleaning water through the dip tube. (it will shoot all over, be careful). Let it sit a few minutes, dump the keg and then rinse a few times. Then do the same procedure with straight hot water purging the dip tube. Saves me some CO2 and I usually don't have a free tap anyway.

I then put some starsan in the keg, give it a good shake, hook it up to my tap and pull a pint till clear and dump that. I let it sit a few minutes, then run a bunch more through the tap back into my sanitizer container (for reuse). Clean lines, cleaned, sanitized keg. 15 minutes.
 
As mentioned, it's not necessary, but why not if it only adds a little bit of time onto the process? It at least ensures everything is sanitary and no blockages from hop residue or anything else for that matter.
 
Good thread... I thought oxyclean was not good on SS. Is short-term exposure ok?

I've stayed away from oxyclean. I use regular dish soap with a long scrub brush. Clean the inside well and rinse. Every other time I'll take out the dip tube and unscrew and clean the terminals. Reassemble, then fill with about a gallon of starsan. Close and shake then inject a little CO2 and hook up to the tap and run all the sanitizer out of the keg.
 
I take it apart now and then to do a thorough clean. In between, I rinse out anything in there, clean with PBW and use a gadget to clean the tube and poppet. I made it with a few pieces of copper, a gas-in connect, and a schreader valve (like on a car's tire). I can then use a bicycle pump to pressure up the tank, then run out the cleaner with a picnic faucet and hose. Works like a charm and doesn't wast the co2.

B
 
Good thread... I thought oxyclean was not good on SS. Is short-term exposure ok?

I've stayed away from oxyclean. I use regular dish soap with a long scrub brush. Clean the inside well and rinse. Every other time I'll take out the dip tube and unscrew and clean the terminals. Reassemble, then fill with about a gallon of starsan. Close and shake then inject a little CO2 and hook up to the tap and run all the sanitizer out of the keg.

Oxyclean is fine on SS. I use it all the time. I only take apart the kegs every couple batches as well. I also fill them with Starsan and leave it in there until I am ready to fill it with beer.
 
I am new at this, however I will add my .02

Soak with PBW, shake it a ton, hook up to CO2, and flush the dip tube.

Then I pull off the "out" post and use a small brush to clean the dip tube.

Fill with hot water, rinse, and let dry upside down.

Sanitize with starsan, hook up to CO2, flush dip tube, shake the foam out (yes, i know "do not fear the foam") and then fill with next batch.
 
Good thread... I thought oxyclean was not good on SS. Is short-term exposure ok?

I've stayed away from oxyclean. I use regular dish soap with a long scrub brush. Clean the inside well and rinse. Every other time I'll take out the dip tube and unscrew and clean the terminals. Reassemble, then fill with about a gallon of starsan. Close and shake then inject a little CO2 and hook up to the tap and run all the sanitizer out of the keg.

Oxyclean Free and stainless go together like peas and carrots. Never a problem. I wouldn't use dish soap on anything that contacts my beer, from glasses to kegs. I dissassemble my kegs and clean before I refill them. Get your self a dip tube brush. After you see the crud you clean out (even after running cleaner through them), you'll take yours apart too...
 
I originally was simply cleaning and sanitizing my Corny Kegs....and then I got an Infected batch that I am pretty sure was from the Keg.

Now I disassemble, clean, sanatize and replace the dip tube seals before kegging every batch. Being in NJ the seals are DIRT cheap from McMaster Carr. Quad Seal o-rings for dip tubes are AWESOME. 100 pack for $8.

I pressure test with an Air Compressor Hooked up to a Ball Lock connection then sanitize and rack.

My only concern with the way I do it would be some contaminant coming through the compressor but it is an oil less air compressor and I drain the tank after evey use.
 
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