cleaning kegs?

My first keg just kicked, and I've got it filled with oxy-clean and hot water. My plan is to let it soak for a while, empty and rinse it, then fill it with starsan and run that through the dispensing lines to clean those. Is this a good plan for cleaning kegs/lines, and how long should I soak the keg before emptying it?

Oxyclean will pit metal if left too long. I'd soak it for a few minutes, maybe up to 30 minutes.

I usually let it soak in hot water with oxy clean to soften things up. Then I scrub it out mainly on the top by the connections since they get get kind of gummed up, and it's hard to see. Give it a rinse and star san through the lines to flush them as you mentioned. Every 2-3 kegs that I finish I will give them a full on PBW soak also.

I usually just wash mine down then sanitize. No real gunk build up anywhere. Every couple if batches I'll take apart the connectors for good measure but nothing builds up in there either.

Thanks for the feedback. I soaked it in oxyclean for 20 minutes or so, rinsed it thoroughly, and it's currently filled with starsan that I'm going to run through the draft lines later.

thisgoestoeleven said:

Thanks for the feedback. I soaked it in oxyclean for 20 minutes or so, rinsed it thoroughly, and it's currently filled with starsan that I'm going to run through the draft lines later.

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This is what I do as well. Sometimes don't even use the oxy clean. Just thorough rinse, then sanitize.

thisgoestoeleven said:

My plan is to let it soak for a while, empty and rinse it, then fill it with starsan and run that through the dispensing lines to clean those. Is this a good plan for cleaning kegs/lines, and how long should I soak the keg before emptying it?

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Keep in mind that Star San is not a cleaner, its a sanitizer. You can only sanitize a "cleaned" surface.

When it comes to kegs I fill them 2/3 full of hot water and PBW. Let that soak for awhile then flip it upside down into a bucket so you soak the opposite end of the keg. Rinse with plenty of hot water then sanitize. Sometimes, esp if I'm not going to reuse the keg right away, I just leave a gallon of starsan in the keg until next use. Been doing that for years and have never had any issues wit pitting, but I always use distilled water with my starsan. When it come to line cleaning I have a qt bottle I mix up either some BLC or 5 Stars LLC. I like the LLC better, its stronger and lasts longer if stored correctly.

I have just started to clean my kegs the fast way - half fill a keg with hot water & enough PBW to make it slightly stronger than prescribed, use a picnic tap to suck a bit of PBW up into the dip tube and back out a few times, shake the keg for 20 shakes facing one way, then shake for 20 shakes facing the other way. Then I pour the cleaner into the next keg & repeat. Cleaned 12 kegs in half an hour & no waiting for soak results. I only had one keg with a bit of residue left in it after this procedure - good to wear a headlight for peering into each keg, but they are all very clean!

If I am cleaning my beer lines too, I will put Oxyclean in the keg with hot water, shake, then force the solution through the beer lines. Rinse the keg, refill with water, force the water through the beer lines. Keep flushing the keg and beer lines until clear water runs.

If I'm just cleaning the keg, Oxyclean, shake, rinse out, Star San, then beer.

Can you use PBW through beer lines and taps, like in a kegerator?

Yes, you can use it. I have a plastic bottle with an attachment that hooks up to the draft tower after the faucet has been removed. I purge the line of air while filling it with cleaning solution. Let the solution sit in the lines for a half hour and then empty the line of cleaning solution and flush with starsan/sanitizer solution.

As far as keg cleaning, I also have one of those long dip tube brushes that I use when I break down the keg for a more extensive cleaning.

FWIW I am not a huge fan of always using detergents to clean kegs.

My theory is that if it started clean and was filled with clean beer than it's still pretty close to clean. I think complete disassembly is crucial to remove hops particles or yeast sludge, however.

So, I take the thing apart and use a brush on the dip tube. Inspect and soak (in hot water) the poppet valves and the in/out posts and lid. Then I power rinse the inside with a garden hose and handheld sprayer. I carefully inspect the inside and if it's clean, then it's clean. Reassemble and add about a quart of starsan. Pressurize. Shake to completely coat the inside. Attach a picnic tap and drain a little starsan so the dip tube gets filled with sanitizer. Then store until needed. It's good to go on demand up to months later.

Now if there's visible gunk stuck to the inside of the keg, then you have to mechanically scrub it and probably need Oxyclean.

Works for me.

L