I apologize if this has been asked before, but I am really struggling with this. I fear I have ruined two batches of kegged beer. I have started to use oxyclean to clean my kegs before filling them. (Prior I just used a water/scrub method and this had worked well, but I wanted to ensure I was getting everything.) I cannot pinpoint it yet, as I have done three kegs using Oxyclean--but I have two kegs that smell and taste like harsh chemicals. One (while still using oxyclean and rinsing twice) came out fine. The other one has had a couple of months in kegs and has mellowed out a bit, but doesnt taste quite right. The latest, is extremely offensive -- like to the point I cannot bring myself to consume it. Am I not rinsing well enough? Is it true that I should be using hot water to rinse oxyclean instead of cold water? Could it be something else, given that the one batch mellowed over time? I believe the next time I keg, I obviously will go back to my water+scrub methodology, but I fear that I have ruined 10 gallons.
Oxyclean and off taste and smell
- Thread starter kinggoo
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I use very hot water for cleaning and rinsing and haven't had any problems with oxyclean yet. I say yet because yesterday went to buy oxyclean at a gorcery store nearby and they wanted $6 dollars a pound. Outrageous, because the dollar store sells the same thing $1/pound.
So I made a trip across town to the dollar store and bought 4 pounds for $4.29. I thought it was the same as I'd bought before, unscented. But it wasn't, it has a very fresh smell! I used it anyway on two kegs and rinsed thoroughly with very hot water.
Doesn't appear to be any residual smell. I'll probably rinse again before I sanitize. Guess I'll find out on their next use.
So I made a trip across town to the dollar store and bought 4 pounds for $4.29. I thought it was the same as I'd bought before, unscented. But it wasn't, it has a very fresh smell! I used it anyway on two kegs and rinsed thoroughly with very hot water.
Doesn't appear to be any residual smell. I'll probably rinse again before I sanitize. Guess I'll find out on their next use.
I use a mix of tsp and Oxy Free. Works great, but I do over-rInse in really, really hot water. Never had any off flavors.
dbrewski
Well-Known Member
Hot water, lots of it. Rinse the dip tube out well too.
dbrewski
Well-Known Member
I have a washer hose that attaches to my slop sink, I invert the keg over the sink and stick the hose straight up and crank the hot water at full pressure. 5-10 seconds of this and the keg is pretty well rinsed, but I make sure to rinse the dip tube separately. Then star san.
Here's some info: Percarbonate (unscented) - alkali
Oxi-Clean and other generics
Dissolved in water, it releases hydrogen
peroxide and soda ash (sodium carbonate).
Breaks down organic solids.
Be sure to use unscented, especially
for any plastics
works best in hot water
1-2 TBSP in 5 gal does a great job- a
little more for heavy cleaning
PBW - alkali
Percarbonate based with a chelating
agent attaches to organic matter
and drops it from suspension
Works best in hot water
1-2 TBSP in 5 gal does a great joba
little more for heavy cleaning
Good luck....
lehr
Well-Known Member
OP do you sanitize after you us the oxy ? I let my kegs soak with oxy then rinse and fill with starstan untill I'm ready to keg.
Pat
Pat
I definitely do sanitize after oxy.
I use MAYBE a tablespoon, fill keg up to 3/4 of the way.. shake it up, empty, and rinse. Then I add ~5gallons of starsan, empty that, and proceed to fill the keg with precious beer. I'm at a loss really - I made sure to get unscented oxiclean, and it doesn't smell like the powder at all. I haven't had the stones yet to mix a little bit with a pint of water to see if it's a familiar taste (don't plan on it).
-goo
I use MAYBE a tablespoon, fill keg up to 3/4 of the way.. shake it up, empty, and rinse. Then I add ~5gallons of starsan, empty that, and proceed to fill the keg with precious beer. I'm at a loss really - I made sure to get unscented oxiclean, and it doesn't smell like the powder at all. I haven't had the stones yet to mix a little bit with a pint of water to see if it's a familiar taste (don't plan on it).
-goo
I've never kegged but I clean my bottles with oxyclean free. After a quick hot water rinse, I'll fill each bottle with a pinch of concentrated citric acid and hot water. Let sit for an hour. Rinse with hot tap water. You can actually see which ones still had residue when they start bubbling but the acidity will neutralize the oxy. Doesn't leave a residue. I work for a small water company and we use citric acid in hot water (160*+) for cleaning the water coolers. You should be able to find a giant bag at a restaurant supply store. 2 tablespoons in 5 gallons should be plenty. Will last for years just keep away from humidity. Also, good for cleaning pint glasses, grease and grime, coffee pots and any glass pipes that contain completely legal gunk.
Still sanitze as usual.
Still sanitze as usual.
Had the same thing happen to a batch. Very very very bad taste, that didn't age out even after 6 mo.
Did you use Oxy free? That is a must, plus if you let it completly dry out, then rinse again, the slippery coating seems much easier to get rid of.
Did you use Oxy free? That is a must, plus if you let it completly dry out, then rinse again, the slippery coating seems much easier to get rid of.
I would say that if the taste mellows out there is something else going on. If it was just the chemical it probably would not change with time.
I use oxyclean, rinse with warm to hot water and have had no problems in 28 batches using it.
I use oxyclean, rinse with warm to hot water and have had no problems in 28 batches using it.
JordanThomas
Well-Known Member
It leaves a film, sure, but a good rinse gets rid of it. Not sure that it's harmful or would cause an off taste...
shataway
Well-Known Member
dbrewski said:
I just learned this lesson the hard way. This advice also has merit with PBW.
johngault007
Well-Known Member
I have only used oxyclean on my kegs and never experienced those symptoms. I fill the kegs with hot water and oxy and soak overnight and then rinse (very very well) with cold water. After I put the kegs back together, I fill with enough starsan to shake around to sanitize and let sit until use.
I did have a couple batches go bad recently, but I was able to rule out the kegs and found the issue else where.
I did have a couple batches go bad recently, but I was able to rule out the kegs and found the issue else where.
The extra ingredient in PBW is sodium metasilicate. I mix 3 parts generic oxyclean unscented with 1 part Red Devil TSP/90 (which isn't TSP, but, in fact, sodium metasilicate). Works very well, but requires a good rinsing.
A few months ago I listened to an old Brew Strong podcast on cleaning where both Jamial and Palmer said they prefer using PBW rather than the oxyclean products. You might look it up if you want to hear what they said. I've used both and I do think that PBW does a better job and rinses off easier. Following the directions for dilution and temperature helps, too.
dbrewski
Well-Known Member
this is good to know!
klondikekd
Member
Well I found this thread looking for a similar problem with an IPA I just kegged because I suspected this to be the issue too. I guess I did not rinse well enough. Really bummed because it now tastes like aspirin
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
this is why I now prefer PBW over oxyclean because it rinses clean much easier without the slimy residue that unscented oxyclean leaves.
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