Keg cleaning

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BeerBrods22

BeerBrods22

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I have now used my 5 gallon kegging system for 5 batches. Between each batch I sanitize with san star. I feel like every couple of batches I need to do a very thorough cleaning so "tastes" aren't left behind.

What are your suggestions?

I have some BPW.... Is that enough?
 
after the keg kicks, I fill it with water and oxiclean and let it soak for a few hours. dump, rinse, sanitize, and re-fill with new beer.
 
I usually take the posts off and diptubes, and clean everything with oxyclean or PBW and rinse. Then I sanitize and refill.

It only take 10 minutes or less to take everything apart. I don't know why someone wouldn't do it every time. If you only clean the keg after every third time, that'd be like washing your dishes every third meal. :drunk:
 
Yooper said:
I usually take the posts off and diptubes, and clean everything with oxyclean or PBW and rinse. Then I sanitize and refill.

It only take 10 minutes or less to take everything apart. I don't know why someone wouldn't do it every time. If you only clean the keg after every third time, that'd be like washing your dishes every third meal. :drunk:
Click to expand...

I view it more like the coffee cup I keep at the office than the soup bowl I use for lunch.

I rinse my coffee cup out every time I prepare to fill it, but I don't break down and really wash it every time. I only do that every now and then.

:D
 
Walker said:
I view it more like the coffee cup I keep at the office than the soup bowl I use for lunch.

I rinse my coffee cup out every time I prepare to fill it, but I don't break down and really wash it every time. I only do that every now and then.

:D
Click to expand...

You are such a man! :cross:
 
I do rinse it... And soak it in San star. I usually pressurize and rince through one gallon of water, then do it again with a gallon of San star to clear the tubing and faucet.

What I was trying to ask is will there be residual flavor?
Do I need to do a hardcore cleaning here and there?
 
BeerBrods22 said:
I do rinse it... And soak it in San star. I usually pressurize and rince through one gallon of water, then do it again with a gallon of San star to clear the tubing and faucet.

What I was trying to ask is will there be residual flavor?
Do I need to do a hardcore cleaning here and there?
Click to expand...

If you're asking me, a cleaning is required far more often than "here and there". Do you wash your dishes when you're done eating, and before the next time? It's the same thing in my opinion.

If you've never torn down your keg, you should do it. Take apart the poppits. You may be amazed by the amount of gunk in there, especially if you're like me and make a ton of hoppy beers. Hold the long diptube up to the light. If it's squeaky clean, then you're fine. Mine always had crud and debris in it.
 
I'll be the voice from the other side of the line.

I break down and clean my kegs once every year.

I have 4 kegs, and make about 26 batches a year (I brew every two weeks), so I guess that comes down to a thorough cleaning every 6 or 7 batches that go through it.
 
I run mine on my keg washer for an hour or two, (sprays the inside, runs oxyclean through the diptubes too). then rinse, sanitize, and put it away til next time. Break it down every 3-5 batches (remove posts, clean poppets, etc...), not every time since I run 212*F oxyclean under pressure through the posts for an hour each cleaning.
 
I use cornies for primary and secondary fermentors as well as serving, and disassemble them completely every time. I bought a kegcleaner (from the makers of carboy cleaner) which cut my keg cleaning time down dramatically, especially for the ones used for fermentation.
 
Walker said:
I'll be the voice from the other side of the line.

I break down and clean my kegs once every year.

I have 4 kegs, and make about 26 batches a year (I brew every two weeks), so I guess that comes down to a thorough cleaning every 6 or 7 batches that go through it.
Click to expand...

damn. once a year? seems low.

what i meant in my original post by "soak in pbw" was break it down every time. i mean, it really does take like 5 minutes.

but, to walker's point, my office coffee cup hasn't been in a dishwasher in probably 3 years. its been cleaned with boiling water tho.
 
I'm with Yooper on this one. After every beer I break down the keg, soak it at least overnight with oxyclean, rinse, and dry before storing it. In addition to that, the faucets and keg couplers get removed and soaked in BLC while the lines are flushed with water, get a 15 minute soak in BLC, and then another water flush. On top of that, if I have a keg sit on tap for more than a couple months, I'll break down the tap and clean it all halfway through the keg.
 
shortyjacobs said:
I run mine on my keg washer for an hour or two, (sprays the inside, runs oxyclean through the diptubes too). then rinse, sanitize, and put it away til next time. Break it down every 3-5 batches (remove posts, clean poppets, etc...), not every time since I run 212*F oxyclean under pressure through the posts for an hour each cleaning.
Click to expand...

Any leads on good keg cleaning systems?
What are the parts you need?
Where did you get yours? Or did you make it?
 
Walker said:
I'll be the voice from the other side of the line.

I break down and clean my kegs once every year.

I have 4 kegs, and make about 26 batches a year (I brew every two weeks), so I guess that comes down to a thorough cleaning every 6 or 7 batches that go through it.
Click to expand...

I hear what you are saying.
I do sanitize it with San star, and rinse a couple times.
I just don't do a "deep" cleaning...

Is that still NOT enough?

Thanks!
 
BeerBrods22 said:
I hear what you are saying.
I do sanitize it with San star, and rinse a couple times.
I just don't do a "deep" cleaning...

Is that still NOT enough?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Sanitizing things ONLY works if they are clean. If you don't run PBW, Oxiclean, or even soap through your kegs BEFORE using starsan, then the starsan can't do it's job.

So:
Rinse keg
Wash keg with PBW, Oxiclean, soap, whatever
Rinse keg again.
starsan keg
Fill with beer.

Every once in a while, or every time depending on how you feel, take apart the posts and soak them seperately in oxiclean to make sure it gets in all the crevices, then starsan, reassemble, and starsan the keg again.
 
BeerBrods22 said:
Any leads on good keg cleaning systems?
What are the parts you need?
Where did you get yours? Or did you make it?
Click to expand...

I use This pump, and a bunch of PVC. This pic is old:

VAtiZ.jpg


I now have a cross piece in the upright pipe that connects to vinyl tube that goes to QDs that go into the posts of my kegs. I also have a water heater element built into the side of the bucket that heats my oxiclean up to boiling when cleaning kegs, (room temp water ONLY for glass carboys).
 
Check out ..http://www.kegcleaner.com

We make cleaners specifically for Corny and Sanke Kegs, and they work great!

Purchase one from http://www.kegcleaner.com, mention this thread in the comment area and we will add a free set of replacement cleaning pads!

Don't forget the 100% satisfaction guarantee, if you don't like it, send it back and we refund your money!

Cheers,
 
Yooper said:
If you're asking me, a cleaning is required far more often than "here and there". Do you wash your dishes when you're done eating, and before the next time? It's the same thing in my opinion.

If you've never torn down your keg, you should do it. Take apart the poppits. You may be amazed by the amount of gunk in there, especially if you're like me and make a ton of hoppy beers. Hold the long diptube up to the light. If it's squeaky clean, then you're fine. Mine always had crud and debris in it.
Click to expand...

For argument sake, say I am going back for seconds, i.e. I am making another batch of a like beer. I dont wash my plate and silverware between courses. Likewise, I dont pull the posts and tubes unless I am going to store it until the next brew day. Yes, we are men and we are .... different:ban:
 
New to kegging here (read: just got first corny in mail yesterday).
Obviously need to thoroughly clean before I start. When you all are saying "soak" in Oxyclean/PBW/whatever, do you mean coat the inside and let it sit or actually make 5 gal of Oxyclean solution (seems wasteful, but what do I know?).

Then hook up to pressure with Oxyclean to run through lines? Then repeat with water? Then repeat with Starsan?

Just wanna make sure I do it right without wasting supplies.

Thanks for the help
 
Fill the keg w/ a gallon or two of hot water. Add 1 Tbsp of B-Brite/PBW, swirl then finish filling w/ hot water. Let it soak for about an hour. Run some of this solution through your dip tune and post. Rinse everything w/ a couple of gallons of hot water. Remember to run the rinse water through your dip tube, too.
Finally sanitize it all with StarSan.
Do this after each use as well.
Better to "waste" some supplies than 5 gallons of beer!!
 
Corney kegs and sanke kegs alike... After it kicks, I rinse with hot water and get everything out. Then I soak in hot PBW for 30 min. Dump, rinse with water for a few minutes, then fill the kegs with half way with star san solution. Roll on the ground for a few minutes, purge the "out" post so it stays sanitized, and keep them in rotation until use.

I used to pull posts on corneys years ago, but have since quick. I have yet to get an infection, but it is still good practice though.
 
  1. 5 gallon bucket
  2. modified lid
  3. pump
  4. bits of NPT pipe
  5. spray nozzle

    Clean every time for about a 15 minute cycle. Then fill with sanitizer to the brim and push out with CO2 to sanitize and purge the keg. Also works for carboys with a stand. Knocks cleaner use down to about 1 gallon and I normally wait until i have 4+ kegs to push through.

2015-02-04 18.36.48.jpg
 
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