Sanitize new gas line?

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jwright

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I finally was able to purchase a 2 keg set up (thanks pedal biker). I am planning to put my CA steam into it tomorrow. I am in the process of cleaning and sanitizing the equipment (PBW and Starsan) and suddenly began to wonder if I should clean or at least sanitize my gas lines. I don't think I have come across this answer before. I am not usually an infection-paranoid brewer but I was thinking it might not be such a bad idea, as any contamination present will be blown into the beer.
Feel free to tell me to STFU and have a homebrew, I was just wondering what you guys do with the gas lines.
thanks
jason
 
I usually boil my gas lines while I'm heating up the ends to put the fittings in. Haven't touched them since they were installed though.
 
I didn't do anything to my gas lines.

I think it would be a waste.
 
Practically nothing can live in a 100% CO2 environment. You could rinse it with some sanitizer, but I would not worry about it.
 
I set my kegging system up a year and a half ago. I never even thought about the gas lines! I guess it wouldn't hurt to dip the QD in sanitizer, but I never have.
 
I didn't do a thing to mine. Its been almost a year and no problems detected (by my palette anyway).

The thing about sanitizer is once its dry its not sanitizing anymore. I guess you could do it and then hook it to the CO2. Then its in a closed environment and once the CO2 dries it out there is no way for anything to get in there. Good question. I don't think its necessary but it can't hurt.
 
Thansk for the replies (even though I'm not the OP!). I see what you are saying Yambor. I wouldn't really be worried about anything growing in the tubes, just what might be in them to start out with. I guess in the end, it can never hurt to sanitize something that is associated with the cold side of the brewery. Even if it is a bit unnecessary.
 
Thanks for all of the replies. It is amazing how many dumb little questions can come up with nearly every step of the process. It is waaaay to easy to overthink this beer-making stuff.
For what it is worth - I just dunked the lines in the starsan as I was sterilizing the rest of the kit. It took less time to do that then I had already spent pondering the question in the first place.
jason
 
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