Kegs smell of soda

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Weizenheimer

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I just purchased 2 used ball kegs and the both smell of soda even after being sanitized a few times. I'm not sure what this will do to my beer but I really don't want to find out. Any advice of how to get rid of the odor?
 
Steel shouldn't hold the smell and I just cleaned out a few that had soda in them for years before I emptied the soda out. No soda smell after I rinsed out using only Dawn dish liquid.

Now some of the o-rings are a different story and all are getting replaced.
 
You are probably smelling the o-rings. $2-3 should buy you an o-ring replacement kit.
 
MikeInCtown said:
Steel shouldn't hold the smell and I just cleaned out a few that had soda in them for years before I emptied the soda out. No soda smell after I rinsed out using only Dawn dish liquid.

Now some of the o-rings are a different story and all are getting replaced.

Be sure to rinse anything washed in detergent with hot water and rinse two more times. I can affect your head retention.

I don't recommend using dishwashing detergent to clean any of your brewing equipment.
 
Oxyclean or PBW..works like a charm and replace all o rings for 2 reasons the soda smell and they probably will not hold a good seal.


J
 
I've found that if Iodophor sits in kegs, it smells a bit like soda, that might be what you're smelling. When I got all of my kegs, they smelled like that but didn't have any of the stickiness of soda.
 
Professor Frink said:
I've found that if Iodophor sits in kegs, it smells a bit like soda, that might be what you're smelling. When I got all of my kegs, they smelled like that but didn't have any of the stickiness of soda.

That may be what my issue is. When storing your kegs do you usually leave the lids off?
 
Weizenheimer said:
That may be what my issue is. When storing your kegs do you usually leave the lids off?

I don't. When I kick a keg and I'm not ready to fill it right up, then I'll clean it then sanitize with with Iodophor. A quick hit of CO2 and the keg is ready to be filled whenever after that. The positive pressure makes sure no nasties can get into the keg and it's already sanitized.
 
kegs used for rootbeer take twice as many soaks to get the stink out, and the o-rings are forever infused with the aroma.
 
I agree with the consensus about the cleaning and soaking. I used oxiclean and it seems to work great and it rinses off good also. You definitely want to change o-rings for the simple reason of sanitation, there relatively cheap and worth the investment.

:p
Bill
 
I had the same problem when I purchase 3 soda kegs. After replacing the o rings and letting the kegs soak top to bottom in starsan for a couple of hours, a little of the smell still seemed to be there. Regardless of the smell, I pressed on and kegged my beer.

Guess what...the beer smelled like beer and tasted like beer. No soda smell or taste were in the keg after the beer was gone.

My rule of thumb is if you cleaned top to bottom, regardless of the sanitzer, and you still smell something...it's mental. Don't worry about it. If you still are worried about it, go back the dreaded bottles.

Good luck in your kegging adventures!
 
I had the same problem when I purchase 3 soda kegs. After replacing the o rings and letting the kegs soak top to bottom in starsan for a couple of hours, a little of the smell still seemed to be there. Regardless of the smell, I pressed on and kegged my beer.

Guess what...the beer smelled like beer and tasted like beer. No soda smell or taste were in the keg after the beer was gone.

My rule of thumb is if you cleaned top to bottom, regardless of the sanitzer, and you still smell something...it's mental. Don't worry about it. If you still are worried about it, go back the dreaded bottles.

Good luck in your kegging adventures!

Soaked in starsan?
Everything I've read says you need to soak in something like oxyclean/PWB/baking soda THEN rinse well and use startsan to sanitize
 
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