How do you store your empty kegs

So, the real answer I guess should be the keg should not be empty right:cross:

But, just wondering how you store your empty kegs. I have been filling half way with PBW, adding some CO2 to it and letting it sit. Every now and then, I will shake it up. I was concerned that the PBW might hurt the metal in the keg??

Any suggestions?? Maybe store it with SanStar or Iodophur (sp)

I store mine with StarSan and purge with C02

I rinse with saniclean or starsan and fill with CO2. Leave them pressurized until I fill them up.

xdalisx said:

I store mine with StarSan and purge with C02

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Same. I do store under pressure as well with the StarSan in it.

I wash them, starsan them, let it drain, then seal it with C02. I don't really see why you'd need to store them with PBW or Starsan. Before racking into them I just shake up a bit of starsan in them and have never had an issue.

AnchorBock said:

I wash them, starsan them, let it drain, then seal it with C02. I don't really see why you'd need to store them with PBW or Starsan. Before racking into them I just shake up a bit of starsan in them and have never had an issue.

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I usually leave just enough StarSan to shake and sanitize the inside. Just another feel-good peace of mind on kegging day. I know with a couple shakes, there is enough sanitizer present under CO2 that I don't have to have any additional steps apart from racking the beer.

But yeah, it's probably more than ok without it in there.

After cleaning and drying I just put the lid on and stack 'em in the dining room, don't see the reasoning behind storing them sanitized and pressurized with CO2. YMMV.

I leave starsan in them. No pressure though.

I leave oxyclean in mine, and just put the lid back on ( no co2). My kegs usually stay empty maybe two to three weeks.

If its going to be a long term storage, I store them empty with the lid off.

All i have ever done. When a keg kicks i will rinse and give it a PBW soak for a day or two. Rinse and store on a rack to air dry. When time to keg, I will rinse and a starsan soak and shake. Dont really see the need for a extended soak or a blanket of precious co2.

I rinse then pour in about 1 gallon of starsan, shake then pressure out the starsan until thick foam is dispensing. This leaves about 0.5 cups of foam and CO2 in the keg. On keg day I just swirl one more time relieve the pressure and rack. I feel that this also sanitized the dip tube.

I clean mine with an oxy soak for a day. Rinse a few times with hot water, drain and let air dry. I loosely cover it to keep the dust out while in storage (usually a couple of weeks). I starsan them right before racking a beer inside.

what i have been doing is (after the beer is gone) is rinse the keg out untill clean. fill it up with water put the lid back on it and put it back in the kegerator. when i want to use it again i wash with what ever line cleaner i have, sanitize it and fill it. my kegerator hold way more kegs than i have faucets for, i figure once the water gets cold it helps keep the kegerator cold. i have 4 kegs full of water in there now, 6 more kegs have beer in them

Rinse well, clean it if I feel like it, and then rinse and store in the basement with the lid back on. I store them empty, unpressurized, until I need them.

I store my empties empty with the lid off.

johngault007 said:

I usually leave just enough StarSan to shake and sanitize the inside. Just another feel-good peace of mind on kegging day. I know with a couple shakes, there is enough sanitizer present under CO2 that I don't have to have any additional steps apart from racking the beer.

But yeah, it's probably more than ok without it in there.

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Doesn't no-rinse stop being sanitizer after a day or 2?

Not saying that this is a real issue, but it could make a difference.

Rinse, blast with hot water at 1 lb caustic to 5 gal, rinse, blast with 200 ml nitric + 200 ml phosphoric in 5 gal, rinse, cap and store in the garage. These are Sankeys.

I rinse, add maybe a gallon of idophor solution, flush the dip tube/beer line by connecting co2 for a few seconds just to get enough co2 in to push the solution thru the line. I store empty with lid off. My theory is this is easier on the seals, lets them expand to seal again when used. This might work, might not make a difference, I dont know. Just what I do. As usual, YMMV.

Eric

I just disconnect them and leave them. They get cleaned and sanitized before I rack to them (need the cleaner and sanitizer for my racking cane and stuff anyways)

cheezydemon3 said:

Doesn't no-rinse stop being sanitizer after a day or 2?

Not saying that this is a real issue, but it could make a difference.

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I'm not a chemist, but from the literature I have read, and various podcasts with the designer, as long as the PH doesn't change, it stays effective until the environment changes.

That's why it keeps in spray bottles for continued use.


Anyone have definitive yes/no on this theory?

Clean em and chuck em in the attic. Sanitize prior to re-fill.

I'll leave a keg that has blown, dirty and pressurized until I have a good day to clean a couple.

When I clean them I like hot water and PBW, then give it 3 rinses,
when dry I may just put the lid over the opening,
sometimes I'll lock the lid on,
but I do not pressurize with air or CO2.

Before I use a keg, I'll rinse it with water then sanitize it.