Sanke cleaning issue

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Twofox

Twofox

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Hi all,

I have a sanke keg that I'm cleaning out for blending 10 gals of mead and have a weird issue.

I soaked it in some water and BLC mix, maybe 4-5 oz to the 15 gallons and didn't get back to it for a week. I drained it and now there are what appear to by crystals (sand like) stuck to the inside and on the spear. I'm assuming it's from the BLC since it will eventually pit stainless (as I found out while reading after the fact).

I soaked it for a week in some plain water. Now the crystals wipe off with a finger just fine, leaving no pitting, but won't rinse off. No real change after the week of soaking.

So the question is, what can I do to clean this? It's inside the keg and I can't reach in there to wipe it off, and need to disolve them. Any suggestions? More BLC or maybe some CLR?
 
Give it a wash with some PBW/oxyfree... I would also get a keg cleaner (goes on a drill) to help really clean it. I use the keg/carboy cleaner on my sanke kegs with great results. I also soak them with PBW for at least 24 hours before giving the cleaner a spin in them, draining and rinsing the kegs out.

I would advise using PBW to clean the kegs in the future. I have yet to encounter anything that can survive a 24+ soak in PBW (anything you want to remove that is)... Sometimes even an hour is enough time. I would also use HOT tap water in this case... Combination works wonders for me.
 
Golddiggie said:
Give it a wash with some PBW/oxyfree... I would also get a keg cleaner (goes on a drill) to help really clean it. I use the keg/carboy cleaner on my sanke kegs with great results. I also soak them with PBW for at least 24 hours before giving the cleaner a spin in them, draining and rinsing the kegs out.

I would advise using PBW to clean the kegs in the future. I have yet to encounter anything that can survive a 24+ soak in PBW (anything you want to remove that is)... Sometimes even an hour is enough time. I would also use HOT tap water in this case... Combination works wonders for me.
Click to expand...

Ok cool. PBW works great. As for the hot water, it's summer in AZ. 105 during the day at least :)
 
Well, the sanke keg can handle well over boiling temps without issue... So whatever comes out of the hot side of your kitchen sink will be no problem.

Assuming you're using a 1/2 bbl keg, yes? I picked up a 50L keg last weekend (13.3 gallons) that I'm still thinking about what to do with it. Fermenting 10 gallon batches, so far, is the best idea. Although it will be a while before I brew another 10 gallon batch, at least I'll be ready to run the entire thing into the fermenter.

Personally, I don't think I could handle AZ in the summer. I'm not happy once the temp gets over about 85F... Hence my desire to move into Maine (coastal Maine being my primary choice, the further up the coast the better)... Of course, I'd gladly go even more north, like Alaska, or even into Canada. Just need to land a job there first. :rockin:
 
You could also throw in a couple handfuls of sand or a wash cloth with the cleaning solution and shake it around. It works better than you might think.
 
I'd be cautious about using sand... Just so easy to leave some behind. It did get me to thinking though. IF you have some really stuck on stuff, how about using steel bird shot/BB's (the smallest you can find)? A small handful of that should do just as well, would be easier (IMO) to get all of it out, AND won't be bad if any was left behind. I would probably drain through some kind of filter/strainer/mesh bag (grain bag :ban:) when using it... It shouldn't be difficult to locate some, since most places won't allow you to use lead shot anymore due to environmental concerns.

Sure, it would cost more than using a handful of sand, or the wash cloth, but it's an option (I think)... A 10# bag should run you under $25.. IF you have friends that hunt, see if you can swap them a brew, or three, for a pound or three of their small diameter steel shot. :rockin:
 
Golddiggie said:
I'd be cautious about using sand... Just so easy to leave some behind. It did get me to thinking though. IF you have some really stuck on stuff, how about using steel bird shot/BB's (the smallest you can find)? A small handful of that should do just as well, would be easier (IMO) to get all of it out, AND won't be bad if any was left behind. I would probably drain through some kind of filter/strainer/mesh bag (grain bag :ban:) when using it... It shouldn't be difficult to locate some, since most places won't allow you to use lead shot anymore due to environmental concerns.

Sure, it would cost more than using a handful of sand, or the wash cloth, but it's an option (I think)... A 10# bag should run you under $25.. IF you have friends that hunt, see if you can swap them a brew, or three, for a pound or three of their small diameter steel shot. :rockin:
Click to expand...

Never had any issue getting all the sand out with a rinse. I'd be careful about using steel shot. AFAIK most steel shot is not stainless, and rubbing mild steel against stainless is a recipe for rust formation. This is why it is reccomended when making keggle conversions to never use a regular wire brush or a grinder/flapper/sandpaper etc that has been previously used on mild steel. If you don't like sand or rags, the suggestion above for rice is a good one.
 
JuanMoore said:
Never had any issue getting all the sand out with a rinse. I'd be careful about using steel shot. AFAIK most steel shot is not stainless, and rubbing mild steel against stainless is a recipe for rust formation. This is why it is reccomended when making keggle conversions to never use a regular wire brush or a grinder/flapper/sandpaper etc that has been previously used on mild steel. If you don't like sand or rags, the suggestion above for rice is a good one.
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought about steel/stainless reaction issues... :mug:

How about your good old standard issue brass/bronze BB's? Cheap, easy to find, can be soaked/cleaned time and again, don't need to worry about anything else getting in them (or them growing 'tootsie rolls'), etc... :D

Then again, I've yet to encounter anything that was stuck on so hard that a soak in PBW and spin from a keg/carboy cleaner couldn't remove. IF it's really on there, use more PBW per gallon to get it to get that stuff OFF...
 
Some people clean using Stainless Steel Chain, noisy for sure but abrasive and you obviously know that you removed it when done.
 

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