Beer backed up into air distributor

[TheMattTrain]

Hey everyone. It's been a long time since I've been around here. I haven't brewed in well over a year and am finally ready to try to get back into the game. My first course of action is to clean out my kegerator and get it ready to serve again. I'm replacing all of my plastic and deep cleaning all of my stainless. That includes all lines, both beer and gas, as well as all of my o-rings and gaskets.

While I was disassembling my system, I noticed that at some point, one of my brews backed up into my air line and went all the way up into the air distributor. It looks that way, at least, because the small white washer at the end of the gas line that connects to the air distributor was dirty and smelled like stale beer.

I have something like this... http://www.kegconnection.com/air-distributor-4-way-with-check-valves/

So how do I clean it? My thought was to disassemble it and let everything soak in BLC for a while and then get in there with a brush and scrub it clean. Once I'm satisfied I'll rinse thoroughly with hot water and let it dry. Does that sound like a reasonable course of action?

 

[murphyslaw]

I would saok it with oxyclean then rinse it out with water.

 

[max384]

I would connect some hosing to a beverage line quick disconnect and then attach the other end to the gas in barb. Then mix up some BLC solution, add that to your keg, and then run that through your manifold via CO2 pressure from the keg.

 

[TheMattTrain]

I would connect some hosing to a beverage line quick disconnect and then attach the other end to the gas in barb. Then mix up some BLC solution, add that to your keg, and then run that through your manifold via CO2 pressure from the keg.

Same principle if I just run it through with a pump, right? I have a little bear line cleaning contraption I rigged up a few years ago that has a keg post on it, just submerge it in a bucket and let it run through the line, drain back into bucket. Seems reasonable. I can just just run it through the different check valves. Using that idea, I shouldn't need to remove any of the checks or barbs, right?

 

[max384]

Same principle if I just run it through with a pump, right? I have a little bear line cleaning contraption I rigged up a few years ago that has a keg post on it, just submerge it in a bucket and let it run through the line, drain back into bucket. Seems reasonable. I can just just run it through the different check valves. Using that idea, I shouldn't need to remove any of the checks or barbs, right?

That contraption sounds pretty cool. I wouldn't imagine it would cause any issues. I've done it without any ill effects. Just make sure that you dry it REALLY well, as you don't want any moisture in the lines, which could then grow mold.

 

[TheMattTrain]

That contraption sounds pretty cool. I wouldn't imagine it would cause any issues. I've done it without any ill effects. Just make sure that you dry it REALLY well, as you don't want any moisture in the lines, which could then grow mold.

Thanks. I don't have anything even fermenting yet, so I'm not too concerned about drying it out. I'll just let it sit and drip dry for a week or three and turn it every once in a while to dislodge any pools of water.

Thanks for the idea!