Cleaning a Plate Chiller with Coke?

[Saboral]

I've got some whole leaf hops stuck in my plate chiller. I don't have any caustic cleaners on hand so I went ahead and filled the wort side with coke. I know it'll clean battery terminals and dissolve a steak thanks to phosphoric ahead, maybe it'll partly dissolve the hops?

 

[day_trippr]

Pour some Coke in a glass and drop a hop or two in there and let it sit.
If the hop dissolves, you'll know you can flush out the PC.

Otoh, if the hop persists, flush out the coke, remove any meltable bits from the PC, and stick it in the oven at its hottest setting for a couple/few hours and it'll turn everything in the PC to ashes you can flush out with tap water...

Cheers!

 

[gotraut]

I think you want to use diet coke. Regular coke has sugar and might leave a sticky mess.

 

[augiedoggy]

I think you want to use diet coke. Regular coke has sugar and might leave a sticky mess.

Your kidding I hope.... he would rinse it with water or something else afterward I would hope... its not like wort doesnt leave a sticky mess as well

 

[MaxStout]

If you want to clean with something that has phosphoric acid, why not just use Starsan? No sticky mess.

 

[douglasbarbin]

Wait...by "coke", do you mean coca cola or cocaine?

 

[BGBC]

Wait...by "coke", do you mean coca cola or cocaine?

Most expensive cleanser ever...

 

[Komocabo]

But it smells so good!

 

[Qhrumphf]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_(fuel)

I thought he was talking about that coal-derivative fuel...

It does have its place in the history of brewing, after all.

 

[augiedoggy]

If you want to clean with something that has phosphoric acid, why not just use Starsan? No sticky mess.

starsan isnt a very effective cleaner from what I read I think its too mild to do anything. especially in its non concentrate form... plus the OP stated he had none of the correct actual cleaners on hand..

 

[MaxStout]

starsan isnt a very effective cleaner from what I read I think its too mild to do anything. especially in its non concentrate form... plus the OP stated he had none of the correct actual cleaners on hand..

In which case I doubt very much that Coke would be any more effective, given its dilute phosphoric acid content.

But...try anything once...

 

[gotraut]

Your kidding I hope.... he would rinse it with water or something else afterward I would hope... its not like wort doesnt leave a sticky mess as well

Diet soda is a known engine de-greaser. That being said, I would never use diet soda in this manner. Like you say, regular soda is sticky like wort, but isn't the intent to clean it out? I would also assume it would be rinsed out with water - you are stating the obvious. I prefer to recirculate PBW through my CFC.

 

[Saboral]

Well the good news, the coke loosened up the crud and most of it is gone. I am going to follow up now with a baking in the oven to carbonize all the remaining debris and then I'll do a final flush.

Moral of the story use a hop spider with whole leaf hops.

 

[Riot]

A lot of people use phosphoric acid to acidify their mash. Why not use some of that diluted with water to clean out your chiller, there is a lot less potential for gunk buildup that way

 

[rvklein]

If you're looking for carbonic acid Why not just use Soda Water?