Cleaning Carboy with 75% Less Water

[greenfrog5]

I've finally worked out a way to soak tough carboy stains in Oxyclean without the need to fill it full! I took a stopper with a hole and put a racking cane through it to go into the carboy, trimming the end so it has at least a few inches from the bottom.

Put a gallon or two of water/oxy into the carboy, pop the stopper in and flip it upside down on a carboy drying stand. I used some towels to cushion below it a bit to gently keep the stopper in without ramming it in, and put it in a rubbermaid dish bin in-case it popped and spilled. The long end of the racking cane goes into the carboy and above the liquid level allowing the venting of any pressure buildup. The liquid is just high enough to fully submerge the krausen-ring-zone with Oxyclean, using significantly less watter just to 'reach' the dirty area.

Like this:

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Aaron

 

[GuldTuborg]

Someone's using his noggin. Not a bad idea at all.

 

[milesvdustin]

That awesome! I usually just use the hose and fill em up.... I will try this

 

[greenfrog5]

I have had trouble with the 'drilled stopper' that is a solid cork with a hole through it. I have these formed rubber stoppers that are 'hollow' (instead of solid) but still provide a seal, and a hole for airlock or racking cane. When the solid ones are at all wet, they pop themselves out. When they are dry, you can't get them in at all.

It works great! My Red IIPA was the first time I used a blowoff tube on my 5-gal carboy and it was very necessary. What a mess it made. I bottled it last night after 4 weeks (incl. dry-hops), used this pressure-value with 1.5 gallons to soak it today, and put a Pale Ale in it tonight!

Then, I bottled my Home Run Red, and am waiting for the harvested yeast to settle again in the fridge, so I can decant one final time! My larger carboy is now soaking in about 2 gal of water, and it should be easy to clean the ring in the morning.

Aaron

 

[marnel]

I do the same thing but avoid all the extra trouble and just fill up an old oxyclean bucket about a qaurter of the way and place the carboy neck into it like its a water jug.