Cleaning taps - how and how often?

[ILMSTMF]

Hello,

Newborn to the keg process and have a keezer build coming up. Deciding between picnic taps or faucets.

Pro's
Picnics - cheaper, can get dispensing sooner instead of waiting for the funds to buy shanks/faucets. Less of a headache to clean... that is the question.

Faucets - better dispensing, perhaps. Solid construction.


• How do I clean the taps and/or lines? Link to article(s), other threads are welcome.
• How often do I need to do that?
• Is the cleaning process the same (in method and frequency) for picnics and shanks/faucets?
• The big question is will it be less of a headache to clean the picnics versus the shanks/faucets? Seriously. I've been given the impression that it's a bigger pain in the ass to take apart the shanks/adapters/faucets to clean them versus cleaning picnics.

The cool factor of a faucet means very little to me - the keezer won't be on display for guests.

Related to this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=628941

Thank you!

 

[mongoose33]

Hello,

Newborn to the keg process and have a keezer build coming up. Deciding between picnic taps or faucets.

Pro's
Picnics - cheaper, can get dispensing sooner instead of waiting for the funds to buy shanks/faucets. Less of a headache to clean... that is the question.

Faucets - better dispensing, perhaps. Solid construction.

This is what I think and do--there may be other opinions and methods.

• How do I clean the taps and/or lines? Link to article(s), other threads are welcome.

In this, Google is your friend. Search here on HBT or on google for ideas. What I'm going to show you can be done with a hand pump.

My method--stolen in part from what others do--uses connects bought which allows the QD's liquid lines to be connected. I use Silicone tubing to connect the spouts to each other and it works remarkably well.

I have a landscape pump which pumps Beer Line Cleaner (BLC) through all of the lines and taps. Takes about 5-10 minutes to pull the stuff out and set up, about 20+ minutes to run the BLC through them (longer if it's been longer), and 10+ minutes to run rinse water through them to clear the BLC.

• How often do I need to do that?

Some will say every time you empty a keg, others every 2 weeks to a month, but I've found I can go a couple months or more between cleaning them. Last I cleaned mine was end of March, and it is probably about time again. I don't see any change in the quality of the beer being dispensed, but I don't want to get to where there's a problem.

• Is the cleaning process the same (in method and frequency) for picnics and shanks/faucets?

Not really. Just run some BLC through them. You can also run PBW or other cleaner through them. Picnic taps are easy as they can be disassembled along w/ the QDs. I like doing it all together at once, as per the picture below.

• The big question is will it be less of a headache to clean the picnics versus the shanks/faucets? Seriously. I've been given the impression that it's a bigger pain in the ass to take apart the shanks/adapters/faucets to clean them versus cleaning picnics.

I've never taken mine apart in the year+ I've had my keezer. That's the beauty of CIP (clean in place) using the system I have.

Picnic taps are pretty easy, and they're pretty cheap. I'd suggest starting with that and then deciding, later, if you want to go to faucets. In fact, that's the way I started, with a keg in a fridge along w/ a small CO2 tank, regulator, and picnic tap.

 

[mongoose33]

Here's another thread that may reward you--it includes a link to a thread showing how to build your own hand-pumped beer line cleaner:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7648785

This shows how I built mine:

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/11/recirculating-draft-line-cleaning-build.html

Another thread, includes source of fitting for connecting QDs:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=587200&page=2

 

[h22lude]

^^^ This is what I will be doing soon. I started off with a hand pump and cleaned each line one at a time and hand to manually pump the pump for each line and each phase of cleaning (BLC, rinse water, starsan). I then went to a sub pump I bought from Harbor Freight. I still do each line one at a time but I don't manually pump and I can let it run for as long as I want without having to check on it. Definitely much easier but I still have to do each line. I will be getting a bigger pump and connecting everything together exactly like Mongoose does. I highly recommend this method for anyone that kegs. It will cost you less than $80 to get this cleaning set up (a little more if you have more taps...those QD connectors are about $7).

 

[TheMadKing]

This is what I think and do--there may be other opinions and methods.



In this, Google is your friend. Search here on HBT or on google for ideas. What I'm going to show you can be done with a hand pump.

My method--stolen in part from what others do--uses connects bought which allows the QD's liquid lines to be connected. I use Silicone tubing to connect the spouts to each other and it works remarkably well.

I have a landscape pump which pumps Beer Line Cleaner (BLC) through all of the lines and taps. Takes about 5-10 minutes to pull the stuff out and set up, about 20+ minutes to run the BLC through them (longer if it's been longer), and 10+ minutes to run rinse water through them to clear the BLC.



Some will say every time you empty a keg, others every 2 weeks to a month, but I've found I can go a couple months or more between cleaning them. Last I cleaned mine was end of March, and it is probably about time again. I don't see any change in the quality of the beer being dispensed, but I don't want to get to where there's a problem.



Not really. Just run some BLC through them. You can also run PBW or other cleaner through them. Picnic taps are easy as they can be disassembled along w/ the QDs. I like doing it all together at once, as per the picture below.



I've never taken mine apart in the year+ I've had my keezer. That's the beauty of CIP (clean in palce) using the system I have.

Picnic taps are pretty easy, and they're pretty cheap. I'd suggest starting with that and then deciding, later, if you want to go to faucets. In fact, that's the way I started, with a keg in a fridge along w/ a small CO2 tank, regulator, and picnic tap.

View attachment 403571

View attachment 403572

View attachment 403573

So I'm stealing that...

Where do you find the double ended posts?

 

[TheMadKing]

So I'm stealing that...

Where do you find the double ended posts?

http://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/ball_lock_jumperpost.htm

Those are hard to find, and they don't come in pin lock at all. I'm going to have to rig male/male coupler probably.. thanks for the idea!

 

[Jim311]

I don't see a reason to use fancy pumps and stuff. I just make up some powdered brew wash and put it in a keg. Then I push the brew wash into all my lines and taps. I let it sit for a few minutes, or a few hours if you have the time. Then I make sure to run some beer through those lines on the next keg so I don't end up drinking a cup of brew wash. It's as simple as that. No pumps or fancy stuff required.

 

[TheMadKing]

I don't see a reason to use fancy pumps and stuff. I just make up some powdered brew wash and put it in a keg. Then I push the brew wash into all my lines and taps. I let it sit for a few minutes, or a few hours if you have the time. Then I make sure to run some beer through those lines on the next keg so I don't end up drinking a cup of brew wash. It's as simple as that. No pumps or fancy stuff required.

You don't rinse your PBW with water or sanitize your lines?

 

[Jim311]

Not really. If I want to sanitize them I use iodophor or whatever sanitizer I'd like to use. If I were paranoid I'd put some water in the keg to rinse I guess, but usually I just push some fresh beer through the lines and throw away a half pint or whatever.

 

[h22lude]

If it has been working for you, keep doing it but not rinsing with water sounds like a terrible idea to me.

A few reasons using a pump (IMO) is better than using a keg...

1) You can recirculate BLC and rinse water for as long as you want (15 minutes is what they recommend). Moving BLC cleans better than non moving BLC.
2) You don't waste CO2. Every time you clean with a keg, that is one less keg you will get out of that tank. If you clean your lines after each empty keg, in theory your CO2 tank can only carb and serve half what it normally would be able to.

 

[ILMSTMF]

A few reasons using a pump (IMO) is better than using a keg...

1) You can recirculate BLC and rinse water for as long as you want (15 minutes is what they recommend). Moving BLC cleans better than non moving BLC.
2) You don't waste CO2. Every time you clean with a keg, that is one less keg you will get out of that tank. If you clean your lines after each empty keg, in theory your CO2 tank can only carb and serve half what it normally would be able to.

Am I right to think that I would need an additional keg to clean lines if I am not using a pump?
Example - I have four kegs. If all four have beer in them and I need to clean the lines, WTF am I supposed to do? Drain a keg out so I can use it to clean the lines with it?

Thread has quickly gone off topic lol. Biggest concern, still, is if faucets are going to be more work to clean than picnics.

Thanks folks!

 

[h22lude]

Am I right to think that I would need an additional keg to clean lines if I am not using a pump?
Example - I have four kegs. If all four have beer in them and I need to clean the lines, WTF am I supposed to do? Drain a keg out so I can use it to clean the lines with it?

Thread has quickly gone off topic lol. Biggest concern, still, is if faucets are going to be more work to clean than picnics.

Thanks folks!

Yup. That's another advantage to a pump. Just need a pump and bucket. If you don't have an empty keg you wouldnt be able to clean the lines.

Is it more work, I guess technically it is. More parts in a faucet. Is the extra work enough for me to tell you to go with picnic taps? No! Go with faucets if you can afford it.

 

[Jwin]

You could go picnic to start and decide from there. You can always cut the picnic taps off and pop the hose on a shank down the road as you find good deals on them.

Also, for pinlock cleaning, I use brewhardware mfl to mfl adapter
Just pull the QDs and jumper the hoses.

Brewhardware had the best price on stainless​ shanks I could find as well.

 

[tjosborne]

@mongoose
What size tubing fits perlicks like that?

 

[h22lude]

@mongoose
What size tubing fits perlicks like that?

Typical brewing silicone hosing https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/siliconetubing12id.htm

 

[mongoose33]

@mongoose
What size tubing fits perlicks like that?

It's 1/2" ID silicone tubing.

It's very weird. You look at that and you have to believe that tubing will pop off those faucets, but it snugs up and it doesn't move. In fact, I have to work it to even get it off. The pump isn't such high pressure that the whole system is pressurized, as the open end that drains into the bucket relieves whatever excess pressure there might be.

 

[MaryB]

I use my small air compressor that I use for air brushing. Put 2 gallons of blc in a keg, pressurize it with air and pump it through the lines and taps. After that I run Star San through and then reconnect to the keg. Dispose of the first glass of beer unless you enjoy the taste of star san!

 

[tjosborne]

It's 1/2" ID silicone tubing.



It's very weird. You look at that and you have to believe that tubing will pop off those faucets, but it snugs up and it doesn't move. In fact, I have to work it to even get it off. The pump isn't such high pressure that the whole system is pressurized, as the open end that drains into the bucket relieves whatever excess pressure there might be.

Thank you.

 

[Kozwald]

I must be lazy! Every time I empty a keg, I wash the keg and then put a gallon of hot water and a scoop of One Step in the keg. Shake it up real good and run it through the tap that was just emptied.

When I'm ready to fill the keg with the next batch I always sanitize with Star San and run it through the tap.

This has been working for about 3 years now without any off flavors.

 

[Jim311]

If it has been working for you, keep doing it but not rinsing with water sounds like a terrible idea to me.

A few reasons using a pump (IMO) is better than using a keg...

1) You can recirculate BLC and rinse water for as long as you want (15 minutes is what they recommend). Moving BLC cleans better than non moving BLC.
2) You don't waste CO2. Every time you clean with a keg, that is one less keg you will get out of that tank. If you clean your lines after each empty keg, in theory your CO2 tank can only carb and serve half what it normally would be able to.

Recirculating sounds nice but in my experience really isn't necessary. Letting the PBW mix sit in those lines works fabulous. Wasting CO2.. yeah I guess. But I have a 20 pound tank that I hardly ever fill anyway. Also, I don't clean my lines every keg. I guess I'm a lot lazier than you guys are. Maybe every couple of kegs I'll clean the lines? IDK. I've only ever developed off flavors once and I ran some sanitizer through it that knocked it out fast. Still, with all this said I don't think there's any substitute for taking your faucets apart and soaking them and scrubbing them, even if you have a system to recirculate. One thing you could do in absence of a pump is gravity feed from a bottling bucket through the lines and taps. That seems like it would work nicely.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Answer 1). With Beer/tap/keg line cleaner.
Answer 2). Probably once every few weeks.

 

[Jonakr]

I left beer and cider in the lines after kicking the kegs for over a week. Both had ick even though they were in the fridge. I spent a while cleaning both out and decided to rinse/clean immediately after the kegs are emptied after that. With the hand pump solution, it's only about 5 minutes per line.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Is it more work, I guess technically it is. More parts in a faucet. Is the extra work enough for me to tell you to go with picnic taps? No! Go with faucets if you can afford it.

Right. Of course money is an object here but I'm willing to cough it up if the benefit is a more stable dispensing apparatus. Besides having the ability to dispense carefully (the plan is to use Perlick 650SS flow control taps), what are the other major benefits faucets hold over picnic taps? Thank you.

I must be lazy! Every time I empty a keg, I wash the keg and then put a gallon of hot water and a scoop of One Step in the keg. Shake it up real good and run it through the tap that was just emptied.

When I'm ready to fill the keg with the next batch I always sanitize with Star San and run it through the tap.

This has been working for about 3 years now without any off flavors.

Good tip. Can anyone confidently say that Kozwald choosing not to do any further cleaning to the taps themselves is a no-no? I'd consider following this method.

Recirculating sounds nice but in my experience really isn't necessary. Letting the PBW mix sit in those lines works fabulous. Wasting CO2.. yeah I guess. But I have a 20 pound tank that I hardly ever fill anyway. Also, I don't clean my lines every keg. I guess I'm a lot lazier than you guys are. Maybe every couple of kegs I'll clean the lines? IDK. I've only ever developed off flavors once and I ran some sanitizer through it that knocked it out fast. Still, with all this said I don't think there's any substitute for taking your faucets apart and soaking them and scrubbing them, even if you have a system to recirculate. One thing you could do in absence of a pump is gravity feed from a bottling bucket through the lines and taps. That seems like it would work nicely.

I'm with you - planning to use a 20# tank so using some of that gas for cleaning the keg/lines is something I'm fine with. Good thoughts here too. How often would you suggest taking apart the faucets to soak and scrub? In what kind of solution?

Thank you all!

 

[mongoose33]

Right. Of course money is an object here but I'm willing to cough it up if the benefit is a more stable dispensing apparatus. Besides having the ability to dispense carefully (the plan is to use Perlick 650SS flow control taps), what are the other major benefits faucets hold over picnic taps? Thank you.

It's easier to get the beer! All I do is grab a glass and pull a handle. I don't need to open a door or lift a lid.

In addition, a flow-control faucet lets you balance the system via the faucet if you need to.

I also use a growler filler with my Perlick 650s. I can fill a growler, of course, but I also use it to fill bottles prior to capping.

You can do the same w/ a picnic tap if you want, using something like this:

I'm with you - planning to use a 20# tank so using some of that gas for cleaning the keg/lines is something I'm fine with. Good thoughts here too. How often would you suggest taking apart the faucets to soak and scrub? In what kind of solution?

Thank you all!

As I noted earlier in the thread, I never do this. I'm not sure I understand something--sounds like you want to be sure using faucets is the correct choice, but then it looks like you're going to use a cleaning method that makes more work for you, not less. That wouldn't be a point in favor of using faucets, it's a point against.

 

[ILMSTMF]

It's easier to get the beer! All I do is grab a glass and pull a handle. I don't need to open a door or lift a lid.

In addition, a flow-control faucet lets you balance the system via the faucet if you need to.

I also use a growler filler with my Perlick 650s. I can fill a growler, of course, but I also use it to fill bottles prior to capping.

Growler filler to bottle off of those faucets? Good deal! I imagine that'd be a less expensive solution than one of those beer guns. Apologies, I haven't done any research in that area yet. Would be nice to bottle off of the kegs to share with friends but not at top of priority list right now.

As I noted earlier in the thread, I never do this. I'm not sure I understand something--sounds like you want to be sure using faucets is the correct choice, but then it looks like you're going to use a cleaning method that makes more work for you, not less. That wouldn't be a point in favor of using faucets, it's a point against.

Yep, sorry. I'd consider using a CO2 method to clean those lines and faucets but this would still require a keg to be used in that process. Scratch that idea - I won't always have a kicked keg to use and I'm certainly not keen on the idea of buying a spare keg just to do cleaning with.

That being said, going to circle back to your method in post 2. Thanks! :rockin:

 

[chickypad]

I left beer and cider in the lines after kicking the kegs for over a week. Both had ick even though they were in the fridge. I spent a while cleaning both out and decided to rinse/clean immediately after the kegs are emptied after that. With the hand pump solution, it's only about 5 minutes per line.

This is my process too. That's a nice set up mongoose but I guess my question is how often are you needing to clean all your lines at once? Or do you just periodically disconnect all the tapped kegs and go for it? I've got 8 taps so for me it's easier to just clean one when it kicks with the hand pump. I use the DIY pump below, I think already linked in an earlier post. I flush 16 oz or so, let it sit for 15 min, then pump through about another quart. No recirc but it gets them pretty clean and I've had no issues with off flavors or infections. I used to take my taps apart but found it was unnecessary if I keep up with cleaning in place right after they kick.

DIY beer line cleaner

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I think I'm going to go the pump route. I was considering the hand pump, but I've been trying to figure out how to chill when winter sets in. In fact, I was brewing yesterday and my wife came out while I was pumping hose water through the IC...she looked at it and asked: "how are you going to do this in the winter?".

I can use the same fountain pump to clean my tap lines and to pump cold water through my IC.

 

[MaryB]

I used my garden hose down to zero F last winter. The outside faucet is a frost free model that drains out about 12" of line back to the actual valve inside he house. Hose won't freeze while in use(takes an hour or so to start to freeze laying there). Use it, drain it, hang it up. Or get a container that holds 5-10 gallons of ice water and a pump and recirculate with ice added.

 

[Jim311]

Right. Of course money is an object here but I'm willing to cough it up if the benefit is a more stable dispensing apparatus. Besides having the ability to dispense carefully (the plan is to use Perlick 650SS flow control taps), what are the other major benefits faucets hold over picnic taps? Thank you.



Good tip. Can anyone confidently say that Kozwald choosing not to do any further cleaning to the taps themselves is a no-no? I'd consider following this method.



I'm with you - planning to use a 20# tank so using some of that gas for cleaning the keg/lines is something I'm fine with. Good thoughts here too. How often would you suggest taking apart the faucets to soak and scrub? In what kind of solution?

Thank you all!

I really don't break mine down very often. Maybe every 5-6 kegs or so? I think flushing the lines is usually pretty sufficient.

 

[BBQB]

I haven't ....3 years in. I do plan on replacing the tubes next week though

 

[MaryB]

I use my mini air compressor I have for doing paint brushing. It is filtered so water and oil free air. Made an adapter that snaps on top of the keg to push cleaner through the lines and taps.