commercial keg swap

[puckjer]

so i know this is a total newb question so bear with me. i have just about blown through my first commercial keg on my kegerator. i have another commercial keg on standby in the fridge that i am going to swap the tap over to when the first one runs out. is it as simple as turning the gas off, purging the lines of gas and beer by opening the faucet, then removing the sankey tap and switching to the new keg? i know most of you probably clean your lines between kegs but this was only a 1/6th barrel and i have only had it on tap for 2 weeks or so. i was going to wait to clean until i run through this next 1/6th barrel. any help is appreciated.

 

[buzzkill]

you will be ok if you dont clean the lines now. on a fast turn around I dont always clean them.

 

[IrregularPulse]

To be honest, I'd take the sanke coupler off, toss it on the new one (gas still on) then open the tap till the new beer comes out. The gas staying on will prevent the beer in the line from draining into the new keg. What are the two beers?

 

[puckjer]

the first keg was New Belgium Fat Tire - Great beer to have on tap - definite crowd pleaser. the second keg is Sam Adams Octoberfest - which is another of my favorites. im brewing a sierra nevada pale ale clone tonight to put in my corny for my first homebrew keg to have on tap.

so if you leave the gas on when you take the sankey off wont gas just start coming out of the sankey?

 

[IrregularPulse]

No, Sanke couplers have that handle you have to pull out and lift up. The gas port and beer ports won't open until you put the sanke back on and THEN push the handle down and lock into place.

 

[puckjer]

ok, that makes sense. thanks

 

[HeyNoPie]

Wouldn't the check valve on the sankey coupler prevent beer from going into the gas line anyway. The suggestion above sounds fine but I'm not sure it is necessary to leave the gas on. I agree that you'll be fine. Get a cleaning kit but it isn't urgent