Confusion with fastferment cleaning.

[turbopatrick]

Hi everyone,
I'm wondering how thorough I need to be when cleaning my fast ferment. On one side, I see every one say that if a plastic bucket is scratched then it is just an infection waiting to happen. On the other side, I have a FF with beer getting in threads and sticking to teflon tape and creeping into the thermowell cavity. There are many places where an infection could hide in the FF IMO. I watched the video on how to clean the FF and they don't suggest to remove the thermowell everytime and replace the teflon. Should I be doing that everytime?

So why would a scratch in a plastic bucket be worse than all the places that beer can get into in the FF?
I'm asking because I'm considering to go back to plastic buckets because they are easier to clean. I've brewed about 50 batches in buckets without knowing that a scratch could affect a batch. But once I read that, I thought "it can't be worse than the threads in FF right?"

Thank you

 

[VTX1300]

I used a FF for about 2 years and 35 batches. I would only do a complete disassembly about every 10 batches. After each batch I would fill it with about 2 gallons of hot PBW solution and shake that around and let it soak, then rinse with hot water. If needed I would wipe the inside with a soft cloth to remove any stubborn crud. Before each batch I would partially fill with enough Starsan to cover the thermowell and sample valve and let that soak for a few minuets before draining and filling with wort. Never any problems.

I only moved to a SS brew bucket because I dropped my FF while cleaning and broke the valve off of the bottom.

Personally, I would not worry too much about complete disassembly every time. Just a good hot soak and rinse after every batch and a Starsan soak right before a batch.

 

[Jag75]

+1 to what VTX says .

 

[turbopatrick]

ok that sounds good then. But does this automatically mean that I shouldn't worry about scratches in a plastic bucket too? because to me, the threads in the FF would be as good of a place to hide for bacterias than in a scratch.

 

[Jag75]

I never messed with taking the valve off the bottom to clean. After I packaged the beer I would thoroughly rinse with hot water. I use a soft cloth & soft brush to get rid of the krausen line. I use the brush to clean out the thermal port. I use the brush to clean the valve at the bottom. Clean where the o ring is .

Then I fill all the way with hot water and pbw. Let it sit for hours. Then I'd drain through sample port for a bit , opening and closing the valve and same with the bottom valve. I've never taken off the valve housing to inspect the threads and Teflon tape. I've had it for 3 yrs or so . Never been an issue.