Do you need to clean the tap on a boil kettle?

[stz]

Hello! Quick one.

I have a 10gal kettle with a stainless ball tap fitted to it. I don't really stress about cleaning it, during the boil I run a jug of boiling wort through it, after the boil before cooling I run another jug of boiling wort through it and after I've used the kettle I run some cleaning solution and finally sanitiser through it.

Do I need to strip it down often? Every few brews? Or is it just fine boiled, boiling stuff run through it and then a good clean before putting away until next time?

 

[mikescooling]

IMHO no, I soak my pots in PBW then rinse at least twice. All that cleaner is going through that valve, when I get ready to use my plate chiller, I fill it with boiling wort for 15min. If you feel better about cleaning it, more power to ya.

 

[amandabab]

most of the time its just draining pbw/oxclean through it with the valve in several positions.

about every 6 months or so I'll do a full clean in place with PBW (not oxyclean) pumping one way then the other to backflush all valves and then a hot rinse, a cold rinse, and an Iodophor flush (even the cold side vessels that dont "need" sanitizing.

 

[Jaybird]

I do the same thing as you with the boiling wort. I also do a full PBW CIP after every batch of beer brewed on the system. I took mine apart a few brews ago and it was NASTY as all get out! Yes take it apart and clean it from time to time. Now my system is made up of mostly 3 pc ball valves but yes I personally think (after seeing that) taking it apart from time to time is a good idea.

Cheers
Jay

 

[mikescooling]

PBW is amazing!! I was just given a sanke keg that had 3 year old beer in it. It lived outside in the hot sun and must have been on it's side (water marks), the beer was rotten. I soaked that keg in 1lb of PBW and it looked new!!!! The bad smell was gone.

 

[GenIke]

There was a thread like this and someone posted some pics. I cant find it right now, but let's just say that I now clean mine before every use. It was disturbing.

*edit, found it https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/dirty-ball-valve-cip-experiment-384637/ *

 

[bru-ster76]

Although I only have one batch under my belt, I decided to fill the bottom of my kettle with hot water and PBW, then attached a plugged 6" piece of vinyl tubing to the end of the ball valve outlet barb. I opened the valve to fill the tube and valve assembly and let it sit for 24hrs. When I thought of it, I would open/close the valve a few times here and there to hopefully expose all applicable surfaces to the PBW mixture in the line. Hopefully this works, but I will probably take it apart after a few brews to see if the routine is working well. I did use a DIY bazooka filter that did it's job quite well, so it minimized the junk that went through the valve, as well.

 

[Bensiff]

I have had some ball valves get pretty nasty and others be perfectly clean when I tear them down. However everything in my current setup is weldless and what I find when I rip the whole setup apart is pretty nasty if I get lazy and don't do it for a while. That alone is enough reason to go to welded sanitary fittings IMO and I'm glad my new build is buoy around them.