Drying beverage hoses

[Bobb25]

I recently took my Beer Gun out of its box to bottle two cornies worth of heaven. I was concerned when I saw that the inside of the beverage hose had growths of mold/mildew on the inside. I know that I ran PBW through the hose and rinsed it after I used it last year. However most likely there was moisture left in the hose.
Do you guys dry beverage hoses before storing them ? And how do you do that ?
Thanks.

 

[Vale71]

Yes. I just blow CO2 through them to push the water out.

 

[pigroaster]

I use star san in the tubes and then drain it out. I think the acid stops mold from growing in there. This is why I do not do final rinse with water.

 

[lump42]

I thoroughly rinse them with water then hang all of my hoses so that they can drain. Within a day or so, they are dry and can be packed away if needed.

 

[IslandLizard]

I thoroughly rinse them with water then hang all of my hoses so that they can drain. Within a day or so, they are dry and can be packed away if needed.

Like that! ^

After cleaning (sometimes using a long draw brush) rinse, and a soak in Starsan, I hang/drape them over the corner of my storage rack and let them drip out and dry for a few days. Some stay there, others get stored elsewhere. Brewday is always a short time away.

Same with gas hoses that get cleaned and dried after an unforeseen beer backup, or removing condensation.

 

[crazyjake19]

I run Starsan through mine then blow them out with CO2, though I have just left Starsan in them until next use and didn't have any issues.

 

[lump42]

I run Starsan through mine then blow them out with CO2, though I have just left Starsan in them until next use and didn't have any issues.

If you have any vinyl hoses, I wouldn't recommend extended contact with star san. It will begin to dissolve the plastics. All my blow off hoses are etched on the end that is left in a jar of star san.

 

[IslandLizard]

If you have any vinyl hoses, I wouldn't recommend extended contact with star san. It will begin to dissolve the plastics. All my blow off hoses are etched on the end that is left in a jar of star san.

I haven't noticed any etching as such, but Starsan certainly does affect plastics. I've left pieces of plastic wrap in my Starsan bucket for a day to a few days, and they lose their suppleness, pliability, they become almost crisp. And won't cling anymore when dried.

 

[SEndorf]

I have a small dedicated vacuum cleaner set to blow. I use it to blow out the herms coil and counterflow chiller after a brew session.
I also use it to blow out cleaned beverage lines before storing.

 

[jekeane]

I throw it away. It is wasteful I know and I am not particularly excited about the plastic waste but I have tried all manner of drying / hanging etc and still see water or dirty spots. I only bottle for competition and its not worth it to me to risk the time / cost of bottling on potentially dirty lines. I buy 100' rolls of 3/16" id beverage line and 5/16" id racking hose on amazon for $15-$20 a roll and use new lines everytime. The racking hose lasts forever because I only use 1.5' at a time and the beer line moves a little faster because I'm usually using 8' or so. I also use it in my kegerator.

 

[Vale71]

I throw it away. It is wasteful I know and I am not particularly excited about the plastic waste but I have tried all manner of drying / hanging etc and still see water or dirty spots. I only bottle for competition and its not worth it to me to risk the time / cost of bottling on potentially dirty lines. I buy 100' rolls of 3/16" id beverage line and 5/16" id racking hose on amazon for $15-$20 a roll and use new lines everytime. The racking hose lasts forever because I only use 1.5' at a time and the beer line moves a little faster because I'm usually using 8' or so. I also use it in my kegerator.

You've been very naughty. Greta Thunberg will be visiting your house soon. At night. Be very afraid...

 

[IslandLizard]

You've been very naughty. Greta Thunberg will be visiting your house soon. At night. Be very afraid...

I have no clue who she is, or her reputation, but the thought alone somehow makes me feel glad I clean and reuse pretty much every hose for the past 10 years. Never had an infection traced back to doing that.

Oh, one length of hose got repurposed for Automatic Transmission Fluid fills. It's marked as such.

 

[Vale71]

Coincidentally, she's taking a tour of your country right now so there is a concrete chance she might actually be in your neighborhood one of these days.

 

[SEndorf]

I throw it away. It is wasteful I know and I am not particularly excited about the plastic waste but I have tried all manner of drying / hanging etc and still see water or dirty spots. I only bottle for competition and its not worth it to me to risk the time / cost of bottling on potentially dirty lines. I buy 100' rolls of 3/16" id beverage line and 5/16" id racking hose on amazon for $15-$20 a roll and use new lines everytime. The racking hose lasts forever because I only use 1.5' at a time and the beer line moves a little faster because I'm usually using 8' or so. I also use it in my kegerator.

I would be leery of legitimate food grade tubing at $15-$20 / 100' regardless of how they label it.
For competition bottling, I'd be more afraid of the new plastic stink transfer of hardware grade tubing rather than any risk of infection from a quality reused beverage line.

 

[jekeane]

I would be leery of legitimate food grade tubing at $15-$20 / 100' regardless of how they label it.
For competition bottling, I'd be more afraid of the new plastic stink transfer of hardware grade tubing rather than any risk of infection from a quality reused beverage line.

Ive been using the beer line for years and it has had no plastic off flavors. There is very little aroma to it out of the box and it is food grade fda and nfs compliant as per the labeling. I guess everyone has to ask themselves at what price per foot do you believe the label. There are people who have a very low threshold for picking up vinyl flavors and for them the fancy silver lined beer tubing may be the way to go. But for the vast majority of people cheap lines are fine assuming its a good product. Which, in my experience this stuff is.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I recently started switching my lines over to EVABarrier Double Wall tubing. At $16 USD a 39 foot length it's supposed to minimize oxidation, bacteria and microbial growth.

 

[lump42]

I recently started switching my lines over to EVABarrier Double Wall tubing. At $16 USD a 39 foot length it's supposed to minimize oxidation, bacteria and microbial growth.

I've been looking at this beer line. How's the EVABarrier working for you so far?