Old 10 Gallon Kegs - Safe??

[htims05]

So I have come across a couple old 10 gallon ball lock kegs that I bought - one a Spartanburg Steel Firestone and the other a corny (says "Corneilus Company", MN). Now of course the previous owners both said they were used for home-brew - but I don't know these people so who knows. My plan was to use them as fermenters.

Now I've got to thinking as I've been reconditioning them (seals, oxiclean soak, etc)...that I really don't know what these were used for 20 some odd years ago. What if they were used for some sort of chemical transport - does stainless have the ability to keep this chemical "in" it and would it get into the beer?

I think I probably just need a beer and stop thinking about this, but it's not like these obviously had soda syrup in them like the traditional 5 gallon ones we all use as indicated by the Pepsi or Coke stamping.

Anyone want to throw in an opinion?

 

[SanPancho]

Sounds pretty dangerous. better let me take them and see what’s gonna happen.

 

[VikeMan]

I wouldn't sweat it one bit. You're cleaning, changing gaskets, and sanitizing. Congrats. The 10 gallon versions are not very easy to find.

 

[htims05]

Sounds pretty dangerous. better let me take them and see what’s gonna happen.

Theres one of these posts in every 10 gallon keg thread! Nicely done!

 

[htims05]

I wouldn't sweat it one bit. You're cleaning, changing gaskets, and sanitizing. Congrats. The 10 gallon versions are not very easy to find.

This is what I was thinking when I found them (less than $100 each) - but then as my re-conditioning commenced and searching google for parts I was reading about how some of these things were filled with stuff that wasn't for human consumption - of course I have no way of knowing at this point - I suppose it's possible for the coke/pepsi ones too.

They've been sitting filled with Oxiclean for about 3 days now...

 

[SanPancho]

Here’s what I would recommend. You should be able to see the orgánic residues. that should be easy to clean. then you want to get some beer line cleaner that is acidic, not alkaline. Rinse real well before you add. Then just let them soak on their sides and roll them around, etc.

at that point you should be good to go. that should be clean stainless.

 

[htims05]

Here’s what I would recommend. You should be able to see the orgánic residues. that should be easy to clean. then you want to get some beer line cleaner that is acidic, not alkaline. Rinse real well before you add. Then just let them soak on their sides and roll them around, etc.

at that point you should be good to go. that should be clean stainless.

Five Star Chemical Beer Line Cleaner? Only one I've found that clearly says it's acidic is ALC and that's not in any of my local brew stores (trying to brew this weekend)

 

[SanPancho]

I don’t recall the brands, but yes you want acid. Not alkaline. It’s not exactly the same as in a commercial cip program but for your purposes it should do fine.

it’s not absolutely necessary either, just giving you idea since you’re hesitant.

 

[day_trippr]

I would say if one can actually get the keg clean of whatever was inside of it, it's good to go. It's stainless steel - there's a chromium oxide barrier covering it that I'm pretty sure is not porous enough to hold much of anything...

Cheers!

 

[htims05]

I would say if one can actually get the keg clean of whatever was inside of it, it's good to go. It's stainless steel - there's a chromium oxide barrier covering it that I'm pretty sure is not porous enough to hold much of anything...

Cheers!

Kegs seem clean - I mean after the oxiclean soak (and really even when I got them) there was nothing you could "see" that was dirty - just smelled like they'd been closed up with a bit of water/liquid in them for a long time.....

 

[day_trippr]

The rubber bits can hold an amazing amount of odor (anyone who has salvaged a root beer keg knows what I'm speaking of) but once they're all replaced that should be resolved. Beyond that, I would invest in a keg dip tube brush and not assume soaking alone will dislodge whatever might be within...

Cheers!

 

[htims05]

The rubber bits can hold an amazing amount of odor (anyone who has salvaged a root beer keg knows what I'm speaking of) but once they're all replaced that should be resolved. Beyond that, I would invest in a keg dip tube brush and not assume soaking alone will dislodge whatever might be within...

Cheers!

I'm removing the dip tubes and going with a floating dip - but I have a brush too...

 

[Jayjay1976]

I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to use them after a thorough cleaning. I've had questionable, dirty used kegs, but my keg washer does a great job of cleaning and deodorizing.

Get yourself a ~1000 gph pond pump and a CIP ball. Build a keg washer, run that for a few hours with hot pbw, the spray does a more thorough job than a soak at dislodging crud. Then buy a new toilet brush and go at the interior with barkeeper's friend. Be sure to rinse extra well, the BKF can leave a chalky film.

Stainless can always be saved, never give up.

 

[MackDan]

Take the input/output fittings off and push the poppet valves out and pull the spears. Then soak all the parts in soap or PBW or ?? to make sure you get all the hidden areas clean.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Definitely get a long skinny brush to scrub inside the dip tubes. I think I got mine on Amazon for something like $6.

 

[htims05]

To be clear - these kegs aren't dirty - there's no beer stone or any other gunk in them - that you can see, on the walls, bottom etc. I was more concerned with making sure they are free of whatever non-visible chemical that may have been put in them at some point - if they were ever a chemical tank and not always a beverage tank.

 

[SanPancho]

right. i've seen these used for fire extinguishers, industrial chems under pressure, eyewash tanks, etc. etc. its not inconceivable that they could have had something else in them. which is why the proper method is to do a traditional CIP process on the tanks. alkalline for organics, which doenst seem to be an issue, and then acid to get rid of anything else that's non-organic and still left behind.

as far as i know, the alkaline/rinse/acid/rinse method is the best you're gonna get outside of a commercial/industrial setting. its probably not necessary, but its your gear, your call. the acid cleaner is pretty cheap. like 10 bucks for a quart, which is way more than you'll need.

 

[htims05]

*Oops - delete