PBW to Acid Rinse

[fromhereon]

I've been struggling with rinsing away the white film left behind after cleaning with PBW. I'm assuming its mineral deposit. Our brew system is all stainless steel with a copper plate chiller. We already do an acid cycle every so often with Acid cleaner #5. I'm wondering if we could go directly from the PBW cycle to the Acid. The PBW isn't a caustic so we shouldn't have to worry about pitting from a dramatic pH drop correct?

 

[Yooper]

I've been struggling with rinsing away the white film left behind after cleaning with PBW. I'm assuming its mineral deposit. Our brew system is all stainless steel with a copper plate chiller. We already do an acid cycle every so often with Acid cleaner #5. I'm wondering if we could go directly from the PBW cycle to the Acid. The PBW isn't a caustic so we shouldn't have to worry about pitting from a dramatic pH drop correct?

You have to rinse after the alkali cycle, before the acid rinse and then rinse after the acid as well.

Also, if you rinse the PBW right away, you should have less white film.

 

[fromhereon]

I didn't think PBW was that alkaline. I was thinking a quick rinse with water would "hopefully" be enough between them.

I always try to rinse a quickly as possible and with water as close to the temperature of the pbw, but there's always some stubborn spots

 

[Muctar]

After reading this: http://www.birkocorp.com/brewery/white-papers/keg-cleaning/ I started doing the acid wash first followed immediately with PBW with no rinsing in between. Its been working pretty well. PBW should be rinsed with water before it can dry otherwise it will leave deposits.

 

[fromhereon]

I just read this article and wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. What made you think you could go from the acid to the PBW with no rinse?

 

[Muctar]

Sorry, I sent you to the wrong article. This is the one i meant http://www.birkocorp.com/brewery/wh...stone-a-look-at-alternative-cleaning-methods/

 

[fromhereon]

Wow, that was really interesting. So what I'm getting is, going right from the acid cycle to the PBW shouldn't cause any reaction strong enough to cause pitting of the stainless. (I'm assuming copper as well?) I'm a little hesitant though since Five Star has told me to rinse between cycles.

 

[FruityHops]

Sorry, I sent you to the wrong article. This is the one i meant http://www.birkocorp.com/brewery/wh...stone-a-look-at-alternative-cleaning-methods/

This article seems to suggest that the white ring I get on my stainless equipment if I let PBW soak for too long is beer stone, is that right?

Beerstone is a type of scale of known as calcium oxalate (C2CaO4) in the brewing industry, calcium oxalate is a precipitate. This precipitate is largely due to a reaction between alkaline cleaners (caustic), hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) and protein (amino acids).

 

[FruityHops]

Or are the deposits left when PBW is allowed to dry calcium carbonate (CaC03) ?

 

[Dland]

I use PBW, then 5 Star Saniclean, which is like Starsan, but will not foam as much and cavitate pumps. If not pumping, Starsan is probably more efficient.

Leaves everything clean and is what is recommend for use after the PBW in instructions.