Beer lines Have glowing fungus inside!!

Actually they don't, But I really don't want them to! I am knew to kegging and I'm wondering what is the best way to clean your kegs, beer lines & taps?
Can I use regular hot water and StarSan?
Or is there something else that is specifically for cleaning the lines?

 

bad brewer. misleading post title! I wanted pics!

 

PBW, Oxyclean, BLC (beer line cleaner).....take your pick. I use PBW.

 

Lol.... Don't worry I'm working on the glowing cider so as soon as it's done I'll send you a bottle, it can light your way then get you hammered....

 

What is PBW and how does it work? Is this like some kind of powder that you mix with water?
Oxyclean sounds a little bit to chemical for me....
I try to use as many natural products as I can during brewing... I use vodka in my airlock instead of StarSan...

And what is in BLC?

 

I use PBW every once in a while. I run it through warm and let it soak for a few hours and then flush with StarSan. I let that sit for a little while too, not so much to sanitize. I just figure the acid might help eat away any organic deposits. I also scrub the inside of the faucet outlet with a brush after running the PBW. Realistically, you should probably dissasemble and clean the system from time to time. I'm not too good at that.

 

Powdered Brewery Wash

Beer Line Cleaner.

Both are mixed in water then run through the lines (ie. water, cleaning agent into keg, seal, add pressure, run through lines.

Also, Oxyclean is pretty organic, especially if you use the "free" (fragrance free, etc.) version. I get it generic from Target for a big tub at about $7

 

PBW is a cleaner containing an oxygenated component, like Oxyclean, and a separate detergent/cleaner. I don't actually use PBW. I make my own version with scent free Oxy and about 30% Red Devil TSP cleaner.

 

Potasium Metabisulphite. It's cheap and what they call "PBW" only when they put PBW on it, it magically goes up in price. Also, I mix white vinegar with water and a table spoon of bleach. That will kill anything. I usually flush my lines with the mixture between kegs (hell I'm using it to clean the kegs) and then leave it in the lines until I tap my next keg. First glass flushes it out of the line (and gets tossed). Then we're good...

V

 

I don't believe PBW is potassium metabisulfite.

 

You really should add more cautions to this. If someone mixes the bleach and vinegar before adding the water, the chlorine gas will kill everything includeing them

 

Potassium metabisulfite will sanitize, but it doesn't have the cleaning power you need. To the OP, PBW is powdered brewery wash and disigned for use in breweries. I recently saw a thread where someone mixed it up with 5.2 stabilizer and added PBW to the mash on accident. He contacted the company and they said it wouldn't hurt anything except flavor. Non-toxic. Warm water is the only "natural" route you can take and trust me, it won't be enough unless you want to replace your beer lines regularly. Good luck.

 

Considering that it was Pliny the Elder that made the first mention of glowing wood in the olive groves, I submit that from this day forward all Pliny must be served through beer lines that have been lined with foxfire.

 

You are correct. The vinegar should be added, followed by water and finally bleach. I use it almost exclusively when I run put of Potassium Metabisulphite.

 

Not exactly a detergent, but TSP can be thought of as a cleaner. TSP (aka sodium phosphate tribasic) is there to raise the pH, it's not a surfactant. It helps things dissolve and helps soften water, so PBW is basically oxyclean that rinses away a little easier. If you have soft water, oxyclean (or any of the generics) should work fine. IME.

 

I clean my lines between kegs by first cleaning out a keg, filling it half way with very hot water and starsan, and then running that through my lines. Every 2 or 3 kegs I will break everything down and do a more thorough cleaning.

 

Right, PBW does have a few other additions that are not in my TSP/Oxy mix. However, as you note, I do have relatively soft water and don't experience rinsing problems. So, I go the cheaper route.

 

Let me get this straight...

You use StarSan.

You'll consider PBW.
You're asking about BLC.

But OxyClean sounds "too chemical" for you?

 

I used to use PBW for everything, then one day tried oxyclean and realized it rinsed off just as easily. That made me happy, it's so much cheaper to get a big old tub of the generic crap at Walmart or Target.

 

Actually I don't know anything about the PBW or beer line cleaner, And I was told that star sand is derived from the natural ingredient... But I'm knew to all this, that is why am asking.

Still confused?

 

You want to clean your beer lines but you're worried about a product called Beer Line Cleaner?

 

Not worried at all? Where do some of you guys get these ideas?
Just asking what is the product and how it is used....
Maybe you guys should layoff the homebrew before 10am in the morning.

 

Here's the MSDS: http://www.micromatic.com/images/pr...08/Micro-MaticBeerLineCleaner MSDS 052206.pdf

 

My biggest improvement to keeping my lines cleaner is to not let the beer sit still longer than a day! Keep the beer flowing and nothing will start growing..lol.. shouldnt be hard
BTW, if I know I won't be drinking for a couple days I just hook my starsan keg up and flush it out until I'm ready.

 

I want some!

 

Lol, That stuff in glow sticks can't possibly be edible, Or I would've already dumped some in my cider by now.... Jk

 

PBW or an alkaline beer line cleaner (mixed to package directions) > hold > rinse thouroghly > Starsan, Saniclean, or similar acid rinse (mixed according to package directions) > hold > flush with fresh beer.
Done weekly you will have happy beer lines.

Save the Oxyclean for the bath towels you used to clean the brewery floor.
Happy wife.

 

As has been discussed in a zillion other threads (and very briefly above), many people, especially those with soft water, see no different in cleaning or rinsing performance between Oxi and PBW. I've used both and they both work great. So you can save the Oxiclean for your towels, but I'll save my cash for more beer

 

OK, then I'll be the guy to tell you that "so's Oxyclean."

There's just as much truth to the statement as there is as for StarSan.

Edit: Sorry, that came across way more abbrasive than it was intended... Neither one is a "natural cleaner," but you're really not going to find something natural that's going to reliably do the job of cleaning. Your best bet is a detergent like BLC (Beer Line Cleaner) or something like OxyClean or PBW.

 

Actually it is non toxic, you see them cut them open and dump in drinks all the time in clubs. But the stuff tastes awful!

 

Silly question... If you have sterile beer running through sterile lines, how does it mold??

 

Its not that it molds up but gets a little off flavor from previous beers after sitting stagnant in the line for a few days.. kind of like tapping a cream ale after a IPA. Its just saves me from changing my line constantly. My tower is a pain in the butt!!