Alkaline Brewery Wash

[tgodsill]

Is there any reason one would use PBW instead of alkaline brewery wash? I have switched exclusively to alkaline brewery wash, and I'm wondering if there is any reason to even keep the PBW around. I absolutely love the alkaline and use it exclusively.

 

[Yooper]

I think they are basically the same thing. PBW is also an alkaline brewery wash.

 

[tgodsill]

I think they are basically the same thing. PBW is also an alkaline brewery wash.

If you haven't tried the alkaline from Craft Meister you should give it a go. It is very different and much better in pretty much every way that I can think of. Which is why I posted this.

 

[Dcpcooks]

We had the craft meister rep speak at a club meeting a few months ago. The biggest difference is water temps. PBW works best at 130-150. Alkaline brewery wash works effectively at room temps.

 

[tgodsill]

It works with room temperature water, doesn't leave any white residue behind, and seems to do a better job cleaning than PBW. Plus, a simple soak makes labels melt off bottles if that's your thing. Winner, winner!

 

[Dcpcooks]

The only reason PBW leaves a white residue is your rinse temp should be the same temp as a the wash temp.

Better is subjective imo but if your using PBW cold then I could see why you think that.

Oxyclean free works nicely as well.

Personally I prefer PBW at 150 degrees for my cip regime. But that’s because I like the added benefit of heat.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Plus I just made 25# of DIY PBW. I’ve heard good things about CraftM.

 

[day_trippr]

I gotta say PBW is amazing stuff, I needed to fry the crud out of my spider because it had gotten pretty rude looking up close.
To wit...

Yuckers.

I made up a 6 gallon bucket of 1 oz/gallon PBW using 130°F tap water and let the spider soak neck deep. Swished the spider around the bucket a bit after 30 minutes, then gave it another 30 minutes soak before rinsing with hot tap water.

Et voila:

Yes, it's pricey, but holy cow this stuff is magical. I've been pumping it around my rigs for years but you can't see the inside of a hex to appreciate how well caustics can work.
I do have the ingredients to mix up some ersatz PBW which I should get to one of these days.

btw, the pH on the 1oz/gallon mix was almost 12...

Cheers!

 

[Dog House Brew]

12ph [emoji15] that thing is spotless. I’ve always been happy with PBW. I have always done a hot clean cycle after brew day anyway.

 

[cubalz]

I really like PBW for my cleaning schedule, maybe that is because I use it with warm/hot water.

 

[FruityHops]

I just ordered some Alkaline Brewery Wash from Craft Meister to give it a try. I'm hoping it will remove the ring that PBW left in my fermenter after an overnight soak.

The reviews on More Beer claim it can remove the marks left with PBW and isn't as dusty or at least doesn't bother the throat and lungs as much as PBW.

If either of those benefits prove to be true and if it has the ability to do an overnight soak without staining and works in a wider temperature range as the manufacturer claims, then I can't imagine I'd ever go back to PBW. We shall see.

 

[augiedoggy]

I wasnt even aware PBW bothered peoples throat and lungs honestly... Ive never had the issue myself but I dont sit in front of my kettles while running CIP cycles either I'm usually out of the room doing something else....

Hot liquid will have an advantage over cold liquid especially when dissolving solids (including the cleaning powder)... same goes for doing dishes or laundry or even carpet cleaners why not take advantage of that?... As mentioned oxyclean and pbw and any alkaline cleaner all has the same active ingredient doing most of the the cleaning so I wouldnt expect it to be all that much different. of the few I used the only difference I could discern was that one rinsed away easiler than the other.

 

[FruityHops]

It is when I'm scooping and measuring the powder that PBW irritates my nose and throat.