Cleaning beer lines in kegerator
- Thread starter yso191
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Yeah I was hoping there would be a solution that didn't involve an empty keg. They're all full!
Steve
Search for DIY beer line cleaner. There is a good thread on how to make a manual pump beer line cleaner (no keg required). I'd post the link but have no clue how to using the iPad app.
-John
-John
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
I use the one that just kicked to clean that line/tap. You have to clean it anyway, so why not clean both at the same time? Mix up 1-2 gallons of PBW solution in the keg, give it a nice soak. Then run a quart, or three, through the beer line it vacated. Not only are you cleaning the line out, but also the liquid dip tube in the keg. :rockin: Rinse the keg out, then put 2-4 quarts of clear water in and run that through the line/tap. Same thing, then with Star San solution. Only coat the inside of the keg with it before running a couple of quarts through the line/tap. Either use the gas feed from that keg, or have another CO2 source to do this.
Coincidentally, that long lived thread was awakened today.
I built one and am a big fan. No need to tie up a keg, it doesn't require using up any CO2, it's way easier to deal with on a keezer system than schlepping a cleaning keg in and out, and as it only takes a few ounces of solution to clean out a line, there's little to no waste. It's so easy to use you'll use it often.
Highly recommended. Put the keg to something more useful - like holding another brew...
Cheers!
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
IMO/IME, not needed. As I posted, I use the keg that JUST kicked to clean the line it was on. So no dedicated hardware is needed. Since you need to clean out that keg anyway, why not kill two birds with one salvo?
IMO/IME, not needed. As I posted, I use the keg that JUST kicked to clean the line it was on. So no dedicated hardware is needed. Since you need to clean out that keg anyway, why not kill two birds with one salvo?
Use to do that, and it doesn't really counter the "pros" for a small capacity hand-pumped cleaner. That's why I built the DIY cleaner in the first place.
What happens if you want to clean some lines and all of your kegs have beer in them?
Cheers!
[aside: long day in the big city, I'll be glad to get home tomorrow!]
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
If all my kegs have beer in them, then all my taps are occupied. If not, then I have yet to NOT have an empty keg. I make it a point to always have at least one batch of kegs available at any point. That way, when the batch that's currently in primary is ready, it can be moved to keg. If a line needs to be cleaned, it's because it's just had a keg kick.
Also, since I ferment in adapted sanke kegs, which I always have at least one empty of, I have other ways of pushing cleaning and sanitizing solutions. Since I also use stainless QD's in my brew fridge, I don't remove them from the ends of the hose/line. Unlike the plastic QD's I have to use the nylon/plastic washer/spacer on these. SO, I'd either have to do more to clean the lines without a keg, or have something with a ball lock fitting on it to get the solution to run into. IMO, more work than just using the keg that JUST kicked. Since that one is now empty and needs to be cleaned, it's crazy simple to use it to also clean the lines. It also only uses a tiny amount of CO2 to do this. Since I have several CO2 sources (two for paintball gun tanks, one feeding the brew fridge and another carbonating beer in the basement) it's never an issue for me. The Leland regulator even has the hanging bracket on it, so it's easy to hang on the keg while using it.
For me, the additional hardware of a dedicated line cleaning setup is a waste of funds, time to build and more of a pain than using the keg that just kicked.
Use what you want to clean/sanitize the lines. Just know that there's at least two different (valid) ways to do this. Either use no additional hardware, or get/make a dedicated line cleaner.
BTW, where do you connect the line cleaner to? The ones I've seen require you to remove the faucet in order to clean the lines. With my method, you don't. Plus, you clean the faucets (internally) at the same time.
theveganbrewer
Well-Known Member
the DIY setup cost me about 8 bucks and took less than a minute to build. You leave everything in place and just disconnect the liquid out connector from the keg and hook it right to the cleaner. Pressurize, open tap, clean. Repeat for all taps, then get clean water and clear water through each. It's like a 5 minute process.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
And then you need to clean out the kegs as well... IMO, it seems like more work than you need to do. If you're cleaning, and sanitizing, the keg, why not just use those solutions to also clean out the line it was just on? It's also more gear you need to store. Since I'd not want to keep it where my beer fridge is (the kitchen), that means I'd either have to keep it in the pantry (trying to keep actual food items in there now) or put it into the basement (finished room) once dry. For me, it's easier to just clean out that just emptied out keg and use the solutions in it to also do the same to the line. I'm not so hurting to have brew that I MUST put that line onto a keg immediately. Of course, I do have three taps on the brew fridge, so chances of having all of them run out at the same time is pretty remote. I suppose if you have a single tap system, with either just ONE keg, this could be worth it. I don't know of anyone that's kegging that has JUST one keg, or tap, or needs to put a keg onto a tap immediately. Also, using the keg to clean the lines adds maybe a couple of minutes total time to the process. IMO, not an issue.
I guess I'm just more patient than a lot of other people here. :cross:
Six faucets and fourteen kegs here.
I often have a keg on line for months (eg: a ~15% RIS I brewed in 2011 and put on line back in June) which is too long to let the line and faucet go between cleanings, imo. Problem solved, easily, cheaply, and the cleaner takes up all of about 6 square inches of surface area on my brewing equipment cabinet top, which is in reach of the keezer. Which encourages keeping things clean.
Kegs get cleaned in the kitchen, which is upstairs from my keezer and the rest of my brewing operation. I used to lug kicked kegs up and down the stairs with cleaner then sanitizer then rinse water. Yup, been there, done that, big pita.
This is much easier all around, I can use it to clean anytime I get the urge, no keg or CO2 required, and it cost about the same as a six pack of good brew...
Cheers!
I often have a keg on line for months (eg: a ~15% RIS I brewed in 2011 and put on line back in June) which is too long to let the line and faucet go between cleanings, imo. Problem solved, easily, cheaply, and the cleaner takes up all of about 6 square inches of surface area on my brewing equipment cabinet top, which is in reach of the keezer. Which encourages keeping things clean.
Kegs get cleaned in the kitchen, which is upstairs from my keezer and the rest of my brewing operation. I used to lug kicked kegs up and down the stairs with cleaner then sanitizer then rinse water. Yup, been there, done that, big pita.
This is much easier all around, I can use it to clean anytime I get the urge, no keg or CO2 required, and it cost about the same as a six pack of good brew...
Cheers!
cdubbaya
Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm not sure what the need of a beer line cleaner is. I'm with Goldie on this.
I have beer in my kegs, and when one is empty I fill it. In doing so, I have to clean and sanitize the empty keg. Why not take the opportunity to run that cleaning and sanitizer through your lines?
This assumes of course that you:
1. Are kegging near where your taps are located. If you keg at a friends place and bring it home, you are unable to clean your own lines.
2. Noticed your lines need cleaning BEFORE you kegged your beer. If this is not the case, it's a mistake you'll only make once. Cleaning the line that my new keg is going is just part of my process now.
I have beer in my kegs, and when one is empty I fill it. In doing so, I have to clean and sanitize the empty keg. Why not take the opportunity to run that cleaning and sanitizer through your lines?
This assumes of course that you:
1. Are kegging near where your taps are located. If you keg at a friends place and bring it home, you are unable to clean your own lines.
2. Noticed your lines need cleaning BEFORE you kegged your beer. If this is not the case, it's a mistake you'll only make once. Cleaning the line that my new keg is going is just part of my process now.
theveganbrewer
Well-Known Member
Simply put almost all of my beers are on tap longer than the time span I use for cleaning my lines which is one month.
Ditto here. But this time I am just swapping a half-full keg out for another one I want on tap over Christmas. I really need to buy more kegs...
Day Tripper, thanks for the link to that thread. I think I'll head to the hardware store in the AM to find the parts I need to adapt the Sankey system I have.
Steve
