Cleaning Beer Lines

[AlkiBrewing]

I just got a new kegarator and have been looking at beer line cleaning kits. There are quite a few out there. Would appreciate any recommendations from those who have them. Thanks!

 

[Dr. Francois]

I bought a bottle of BLC, a carbonator cap (usually used to force carb soda bottles), and a two 2-liter bottles. Mix hot BLC in one bottle, cool water in the other. Put carbonator cap on hot bottle, attach QD, squeeze through lines. Close tap, let sit. Come back later and flush lines with cool water.
Not bad for a 15 dollar tech investment!

 

[AlkiBrewing]

Franc103, sounds like a good system! What kind of plastic bottles did you buy?

 

[Dr. Francois]

I used a Canada Dry plastic soda bottle that came free with a bottle of Irish whisky. The bases of squirt bottles also work.

Here's the type of carbonator cap I bought: http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/08/carbonator-cap-1269-shipped.html?m=1

 

[Gabba]

Soak them in the keg while it's filled with PBW. Rinse, spray with starsan until it comes out the other end, then re-attach

 

[AlkiBrewing]

Soak them in the keg while it's filled with PBW. Rinse, spray with starsan until it comes out the other end, then re-attach

Simple is good! Do you disassemble and soak the faucet(s) with the line(s) at the same time?

 

[tre9er]

Simple is good! Do you disassemble and soak the faucet(s) with the line(s) at the same time?

Yes. I disassemble the QD's (carefully, small pieces) and place them as well as the picnic tap diaphragm into oxyclean water and soak them while the now-open line soaks in the keg, also filled with oxyclean (or PBW). Then I rinse everything by running water through it/over it (for small parts) and them spray with star-san spray-bottle. I may also re-assemble the line, fill the keg with StarSan for sanitizing it, then hit it with Co2 and run some starsan through the now-assembled line. Then I just purge the first half-pint of beer through the line if there's any SS left in it.

 

[beergolf]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-beer-line-cleaner-226497/

This look interesting. I am thinking about trying this. Looks super simple and easy to use.

 

[Golddiggie]

I simply run hot PBW solution through my lines (while it's in the keg that just kicked, cleaning it), let it set for a bit. I then flush with clean water and push some Star San solution through the lines. I leave the line with Star San in it for at least 10-15 minutes before I pull a pint from the new keg (connected to the line). I use regular Perlick 525 and 575 faucets, so I can completely remove and clean/sanitize if I wish. I can do the same with the QD's that go to the keg. How often I do it is really up to what was going through the hose last.

BTW, this method requires NO additional hardware in order to clean the lines.

 

[BryceL]

As soon as I kick a keg, I clean the keg with Oxyclean and run it through the beer line and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. I then rinse my keg well and fill it halfway with Starsan solution and then run that through the lines. I find this to be the easiest way for me and it does a good job of cleaning without having to completely remove the lines. When it's time to keg a fresh batch, my keg is already sanitized. I just discard the first pint of the new batch which is a mix of sediment and the remaining Starsan in the line.

 

[BryceL]

I simply run hot PBW solution through my lines (while it's in the keg that just kicked, cleaning it), let it set for a bit. I then flush with clean water and push some Star San solution through the lines. I leave the line with Star San in it for at least 10-15 minutes before I pull a pint from the new keg (connected to the line). I use regular Perlick 525 and 575 faucets, so I can completely remove and clean/sanitize if I wish. I can do the same with the QD's that go to the keg. How often I do it is really up to what was going through the hose last.

BTW, this method requires NO additional hardware in order to clean the lines.

You beat me to it...looks like we run the same procedure

 

[Golddiggie]

You beat me to it...looks like we run the same procedure

Yeah... Except I don't lose a pint from my kegs (first pour). I have extremely little sediment in my kegs (which I can tell when I remove them from the brew fridge and clean them). At most, I have a couple of ounces of beer mixed with the couple ounces of Star San solution. Basically, as much as the 10' beer line will hold.

 

[BryceL]

Yeah... Except I don't lose a pint from my kegs (first pour). I have extremely little sediment in my kegs (which I can tell when I remove them from the brew fridge and clean them). At most, I have a couple of ounces of beer mixed with the couple ounces of Star San solution. Basically, as much as the 10' beer line will hold.

I usually have pretty light sediment as well. I'm probably pulling way more than I need to...I should stop wasting my beer!

 

[Golddiggie]

I usually have pretty light sediment as well. I'm probably pulling way more than I need to...I should stop wasting my beer!

Frak yeah!! When I transfer from fermenter to serving kegs, my dip tube (in the fermenter) never touches the sediment. So it's really just what's in suspension that falls to the bottom of the serving kegs. I'm curious to see what the lower temperatures in the basement, for where I'm living, does to help this. I believe it's at least several degrees cooler than where I was fermenting before.

 

[DrexelBrewer]

Soak with white vinegar (dissolves buildup of minerals and sludge) then rinse with water or water & bicarbonate (baking soda) mixture.

Vinegar has acetic acid in it, good cleaning agent.

I used to have aquariums and used it to clean the mineral and sludge buid up in my lines or equipment.

Dont forget to sanitize after!