Compressed Air To Clean Kegs?

[Ki-ri-n]

Anybody use compressed air to force out their sanitizing solution?

I figured it would be cheaper (air is still free) than using up precious CO2. I do have a plain old line dryer but no desiccant dryer. My air compressor is rather old. Just about as old as my beer fridge There's no oil mister on any of the lines either.

Or could I possibly be adding other contaminants that could come back and haunt me?

 

[JKoravos]

Why don't you just dump the sanitizer?

 

[BarleyWater]

We use compressed air at the brewery to clean kegs. As long as it's an oil free air compressor you're fine, but I would recommend you still flush the kegs with CO2 before you put your beer in.

 

[Ki-ri-n]

I force the sanitizer out to clean the out tube, fitting and beer line all at once. Actually, force some out and close it so the line is filled with sanitizer and leave it sit for 15 minutes or so. Then force some more out. Dump the sanitizer out and repeat with water.

I do fog the keg prior to filling. After I fill the keg, I do purge the air out prior to force carbonating.

I'm not sure how "oil free" my compressor really is. The air coming out appears to be dry/clean. Any water (and possibly some oil) is trapped by the receiver/dryer. But with anything, there are several levels of what clean really is. To me, the air coming out appears to be "fresh" (no contaminants or weird smells). But that doesn't mean that it is clean-get it?

I guess if you're using it at a brewery with good results, I should be able to do the same. Do you guys use anything other than a receiver/dryer with your compressed air lines. Paper filter type media or otherwise?

 

[JKoravos]

I force the sanitizer out to clean the out tube, fitting and beer line all at once. Actually, force some out and close it so the line is filled with sanitizer and leave it sit for 15 minutes or so. Then force some more out. Dump the sanitizer out and repeat with water.

I do fog the keg prior to filling. After I fill the keg, I do purge the air out prior to force carbonating.

I'm not sure how "oil free" my compressor really is. The air coming out appears to be dry/clean. Any water (and possibly some oil) is trapped by the receiver/dryer. But with anything, there are several levels of what clean really is. To me, the air coming out appears to be "fresh" (no contaminants or weird smells). But that doesn't mean that it is clean-get it?

I guess if you're using it at a brewery with good results, I should be able to do the same. Do you guys use anything other than a receiver/dryer with your compressed air lines. Paper filter type media or otherwise?

Here's my 2 cents...whatever bacteria/etc. is floating around in your house (and there is plenty of it floating around) will go through your air compressor and end up in your keg. If you're attempting to keep your system completely closed from the time you put sanitizer in, it's counterproductive to force the sanitizer out with air. You are definitely introducing potential for contamination. For me, I don't mind using the CO2 to force out the sanitizer, since you're going to need to purge the keg anyway, I'm not sure you're really wasting any CO2. But if you really want to try the air compressor route, you should put a sterile filter between the compressor and the keg.

 

[Reelale]

I pressurize the keg with compressed air and push PBW for cleaning. But I still sanitize the old fashioned way, I disassemble and use Starsan solution on all parts; kegs, lines, etc. Yep, that's what I do.

 

[kornkob]

Using an air compressor for this is not a great idea. The insides of a common home compressor air chamber is filthy with grime. I would not use it to push sanitizer.

 

[Bobby_M]

Co2 is so cheap that it's practically free if you get it 15-20lbs at a time.

 

[BreWirfel]

I agree with what has been said...ever see the water that comes out of your compressor tank? i dont want that near my beer.

If you want to do a rinse cycle to flush the keg out...then i would consider using compressed air. however anything associated with "sanitation" i would stick with co2


I use co2 for everything..including my air tools in the garage, filling tires, ect. for me the cost and size of a compressor is not worth the space a 20# tank takes up. between my 5lb, 10lb and 20lb tanks...running out of co2 will be hard to do.

for around 100 bucks you can get a full 10# or 20# tank, which will only cost you about 20 bucks to exchange use that for cleaning/purging and have one just for serving.

 

[JKoravos]

I use co2 for everything..including my air tools in the garage, filling tires, ect. for me the cost and size of a compressor is not worth the space a 20# tank takes up. between my 5lb, 10lb and 20lb tanks...running out of co2 will be hard to do.

Wow, I'm not worried about using my co2, but air tools? filling tires? That doesn't make sense to me, especially running air tools. Air tools exhaust the gas into the space you're working in. I'd be really careful doing that in a confined space with an air tool that uses a lot of CFM.

 

[Reelale]

Wow, I'm not worried about using my co2, but air tools? filling tires? That doesn't make sense to me, especially running air tools. Air tools exhaust the gas into the space you're working in. I'd be really careful doing that in a confined space with an air tool that uses a lot of CFM.

Why? Co2 is not the dangerous gas. Carbon Monoxide (Co) is, I believe, the culprit you are referring to. But I still think that, at least for now, air is free, Co2 ain't. I'll use it to push cleaners only.

 

[JKoravos]

Why? Co2 is not the dangerous gas. Carbon Monoxide (Co) is, I believe, the culprit you are referring to. But I still think that, at least for now, air is free, Co2 ain't. I'll use it to push cleaners only.

Because if you get enough of any gas, CO2 or otherwise, in a space it will displace oxygen and eventually asphyxiate you.