Don't let Iodophor solution sit in your beer lines

[shimbii]

I made the mistake of cleaning out one of my 3 beer lines out a couple weeks before I hooked a keg up to it. During this time, I left iodophor solution in the line to keep it sanitized. Unfortunately, after I hooked the keg up, I got a really strong medicinal/iodophor taste on the first pour if the tap hasn't been pulled in a couple hours. I'm guessing the iodophor leeched into my line and is finding its way back into the beer that is sitting in the line. I've run a full keg through already through this line and the problem doesn't seem to be going away.

Does anybody know how to get the iodophor taste out or should I just replace my line?

 

[RDWHAHB]

Replacing the line is pretty cheap/easy. I would just do that.
Jeff

 

[shimbii]

Yep... I'll end up giving that a try this week. I've been hesitant on swapping the line since I have a 3 faucet tower and its kind of a pain to swap just one out without removing the tower and all of the shanks. We'll see if I can gumby my way around it.

 

[BargainFittings]

Before you swap the line out try running some hot cleaner through it. Let it sit in the line for for a few minutes and then flush it out with clean water. Let some plain water sit in the lines after that for an hour or so and then pour a glass and smell it.

Get another person to smell it and ask them what they smell. Don't prompt them with "Does this smell like iodine?"

 

[hopvine]

You're positive that it's not just an off flavor in the beer? "Medicinal" is a very common way to describe off flavors (due to chlorophenols, among other things). The flavor also isn't always apparent until the beer is carbonated.

 

[springer]

You're positive that it's not just an off flavor in the beer? "Medicinal" is a very common way to describe off flavors (due to chlorophenols, among other things). The flavor also isn't always apparent until the beer is carbonated.

Says he gets the flavor on the first pour. Try some hot Oxyclean then some Baking soda in warm water and then flush with regular water . Sanitize before use .

 

[samc]

What type of beer lines do you use? I have the Bevlex beer lines and have let Iodophor sit in them for weeks without any odor/taste issues.

 

[shimbii]

Hmmm.... I ordered my 3/16" line from CHI company when I ordered my kegs, regulator manifold, etc when I was setting up to run 3 kegs. It has "FOXX SUPERFLEX" written on the actual line.

I've used the same tubing for all 3 beer lines in my 3 corny setup and I've never had this issue before... but then again this was the first time I let iodophor solution sit in my line for a couple weeks.

Like I mentioned earlier in the post, I only get the taste on the first part of the first pour and the issue seemed the same even after I emptied (drank) most of the keg. If I hadn't pulled from that tap in a couple of hours, I would just dump the first 4 oz or so and then the beer would taste normal.

We'll see if I'm motivated enough this week to swap out the line since I have some extra beer line and the keg hooked up to that line is kicked.

 

[Ki-ri-n]

I've done the same as samc and I've never notice any off flavors due to the idophor. I actually leave the idophor in the lines between changing kegs out. It may sit for several weeks.

 

[Rushis]

Some soapy water followed by a dilute vinegar rinse may be more effective at removing the iodine from the tubing than Oxyclean/Baking soda.

 

[shimbii]

So I ended up replacing the line and the problem has dissapeared... no more weird taste in that line. I did leave some star san in another line and it will be another week or so before I hook a keg up to it... we'll see if that leaves any weird taste. I doubt it will though.