Help oops forgot to clean keg straw

[mrbeachroach]

I just realized after 4 days of my beer being kegged I forgot to clean the inside of the straw, and that I have never cleaned it in the past. I saw some folks doing it after watching some kegging videos as a refresher. Will this ruin my beer?

I'm planning on drinking the keg in 1 week.

What should I do?

 

[Rockn_M]

I never clean the up tube. I soak the tube and keg in hot water with oxyclean free. Never had a problem.

 

[jbaysurfer]

I would pull it asap and clean it out. You've NEVER cleaned the keg before? God knows how many years that dip tube (as it's known to most of us) has been sitting with soda syrup in it in a hot warehouse. I would clean it right away. Replace it afterwards, re-flush your keg/beer with C02 and you'll be fine.

Edit, not sure if I'm reading you right. If you're saying you've never cleaned the dip tube but HAVE cleaned the keg and used it multiple times, you're probably going to be alright until this keg kicks. But I promise you, when you pull that thing and see the gunk that builds up around the post and seal, you're gonna be glad you've finally cleaned it.

 

[Zepth]

If you've used the keg in the past and had no problems from infection you're probably good to go for the next little while. By the sounds of things this method has worked for you before, it should work one last time.

Definitely give it a good breakdown and clean. I'll admit I don't do it every time. Some argue I should, I have no reason to contradict it. My opinion is that if it has been cleaned proper once before, then a quick rinse out and starsan should keep it fresh for a couple batches. Teardown and oxy soak every 3 batches or so.

"Dirty keg"? Well if it's been cleaned and sanitized the only thing it's dirty with is other beer. Which is handled properly isn't going to hurt anything. Might lose a point off gravity because of different yeast strains but that shouldnt make too much a difference.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Meh, just drink it.

I break down the kegs whenever they will be empty for more than couple of days. Normally I rinse out the trub/yeast, fill with hot oxyclean, push it out through the dip tube for about a half gallon with compressed air, rinse with hot water, rinse again and push the rinse water through hat same dip tube....

If I am immediately filling the keg I often skip all that and just rinse out the yeast and trub (I prefer natural carbination when i have the time). If you are immediately refrigerating, carbonating and then drinking, your risk of infection is very low.

So if it has not been an issue lately and the empty, open, unpressurized keg did not sit in the hot sun and humidity...just drink it and clean everything up later.

 

[Jeffinn]

Dont worry about it, you'll be fine. I've dis-assembled quit a few used kegs, looked in the dip tubes and have never seen any of the accumulated gunk that others talk about. The tubes are stainless steel and rarely accumulate debris (hop debris is the exception). Likewise for poppet valves. i clean mine in place and have never had a problem with over 50 batches. I do occasionally take one apart just to satisfy my own curiosity but I've never experienced the gunk or debris that some have. However, I dont do alot of hopping in the keg either.
If you're worried about it then by all means, take it apart, hold it up to the light and see if the inside is shiny or if its full of crud. Either way, do a quick cleaning followed by some sanitizing and re-assemble.
Your beer will be fine!