How do you wash a standard keg?

[BVilleggiante]

I've wondered how you wash a standard keg. Not a homebrew keg, but the kind a pub would have? They don't open, so how do you wash the inside out?

 

[hoppymonkey]

You either buy the expensive machinery the breweries use or you open them and soak them in oxyclean for a night. there are a ton of videos about how to open them. it is pretty easy. I have one that is converted into a fermenter.

 

[JuanMoore]

They do open, and can be cleaned just like you'd clean a carboy.

 

[BVilleggiante]

Thanks everyone!

 

[SeattleMatt]

I'm not speaking from experience but I imagine they don't pull the stem every time. They have keg washers that pump PBW in the "out" and out the "in". Then they rinse and sanitize the same way. They can do something like 20 an hour from what I've heard.

 

[DUNDASJ]

They use a pressurized cleaning system. A brewery worker was actually killed from a keg exploding while he was cleaning it. I want to say it happened at Red Hook Brewery. Did you guys hear about that?

 

[Wyrmwood]

here's an article on it

 

[Airplanedoc]

They do open, and can be cleaned just like you'd clean a carboy.

Yep spin out the lock ring, pull the spear, and power wash with PBW/and plenty of hot water.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Yep spin out the lock ring, pull the spear, and power wash with PBW/and plenty of hot water.

Make sure that you depressurize it first. Trust me, it's scary when you pull the ring, and the spear jumps out on its own. It could be dangerous too, if there's enough pressure.