How important is it to sanitize keg tap and line?

[Microphobik]

Hi, I sanitized my tap and line when I was sanitizing the keg, but then pulled the tap off of the out connect. How important is it that I sanitize the beer tap line and connection each time I take it off and reconnect? Does beer go back into the keg from the tap line? Or is it not that crucial on the out line?

 

[wilserbrewer]

While it is text book best to always sanitize, I think most here would not bother to sanitize every time a line is reconnected.

RDWHAHB.

 

[Microphobik]

Thanks.

 

[Braufessor]

spray bottle of starsan for the connect - usually give it a quick spray if I am moving it from keg to keg, or whatever. I clean the line between kegs.

 

[mooshimanx]

I used to be anal about shooting some on there every time I disconnected, but now I don't even bother. I've never noticed any difference at all, but take that as anecdotal evidence.

 

[budonze]

I'm the same. I sanitize the lines a bout every 3rd keg.

 

[day_trippr]

I don't think actual sanitation of beer line is all that important.
Periodic cleaning, definitely yes (you might be surprised how quickly beer lines can load up).
But sanitation downstream of the keg? Not so important, imo...

Cheers!

 

[Microphobik]

Thanks everyone. Those perspectives were helpful.

 

[jpc]

I'm with daytrippr... I clean my lines with BLC after every keg or two, but never sanitize. I'm pretty sure there are few pubs (read as: none) out there that would sanitize their lines, but if you are going to keep a keg for a longer period of time, it might help. It certainly wouldn't hurt.

 

[Britinusa]

Clean but not sanitize here also.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Haha, OP's screen name is "Microphobik", just thought it

 

[HurricaneHelms]

Fwiw every time I clean a keg and sanitize it I'll leave the starsan in the keg until I need it (under pressure) and I'll run a minute or so of sanitizer through my tap in between connections. I have 3 kegs and can only keep 2 full of beer so I usually have the third full of starsan.

 

[winvarin]

spray bottle of starsan for the connect - usually give it a quick spray if I am moving it from keg to keg, or whatever. I clean the line between kegs.

+1 to this. I keep a spray bottle with my box of kegging gear (which I am usually grabbing anyway if I am on the way to open the lid on the keezer anyway).

It's cheap insurance and only adds 2 to 3 seconds to whatever I am doing. I got the clean, new spray-bottle at the hardware store for less than $1. Although I am sure it will keep longer, I usually refresh the starsan from whatever I've made up on brew day. So the sanitizer is always fresh.

And who can't spare a few seconds to spray the keg posts and QD when transferring hoses?

It may be an unnecessary step. But it costs next to nothing, and can't hurt, right?

For line cleaning. I am more OCD about that. I let some crud build up in my faucets a few years ago and got an infection in one of my lines. Like a dummy, I was troubleshooting a pressure/foaming issue around the same time and was swapping lines between the kegs to determine whether my foamin issue was in the keg connections or line connections. This wound up burning 3 kegs with the same bug.

Since then, I run Starsan through my lines and taps every couple of weeks. About once a month, I pull the taps, dismantle them and give them a soak in hot PBW before the starsan rinse of the taps and lines.

Again probably overkill. But dumping 3 over half full kegs in the same afternoon was about as close as I've come to crying in a long time.