How long to keep bottling gear?

[buckinin]

How long do you use an autosiphon and bottling wand before replacing it? I've had mine for about 18 months and am worried it's contaminated a batch. Could be wrong about the batch being contaminated but I'm planning to replace them. But then again don't want to waste my money and throw out perfectly good equipment. Thoughts? Opinions?


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[jeff13]

I would say as long as you are good at taking it apart and cleaning it well in some PDW consistently it can last for years until the gasket gives out. The vinyl tubing should be replaced once a year

 

[Beernik]

After 9 or 10 years I'm still on my original bottling bucket. But I'm starting to not get a good seal on the valve. I'll probably replace it soon.

I've broke a lot of autosiphon canes so I can't help you there.

I used my bottling wand until I got a blueberry stuck in it. So it went 6ish years. It was starting to get leaky anyway.

Bottom line: as long as it functions and you can get it clean & sanitized, you don't need to replace it.

 

[Cyclman]

I just replaced my autosiphon and tubing, broke the siphon, figured might as well replace it all for a few bucks. I PBW and Star san every single use, never had any issues, tubing looked like new.

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

I replace the autosiphon every year. Tubing about every 3 brews, maybe a bit excessive on the tubing but its like 25 cents a foot so why risk it?

 

[JEnglish]

If you hook the wand to the bottling bucket with a 1"-2" section of tubing you wont need to use the auto-siphon when bottling. As long as you clean them after every use they should last a couple years. You can always run a pipe cleaner through the tubing to scrape any residue off too. If that doesn't work then I replace the tubing.

@Fuzzymittenbrewing

Replacing it every 3 brews is a little excessive. As long as you rinse out any liquid after use it will last a decent amount of time.

 

[fearwig]

Even if there's microscopic crap on it or in the pores, it will be sanitized by enough exposure to sanitizer (or a stronger sanitizer). It is not generally equipment that is to blame for contamination but sanitation routine, or personal contamination that has nothing to do with the equipment under suspicion.

 

[Pilgarlic]

Even if there's microscopic crap on it or in the pores, it will be sanitized by enough exposure to sanitizer (or a stronger sanitizer). It is not generally equipment that is to blame for contamination but sanitation routine, or personal contamination that has nothing to do with the equipment under suspicion.

"personal contamination", eh? That conjures unwelcome images of untidy brewers indeed...

 

[kh54s10]

2 3/4 years and I have not replaced anything. I did recently buy a 1/2 inch autosiphon because the smaller one's cane is starting to crack and it is slow. I feel there is no need to replace things unless they are REALLY gross or broken.

 

[fearwig]

"personal contamination", eh? That conjures unwelcome images of untidy brewers indeed...

I'll have you know my sour mash recipe is a treasured secret...

But no by personal contamination I mostly mean like grain dust from your shirt or hands. I have this theory that grain dust is responsible for a whole lot of contamination, and focusing on avoiding cross-contam with grain dust has served me really well so far. Then again I've yet to have an infection, so it's kind of like tiger repellent?

 

[fearwig]

2 3/4 years and I have not replaced anything. I did recently buy a 1/2 inch autosiphon because the smaller one's cane is starting to crack and it is slow. I feel there is no need to replace things unless they are REALLY gross or broken.

I am amazed it took you 2 3/4 years for your autosiphon to wear out. On my last one, my cane eventually did break, but not before I got such awful hairline cracks in the tube that it was losing most of its suction as it forced wort out the cracks. It seems like mine last 6 months, then I get angry about it and go without one for 2-3 months, then go back and get another...

It's really annoying there's only one manufacturer as far as I can tell. The manufacturing is true garbage, but ultimately the item is necessary.

 

[Croyzen]

If you suspect for any reason your equipment causing an infection, I would simply replace it. A new racking cane and tubing is cheap and the peace of mind is priceless. One thing that helps is to immediately take apart, rinse, and soak your equipment. After transferring to a bottling bucket, cover the bucket with a lid, set aside for a few minutes, rinse your siphon and hose, then take apart and soak in oxyclean while you begin the bottling process. As equipment becomes empty rinse, disassemble, soak. Then when you are done capping you should have a bunch of equipment that has been soaking in oxy waiting for that final good rinsing.

 

[hunter_le five]

Maybe it's just a hit-or-miss kind of thing? I've been using the same one for 2 years now, and so far no indication that I will be needing another one any time soon.