New to kegging!!!

[bravesandbeer]

I picked up a 5.5 galling keg, but was warned that beer was still in it. Anyone have a website or whatever for best method of cleaning the keg? Also filling hints would be most appreciated!

Cheers!!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Well you posted in the Bottling/Kegging forum. I'm surprised you missed the Sticky Thread.

Sticky - Kegging FAQ's

There's a ton of information on there.

Search function on here is awesome and probably more useful to you because there is a ton of information about this subject.

 

[solbes]

Hmm, beer still in it you say? Drink it!

As for cleaning. Rinse it out really good with hot water a few times. Then put in a warm water solution with oxyclean and let it sit overnight. Shake it a few times to make sure all surfaces are exposed. Drain and rinse very well the next day.

Replacing the seals is probably a good idea. Sanitize before usage with a Star san solution. As for filling, rack into the keg just like you would a bottling bucket. Close up the lid and hit it with 10 psi of CO2. Purge it a few times with relief valve ring (if pepsi ball lock keg, depress gas "in" if coke pin lock keg). This purges oxygen out. Then ramp to 30 psi to seat the seals, spray some star san solution around fittings to check for leaks. Now your ready to place in fridge and carbonate (see threads on proper carbonation temps/CO2 pressures).

 

[rhamilton]

+1 for overnight oxyclean soak. I picked up a few kegs and they not only had old beer, one has it's relief valve stuck open and insects were inside laying eggs. Pretty nasty and I thought it wasn't worth the time cleaning but an overnight oxyclean soak pretty much made it no-scrub.

Broke it down after the oxyclean soak, put it back together, star-san soak, and it's good to go with little to no manual scrubbing.

 

[bravesandbeer]

How do I get the old seal out without spraying me with beer?

 

[travisnd]

Release the pressue by pressing on the ball.

 

[ZackN]

Lay it on its side when you release the pressure otherwise you will get an old stale beer shower. Use a blunt object to push the ball in and realease the pressure before disassembly.

You picked up a sankey keg. They are different that a corny keg that most home brewers use, but will still work just fine.
To disassemble check out this video...

It helps alot.
You will use a standard keg tap (commercial kind) and not a 'ball lock' or 'pin lock'.

I just picked up a sankey keg and cleaned it tonight.
Welcome to kegging!