Question on sanitizing kegs, new to kegging

[ywgbrewer]

I'm new to kegging, and I'm just about to pour my last pint and my corny keg will be empty that I had recently filled professionally by a local brewery. It went down way to quick, love having a keg at home!
Now I have a batch of home brew in the carboy ready for kegging / bottling. Question is...
Do I need to clean and sanitize between every batch? Or can I pour the last pint from the keg, open the top and then syphon the new brew and just crank the pressure up to carbonate?

Also, if you do say sanitizing is required, can I just rinse it out with water, shake the inside with starsan and keg from there? I know I sound lazy but super busy this week and wondering how little I can get away with, however don't want to ruin the beer either.

Thank you to anyone with advise.

 

[kev211]

I dont know what the "correct" protocol is for this, but I know that I have done this multiple times. Only thing I did was used some boiled & cooled water to rinse out the residual beer and yeasties that settled out and then pumped in the new beer. I would probably also recommend cleaning the keg lube off the main seal and re-lubing it to be sure you get a good seal

 

[Bellybuster]

you sure can refill directly. I only do it once though and only if the keg kicks on time. I wouldn't do it if the keg was empty for more than a dozen hours at most. This is also based on a dreg free bottom.
I wouldn't necessarily say its good practice though. I would be more inclined to say clean it every time. I'm lazy and its worked for me for more than a couple decades kegging.

 

[Bellybuster]

Only thing I did was used some boiled & cooled water to rinse out the residual beer and yeasties that settled out and then pumped in the new beer.

Gotta ask.... why boil.

 

[kev211]

Gotta ask.... why boil.

Honestly its the over-protective beer parent in me. Im 99% sure I dont have to boil, but Id rather spend 5-10 extra minutes boiling/cooling and have the peace of mind that the water was totally clean, than not do it. Just my process though. And I very rarely have a keg kick and have another one ready to go that minute so this is a not so common practice.

 

[ywgbrewer]

Thanks for the info all of you. well it's in the keg, had to pour off 4 pints before it kicked but filled er up right away with just a quick cold water rinse. Hope it works. Just letting it chill then I'll turn up the pressure. Another question, what kind of lube do you use for the main seal? I didn't do it this time, hope I'll be okay missing once?

 

[kev211]

Thanks for the info all of you. well it's in the keg, had to pour off 4 pints before it kicked but filled er up right away with just a quick cold water rinse. Hope it works. Another question, what kind of lube do you use for the main seal? I didn't do it this time, hope I'll be okay missing once?

Hopefully is the operative word. Assuming it held a good seal before you could get away without it. But you definitely want to get some on there. CO2 tanks drain fast with a leak

As far as the lube, this one is really popular. Ive seen it in dang near every HB store Ive been in. Its the stuff I use. Its not much, but you dont need to put much on the seals. Just enough to make them shiny...

Keg Lube

 

[Jaybird]

Fill! If it came out good then you have a 99% chance all is well! I have done it many times and all was well. I mean you know what "SHOULD" be done but sometimes ya just dont have time.. Go for it. That's my take on it....

Cheers
Jay

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I use this View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450671770.087666.jpg but I would think any food grade lube would be sufficient.

 

[kev211]

I use this (REMOVED**) but I would think any food grade lube would be sufficient.

Ive thought about switching to this cuz supposedly its easier to clean off than the black tube stuff, but who knows

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Ive always rinsed 4 or 5 times in bathtub,fill halfway and add oxiclean.Let sit 20 minutes and flip over keg and wait another 20 minutes.The last few kegs Ive thought to myself "Last beer tasted good,no oxygen,why all the work?" So Ive just been rinsing and racking new beer.Havent had any issues. I also read oxyclean "may" give off flavors if not rinsed out enough..one less thing to worry about. Ill probably start doing a good clean every 5 beers or so

 

[Firewalker11]

I'm new to kegging, and I'm just about to pour my last pint and my corny keg will be empty that I had recently filled professionally by a local brewery. It went down way to quick, love having a keg at home!
Now I have a batch of home brew in the carboy ready for kegging / bottling. Question is...
Do I need to clean and sanitize between every batch? Or can I pour the last pint from the keg, open the top and then syphon the new brew and just crank the pressure up to carbonate?

Also, if you do say sanitizing is required, can I just rinse it out with water, shake the inside with starsan and keg from there? I know I sound lazy but super busy this week and wondering how little I can get away with, however don't want to ruin the beer either.

Thank you to anyone with advise.

Yes, yes you can and have as clean of a keg as you are likely to see.

 

[ywgbrewer]

Great help all, thank you.

So I went rooting around the bags from the brew place as I know they gave me a bunch of stuff in the kit, and I actually had some of that petrol gel after all! I opened it and gave it a quick lube, now I'm hoping I didn't over lube it. Is that possible? The seal is holding. I just turned it to 30psi.

So now what, I was thinking of 30psi for 2-3 days I've been hearing works? I've also heard of shaking it to help speed it along? Is that recommended or encouraged?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Ive thought about switching to this cuz supposedly its easier to clean off than the black tube stuff, but who knows

Yeah I haven't used the black tube of lube before so I couldn't really comment on which is easier to remove. But I've never had issues with the white tube grease.

 

[kev211]

Yeah I haven't used the black tube of lube before so I couldn't really comment on which is easier to remove. But I've never had issues with the white tube grease.

Ya the black tube stuff you have to boil (best solution Ive found) to remove the residual stuff. I have to use simple green on my hands to wash it off after because the stuff wont wipe off

 

[doug293cz]

...

So now what, I was thinking of 30psi for 2-3 days I've been hearing works? I've also heard of shaking it to help speed it along? Is that recommended or encouraged?

30 psi for 36 hrs if the beer starts out cold, 30 psi for 48 hrs if the beer starts out warm. Put it in the keggerator/keezer to carbonate. After the appointed number of hours turn the pressure down to what the carbonation chart/calculator says for your serving temp and carb level. Any longer at the high pressure and you risk over-carbonating. You may need to vent the keg to get the pressure to drop.

Don't shake the keg unless you know how to deal with an over-carbonated keg. Shaking is the fastest known way to over-carbonate. Some brewers will say they do it without problems, but why tempt fate if you don't have to.

Brew on

 

[Patrick87]

Great help all, thank you.

So I went rooting around the bags from the brew place as I know they gave me a bunch of stuff in the kit, and I actually had some of that petrol gel after all! I opened it and gave it a quick lube, now I'm hoping I didn't over lube it. Is that possible? The seal is holding. I just turned it to 30psi.

So now what, I was thinking of 30psi for 2-3 days I've been hearing works? I've also heard of shaking it to help speed it along? Is that recommended or encouraged?

I'm relatively new to kegging but I've been playing around with force carbing lately. With 38-40* beer, 48-54 hours at 30-34psi then turning down to serving pressure (10-12psi) for 8-24 hours is ideal for me. No shaking. YMMV.

Last week, I tried carbing a Black IPA for 72 hours at 30 PSI and it resulted in some really over carbonated beer.

 

[ywgbrewer]

Thank you all for the info, very much appreciated. I've got on 30psi, 24 hours so far. I just tried a taste and it's starting to carbonate for sure. I'll try again tomorrow and if it's good I'll bring the pressure back down as to not over carbonate. Great info all!