Sanitizing Keg: What do you think about this method

[Jewrican]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbpOvrtaJpM]YouTube - Corny Keg Sanitation System[/ame]

I was watching this video and like the idea of being able to just keep a bottle of sanitizer and just move it into each keg. I have a few questions though.

1. Will 1 gallon of sanitizer be enough to sanitize a 5 gallon corny keg?
2. Does the Star San stay good over time as it is moved in and out of kegs to be cleaned?
3. How many times (read kegs) would you use the same solution?
4. He skipped the part of transferring it back to the container. Did he simply hook up the gas to the gas in and then hook up the container to the out and pressurize the keg?

Thanks!

 

[MoRoToRiUm]

1. One gallon is plenty- just make sure you swirl it around good, upside down, etc to get it everywhere.
2. Starsan, mixed properly, can last a long time. It depends a lot on your water; most will recommend distilled water. Reason being, is starsan is an acid, and when mixed with 'bad' water, the PH will be off.
3. This goes along with number 2; Check out the sticky on sanitizers in the equip/sanitation thread (pretty sure it's in there). As long as it is a good solution, kept at the proper PH levels, it will last indefinitely. If it starts getting really cloudy, your PH balance is probably off and time to mix some more.
4. You could just siphon, but hooking up CO2 and transferring it via the keg out will insure your dip tube is properly sanitized; definitely the way I would do it.

Hope this answers your questions!

 

[JesseRC]

I use the exact same solution, although now that I have more than 1 cornie I just use another corny to do this same thing. I still use my sprayer tank to clean out my tap lines. I bought a post from B3 and attached it to the wand. It accept the liquid quick disconnects from the taps. using a Keg is easier , but if you dont have a spare, this works great and for just $12 and a barbed quik disconnect. If you make this, I suggest you get the barbed fitting to 1/4" Female nut. That way you can connect a liquid or gas quick disconnect.

 

[Jewrican]

I use the exact same solution, although now that I have more than 1 cornie I just use another corny to do this same thing. I still use my sprayer tank to clean out my tap lines. I bought a post from B3 and attached it to the wand. It accept the liquid quick disconnects from the taps. using a Keg is easier , but if you dont have a spare, this works great and for just $12 and a barbed quik disconnect. If you make this, I suggest you get the barbed fitting to 1/4" Female nut. That way you can connect a liquid or gas quick disconnect.

Will i ever need to swtich it to a gas one? Not challanging you, just dont understand the process 100 percent. I know when I do it, it will make complete sense but just want to be sure that I get all the parts.

So will i ever need to hook it up to the gas (which would make the barbed to nut fitting easier)? and if so why?

Thanks a bunch for the help. I am definately going to go this route.

 

[JesseRC]

Well I usually push pbw through gas in post and then switch out the gas quick disconnect for the liquid and push pbw through the liquid OUT post, but that's just me. THe nut just give you some versatility and only cost a few bucks. The quick disconnect cost the same barbed or Flare. The reason I went with the nut is because I already had some Quick disconnects with the 1/4 threads on them, and if you have some , then you wont have to buy any. It also means I dont have to dedicate a quick disconnect (barbed) for the sprayer. They make these nuts in 1/4" or 5/16" barbed , so you might want to know what size hose it will attach to.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1/4" Flare to 5/16" Tubeing (FFL to Barb) Swivel Nut[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT]

 

[conpewter]

Often times for my kegs I'll just dip a couple cups of sanitizer out of my 5 gallon bucket (I usually make 2.5 gallon starsan batches) and then shake it up inside, I put some pressure to it and run it out the Liquid out post, turn it upside down and run it out the gas post and the pressure relief valve. Then I can open it up and pour the sanitizer back in the bucket.

 

[JesseRC]

You're right, that is the easiest way of cleaning out kegs, and the way that I most often use, especially if its brew day and you already have sanitizer in a bucket for your other needs. But I had already modified the sprayer. I dont use it much now for sanitizing the kegs, I use it more for cleaning out the taps and beer line on the kegerator. However I read somewhere that folks use a 2liter plastic bottle and carbonator cap. When I read that I was like duh that is so simple and the carbonator cap only cost like 10-15 bucks.

 

[drunkatuw]

Why do you need the sprayer? Couldn't you just dump the starsan in the top of the keg. Then seal it up and shake it around. Then hook up the co2 and push the starsan out with a picnic faucet?

The only benefit I see if that there would be no foam, but everyone says to not fear the foam.

 

[jp1316]

I do the same thing as drunkatuw. That way I can clean my tap, beer line and keg at the same time. I use a jumper with two out qd if I am doing more then one keg. I do not fear the foam.