spigot infection

[yeoldebrewer]

I've posted here about a recent batch of amber ale with off flavor problems and fluky carbonation. Perhaps I've found the reason.

The pic is of the the disassembled spigot I used for bottling this batch. I noticed a small black spot through the translucent plastic that grew over time. The spigot has always been soaked in PBW after use.

Anybody think this looks like mold?

 

[BargainFittings]

Yep that is the type of spigot I had when I had infection issues.

No way to take them apart without destroying them either.

Edit. A little searching and it appears if you soak it in hot water you can get it apart to clean it. Lube it with some silicone grease or some keglube will let you get it apart easier the next time.

I just looked at my old bottling bucket and could not get the spigot parts to separate. It stunk too. Of course all I use it for is an ice bucket for kegs.

 

[rico567]

I have the spigot pictured. I became concerned about things growing between the rotary valve (the red part) and the housing it rotates in. It would not pull out very readily, but a tip on another thread revealed that just running it under good hot tap water makes it easy to pull out. I did, and sure enough.....there was stuff in the grooves.
However, I've never seen the problem pictured, didn't even know that housing was in two pieces. On my way to get mine & inspect it now......

 

[KevinP]

I have several of the same looking spigots. Mine have always come apart just fine.

I noted on your picture how I do it. I take out the spout first. Its kindof a prying action. I sort of bend them apart. It does take some force but I have never had to heat them.

 

[yeoldebrewer]

Thanks for the great info. You can bet I will be taking mine apart for cleaning in the future.

 

[killian]

I just started using a corney for bottling and I know it is expensive to buy all of the equipment but I would really have to say it is worth the money.

 

[buzzkill]

now I am all worried about mine.

what about putting it in a cup with some water and throwing it in the microwave? if I do this after I use(clean) it?

I have been thinking about putting a no weld fitting on a corny and making that my bottle bucket.

 

[gingerdawg]

I too am now worried about my spigot! Is there another type of sipgot that I can replace this one with that won't do that?

 

[killian]

now I am all worried about mine.

what about putting it in a cup with some water and throwing it in the microwave? if I do this after I use(clean) it?

I have been thinking about putting a no weld fitting on a corny and making that my bottle bucket.

If you dont have a co2 tank you could bottle from a corney the same way as you would serve "cask" conditioned style from a corney. Just attach a bottling wand to some tubing connected to the gas in disconnect and gravity pour from the keg.

 

[yeoldebrewer]

Is there another type of sipgot that I can replace this one with that won't do that?

Austin Homebrew stocks a spigot with only two parts. They don't swivel, but are easier to take apart for cleaning--the valve handle simply snaps out.

Kevin, thanks again for the advice. I've finally managed to break the spigot down into its component parts. As Kevin says, this takes a good grip and a fair amount of force. After soaking in cleaner, the parts snapped back together in reverse order. The valve handle went in pretty easily. But snapping the valve body parts back together took some dedicated oomph.

Hate to say it, but looks like the only way to be sure the valve is de-gunked is to take it apart.

 

[Whiskey]

The type I have uncrews from the top, they are the flip on and off variety.

 

[sparkyaber]

linked here from gingerdawg. Thanks. Now to the guys that had an issue, did your bottles turn out like these:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/what-wrong-how-do-i-fix-118491/index2.html

half way down the page, the pic.
It is really bugging me trying to figure out what this is.

 

[jtrainer]

I've been using my spigots for years. One has been in use as a primary fermenter for almost 3 years. The other is at two years. Neither have ever been taken apart as I could never get them apart. The hot water trick helped a lot.

My spigot looks like the B3 spigot:

My Results from the first dismantling: Nothing, no discoloration, no growth nothing. Highly disappointed.