Struggling to remove smell from Keg

htims05 · Sep 2, 2020

I just bought a couple of used kegs - you know the ones where they only dump the syrup. One cleaned up fine, no smell just like the rest of my kegs. The other has been through two oxiclean 24hr soaks with the occasional shake. It still has a weird smell. It didn't have any caked on residue when I got it that I could see, and it looks clean just like my others - because looking clean means it's clean

Any ideas on how to remove the smell....or brew on and hope for the best??

All o-rings replaced as well...I didn't replace the poppets.

wepeeler · Sep 2, 2020

Hot water soak with PBW. Shake it up and let it sit. You could let it sit overnight as well. You'd be surprised at what's left behind after using just oxyclean.

waldoar15 · Sep 2, 2020

I had one keg like that. Smelled like Mountain Dew to me. Took months of soaking to get rid of it.

day_trippr · Sep 2, 2020

Dip tube brush w/PBW treatment is mandatory for new-to-me kegs...

https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/dip-tube-brush
Cheers!

htims05 · Sep 3, 2020

Guess I need some more PBW and a brush (quit buying it once my kegs were cleaned as Oxi seemed to do just fine...I never let an empty keg sit more than 24 hrs without cleaning).

Jag75 · Sep 3, 2020

htims05 said:
Guess I need some more PBW and a brush (quit buying it once my kegs were cleaned as Oxi seemed to do just fine...I never let an empty keg sit more than 24 hrs without cleaning).

Problem with used kegs you dont know how bad the owner let them get . 24 hrs or less is my process as well. Just makes the job easier.

htims05 · Sep 5, 2020

I think I finally got it out... started with about 120f water, scoop of oxy and let it sit for about 48 hours with randomly shaking it and flipping it. Fingers crossed (last time I did this but not as long the smell came back after it dried...oddly).

dawn_kiebawls · Sep 5, 2020

Change out ALL rubber gaskets/seals. I had brewed some rootbeer and kegged it. Oxi soaks, PBW soaks, hot water, scrubbing, dip tube cleaning..still had the unmistakable odor of root beer. I changed the gaskets and it was gone immediately. Cheers!