Oddball Observaions & Tips
#1
Posted 19 November 2009 - 02:46 PM
#2
Posted 21 November 2009 - 06:44 AM
#3
Posted 21 November 2009 - 06:56 AM
I also do a full tear down. To avoid the pitting issue (if there is one with oxiclean) I fill the keg a little more than half way and flip it half way through a 12-24 soaking period. I haven't noticed any pitting on the sides of my kegs.I also usually fully break down my faucet every time I kill a keg. I only breakdown the shank about once a year though b/c that's kind of a pain in the arse.I am impressed that you do a complete tear down of each keg after it empties. I usually just rinse it out, put star san in through the gas, sanitize the keg, then blow the star san out the liquid side. I rarely completely tear down kegs except for when I first want to use them and change out all the gaskets.I haven't noticed any ill effects, but perhaps I should also be tearing down my kegs more often. Not sure about after every beer, but I think I will start doing this more often.
#5
Posted 21 November 2009 - 08:06 AM
#6
Posted 21 November 2009 - 08:09 AM
#7
Posted 21 November 2009 - 08:11 AM
#8
Posted 21 November 2009 - 08:11 AM
That's more or less how mine is. No "spray ball," just a bunch of holes drilled into the PVCThe design I'm thinking of would have 3 outlet manifold with one outlet going to each disconnect and a third going to a spray ball.
#9
Posted 21 November 2009 - 08:49 AM
It helped me for sure.I just started kegging and didn't see any good info on keg cleaning protocol anywhere.I was on the fence about complete tear down and this convinced me to do it.It just makes sense.I'm scared of what might grow in an empty corny with beer shputz still in it.I'd also like to add that I'm using cobra taps for now and didn't like the idea of leaving bits of foam and crud to dry in the lines between uses so when there's about a half gallon of cleaner left in the tank I hook up the beer line and push that last bit of cleaner through the line till it blows gas.PS....anybody need 10 cases of bottles?I always do a complete teardown of my cornies when one blows.Here's a few things I've observed that might benefit others.1. Get a pair of #0 rubber stoppers and stick them into the in & out post openings. That way you can fill it to the top with PBW.2. I recycle my PBW and do 5 or 6 kegs with a 5 gal batch I keep in a 6 gal food grade plastic bucket. I found out before grabbing my big funnel and filling the keg with PBW, If I throw in a tablespoon (my convenient Miraclegrow® plastic measure) of powered PBW not only do I increase the effectiveness of the old PBW, I also notice it doesn't foam as much when I pour the old PBW into the keg.3. Although I put the poppets, and lid in a plastic container of PBW, I throw the dip tube into the cornie to get it clean.4. SS pitting occurs at the juncture of wetted SS to dry SS. So always fill the cornies up to the top (well almost). The #0 stoppers make this possible. Letting the level drop puts it in the juncture in the lid sealing area. Not a good thing.5. I have some leftover plastic replacement glazing (.080" thick polycarbonate) and I cut a rectangle out to cover the cornie opening. This way the evaporation of liquid is reduced and the level stays up in the rim for several days, until I'm ready to dump / recycle the PBW.When done rinse, air dry and CO2 purge. Nothing will grow in that environment.Hope this helps some...
#10
Posted 21 November 2009 - 09:23 AM
#11
Posted 21 November 2009 - 09:34 AM
Meh, same thing as far as i'm concerned.How's it work? Are you using a sump pump to recirc?That's more or less how mine is. No "spray ball," just a bunch of holes drilled into the PVC
#12 *_Guest_MW2_*
Posted 21 November 2009 - 09:38 AM
#13
Posted 21 November 2009 - 09:58 AM
I don't pull a keg from the fridge until I have at least three kegs to clean, so they just kick it in there empty. For me I need to justify filling the keg washer with hot water and oxycean because I'm an unabashed cheap-skate.Here's a question: Does anyone empty a keg and then just leave it laying around for days or weeks that way? If a keg blows, I take it out of the draft fridge, leave the pressure in it and either clean it out that day or the next. It gets cleaned, sanitized and refilled with a new beer. My thinking is that if my last beer (and the ones before that...) were okay, then the keg must be pretty damned clean.
#14
Posted 21 November 2009 - 10:00 AM
Yeah, I think I paid less than $30 for a submersible pump from Northern Tool. Hooked up a t-splitter with a CVC pipe with holes drilled standing straight up (keg inverts on this). Then, the other two go to hoses with ball lock fittings that attach to the upside down keg. Then, put it in a bucket of warm PBW solutionMeh, same thing as far as i'm concerned.How's it work? Are you using a sump pump to recirc?
#15
Posted 21 November 2009 - 12:31 PM
As soon as a keg kicks, even in the middle of a party I flush hot water down both the air in and beer out connections. I have a 1 liter bottle that came with the kegerator and I have a beer gas connection with a short hose on it that connects to the bottle. I make sure the inside is rinsed clean so any yeast does not harden then I turn upside down to dry. I only sanitize just before I fill the next time. I've been kegging for 2 years and have no problems with infection or taste carrying over from one beer to the next.Here's a question: Does anyone empty a keg and then just leave it laying around for days or weeks that way? If a keg blows, I take it out of the draft fridge, leave the pressure in it and either clean it out that day or the next. It gets cleaned, sanitized and refilled with a new beer. My thinking is that if my last beer (and the ones before that...) were okay, then the keg must be pretty damned clean.
#16
Posted 21 November 2009 - 01:39 PM
#17
Posted 21 November 2009 - 02:16 PM
pretty consistently when a keg kicks it has new beer in it within 24 hours.Here's a question: Does anyone empty a keg and then just leave it laying around for days or weeks that way? If a keg blows, I take it out of the draft fridge, leave the pressure in it and either clean it out that day or the next. It gets cleaned, sanitized and refilled with a new beer. My thinking is that if my last beer (and the ones before that...) were okay, then the keg must be pretty damned clean.
#18
Posted 21 November 2009 - 02:37 PM
Weeks? Shoot, I've had empty, uncleaned kegs sit for YEARS. No problems at all. It's completely sealed so it doesn't dry up even when left for years.I definitely wait, sometimes it can be weeks until I get to it. Timing really depends on if I need the keg or not - most of the time I have enough spares that I can put it off for a while.Am I the only lazy kegger her? Haha.I haven't had issues with it, and some hot water almost always gets any gunk out of the keg. I used to be very anal about these things, but once I got more kegs, and started having to deal with many kegs at once, I had to parse my time with what I did. Especially since I haven't noticed any ill effects from it, I'm not too worried about it, but I will definitely keep a close watch over it to make sure everything is still ok.
#19
Posted 21 November 2009 - 02:49 PM
These were my thoughts, I have some brett/sour kegs that have been sitting for quite some time, months probably. Starsan heals all wounds, not too worried about it. FWIW rubber gaskets are cheap, like meWeeks? Shoot, I've had empty, uncleaned kegs sit for YEARS. No problems at all. It's completely sealed so it doesn't dry up even when left for years.
#20
Posted 21 November 2009 - 06:33 PM
Yep. Me too. Well, I don't know if I've ever done it in the middle of a party, but right after, for sure.As soon as a keg kicks, even in the middle of a party I flush hot water down both the air in and beer out connections. I have a 1 liter bottle that came with the kegerator and I have a beer gas connection with a short hose on it that connects to the bottle. I make sure the inside is rinsed clean so any yeast does not harden then I turn upside down to dry. I only sanitize just before I fill the next time. I've been kegging for 2 years and have no problems with infection or taste carrying over from one beer to the next.
Yep. Me too. They are lined up waiting and would bug me relentlessly if I didn't give them a home. Cheers!pretty consistently when a keg kicks it has new beer in it within 24 hours.
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