20 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I just took apart my beer lines for the first time in a year. I always run oxiclean through everything when a keg gets kicked but YUCK! The lines are all discolored and gross looking so I'm ordering some new ones. Do other products work better here or should I just plan to replace the lines once a year?

[Slainte]

I always run hot PBW through my lines, letting it soak for like 30 minutes as well. That seems to work great for me.

[MyaCullen]

I just took apart my beer lines for the first time in a year. I always run oxiclean through everything when a keg gets kicked but YUCK! The lines are all discolored and gross looking so I'm ordering some new ones. Do other products work better here or should I just plan to replace the lines once a year?

you might consdider BLC or PLC also, as that's what they are both intended for.

[Big Nake]

I think I mentioned this someplace, but I forget where. I got some Five-Star EasyClean from my LHBS a few weeks ago. The label says something about wearing impervious gloves and a mask when handling it. Before this I used PBW or Oxi. So I mixed some up to clean a few bottles and my cobra tap so I could bottle a few beers. My cobra tap line was a little discolored (amber-ish) from use. Every time I had run PBW through it, it remained discolored and I had assumed it was permanently stained. But when I ran this EasyClean through it... holy smokes... the amber crap began to flake off and ended up at the low end of my siphon. I watched in amazement as the color got lighter and lighter and then almost brand new at the end. Absolutely amazing. I have run this through the beer lines on my draft fridge with similar results. Check it out.

[chuck_d]

I think I mentioned this someplace, but I forget where. I got some Five-Star EasyClean from my LHBS a few weeks ago. The label says something about wearing impervious gloves and a mask when handling it. Before this I used PBW or Oxi. So I mixed some up to clean a few bottles and my cobra tap so I could bottle a few beers. My cobra tap line was a little discolored (amber-ish) from use. Every time I had run PBW through it, it remained discolored and I had assumed it was permanently stained. But when I ran this EasyClean through it... holy smokes... the amber crap began to flake off and ended up at the low end of my siphon. I watched in amazement as the color got lighter and lighter and then almost brand new at the end. Absolutely amazing. I have run this through the beer lines on my draft fridge with similar results. Check it out.

Sweet, more chemicals.

[Kansan]

Five-Star EasyClean or BLC should always do the trick. I'd go ahead and replace the lines with new ones and run this through quarterly. You'll be amazed at how clean everything stays!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Five-Star EasyClean or BLC should always do the trick. I'd go ahead and replace the lines with new ones and run this through quarterly. You'll be amazed at how clean everything stays!

I think that will be my new MO. I actually have a little bit of easyclean kicking around that I used to use for sanitizer.

[Slainte]

I think I mentioned this someplace, but I forget where. I got some Five-Star EasyClean from my LHBS a few weeks ago. The label says something about wearing impervious gloves and a mask when handling it. Before this I used PBW or Oxi. So I mixed some up to clean a few bottles and my cobra tap so I could bottle a few beers. My cobra tap line was a little discolored (amber-ish) from use. Every time I had run PBW through it, it remained discolored and I had assumed it was permanently stained. But when I ran this EasyClean through it... holy smokes... the amber crap began to flake off and ended up at the low end of my siphon. I watched in amazement as the color got lighter and lighter and then almost brand new at the end. Absolutely amazing. I have run this through the beer lines on my draft fridge with similar results. Check it out.

Wow, I'm going to have to give that a shot. Thanks Ken!

[Big Nake]

I do not wear gloves when I use this, but I do pull my shirt up over my nose when I open the container and pour some into the water I'm using. If you reach into the solution to grab or clean something, it burns/stings slightly. It seems pretty high-powered but the weird part is that for all the precautions, it says it's no-rinse. It's possible that it's a sanitizer too, but I'm not sure. Cheers.

[Thirsty]

I use the carbonator cap trick. Disconnect the corny, replace the liquid QD with a gas QD, snap it onto a 2 liter soda bottle filled with hot PBW and the carbonator cap, then squeeze the bottle with the faucet open to force the PBW through. Follow it up with the same procedure with hot rinse water, dump the 1st pint. Good to go.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I use the carbonator cap trick. Disconnect the corny, replace the liquid QD with a gas QD, snap it onto a 2 liter soda bottle filled with hot PBW and the carbonator cap, then squeeze the bottle with the faucet open to force the PBW through. Follow it up with the same procedure with hot rinse water, dump the 1st pint. Good to go.

That's what I did (except with oxiclean) for a year and my lines are pretty nasty looking now.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I used some BLC for the first couple of months when I built my kegerator last year. In the last few months though when a keg blows out I just flush the lines with warm oxyclean. I have noticed any nastiness with the lines and each beer tastes as its intended. I might need to check out Ken's suggestion and at least give it a try too.

[macbrak]

I'd say at this point f' it and replace them.

[CoastieSteve]

How long do you guys leave the Oxiclean in the lines? I do several days at a stint (about every 4th keg) and my lines are clear ... I think.

[Stout_fan]

... it burns/stings slightly. ... it says it's no-rinse. ...

So we're supposed to have no problem pouring down out throat. :blush:I'm sure you've given us the straight dope here...But MAN! That sounds weird.

[stellarbrew]

I think I mentioned this someplace, but I forget where. I got some Five-Star EasyClean from my LHBS a few weeks ago. The label says something about wearing impervious gloves and a mask when handling it. Before this I used PBW or Oxi. So I mixed some up to clean a few bottles and my cobra tap so I could bottle a few beers. My cobra tap line was a little discolored (amber-ish) from use. Every time I had run PBW through it, it remained discolored and I had assumed it was permanently stained. But when I ran this EasyClean through it... holy smokes... the amber crap began to flake off and ended up at the low end of my siphon. I watched in amazement as the color got lighter and lighter and then almost brand new at the end. Absolutely amazing. I have run this through the beer lines on my draft fridge with similar results. Check it out.

Does anyone know where I can buy some Five-Star EasyClean online? I'd like to give it a try.

[Gumbo Leviathan]

My faucets get gross... Last time a keg kicked I resolved to clean it all out. I damn near needed to use a chisel on the faucets. My lines arent bad though....

[dondewey]

My lines are all 2 years old. All I do is backflush through the shank and out the QD into a container (in which lies the disasembled faucet) with some warm line cleaner then water. When I am about to keg something I sanitize the keg then run the sanitizer through the line and faucet before filling and hooking up the keg. 10 minutes to clean and a few to sanitize. The lines look perfect.

[hullabrew]

I use the carbonator cap trick. Disconnect the corny, replace the liquid QD with a gas QD, snap it onto a 2 liter soda bottle filled with hot PBW and the carbonator cap, then squeeze the bottle with the faucet open to force the PBW through. Follow it up with the same procedure with hot rinse water, dump the 1st pint. Good to go.

And I thought that I was being clever when I came up with this idea! In any case this works really well for me using BLC.

[Thirsty]

And I thought that I was being clever when I came up with this idea! In any case this works really well for me using BLC.

Oh no, you are still one clever mofo. I started doing this over a year ago when somebody posted this trick in ooe of the old "tricks" or something like that thread. It was prolly you who posted it, so if so thanks for your geniosity!