16 replies to this topic

[brewman]

Today at lunch I was checking on of my kegs and I noticed my beer line had some discoloration. It looks the color of my Rye IPA, Is it normal for the beer line to change colors or should I change it out.Dan

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I had pieces of old beer line from a bar's draft system in my sink at home. My wife thought they were amber glass until she picked them up. They were clear at one time. The high temp hose on my system is changing color as well.

[Jdtirado]

Taste? I would say if it doesn't tast bad why change?I put warm Oxy in my keg then give it some gas to I can sputter the liquid through the dispensing line. Then, I let it sit for a few hours and rinse well.I also fill the keg with Star Sans and run that through the line as well.I'm not sure that I'm doing this right, but it is working.

[brewman]

I do the same thing, When I clean my keg I fill it with a star sans and run it through the tap.Dan

[djinkc]

The last time I changed mine they were all a nice light green.

[Jdtirado]

The last time I changed mine they were all a nice light green.

Campylobactor?

[djinkc]

Campylobactor?

[Mindblock]

THAT is just beautiful, man....I'm sorry, but if there ever was a post that should be tagged NSFW, it is that one <G>What is the variety, and can you describe the aroma when you snapped the photo.....assuming that you snapped the photo and it is your drying rack???

[djinkc]

THAT is just beautiful, man....I'm sorry, but if there ever was a post that should be tagged NSFW, it is that one <G>What is the variety, and can you describe the aroma when you snapped the photo.....assuming that you snapped the photo and it is your drying rack???

I googled it, been using pellets for years

[beach]

All of my lines are discolored to some extent. Especially the 2 that are serving dark beers on beer gas. I use beer line cleaner and a hot water rinse when kegs blow. If I were to get an off flavor I'll change the line. I do have a sour porter that will be tapped when a spot opens up. Once that one is gone I'll probably clean and pull that line out and use it for sour beers only. I'll also tear the faucet down completly for a super-clening. Beach

[gnef]

I keep liquid in the lines at all times, as one keg empties, another goes on the line. I don't clean in between. If it ever gets bad enough, I just replace the line. I keep a lot of tubing on hand.

[matt6150]

I switched over to the Accuflex bev-seal ultra awhile back and am really happy with it so far. It is glass-lined and they say it will never stain or dis-color, so far so good.

[Jdtirado]

I just wish that I didn't have to use 10ft of line to keep the foam down. Two Questions1. How long do you keep your lines before you replace them?2. Gas lines - how often do they need replacing and cleaning.

[Big Nake]

I want to mention that changing the lines is one option but another option is to use LD Carlson Easy Clean on the lines. At some point I was using this stuff (which says right on the label that you should wear goggles and impervious gloves when you use it!) and I had a length of transfer tubing that was racking a solution made with Easy Clean from one vessel to another. I noticed amber-colored flakes coming off the inside of the tubing and the solution in the destination vessel was darker than the stuff in the source vessel. I stood there and watched as this stuff scrubbed the inside of the line like nothing I had ever seen. The tubing looked brand new when I was done.

Edited by KenLenard, 26 July 2012 - 05:15 PM.

[jayb151]

Nice Ken! I have always seen that stuff, but I thought PBW would be enough. Maybe it's a good idea to keep some of that stuff on hand for a "Spring cleaning" of sorts.

[Big Nake]

I bought it at B&G because they were out of PBW. I started using it just like PBW and then I read the label. Whoa. It makes it sound like you're using caustic cleanser or something. I think it was the night I had all you guys over and I showed the container to Jim (Esmalo) and he said, "Holy smokes! I don't think I would use this stuff!". It really does clean WELL. Cheers.

[gnef]

That definitely sounds too scary for me to use! I have pure lye crystals around that I bought a long time ago, just in case, and I am very glad I've never felt the need to use it.JD - I keep my lines as long as they work well for me. That is typically years. The same goes for my gas lines. In fact, I have unified my tubing, and I use the same tubing for my gas as my beer - 3/16'' ID x 3/8 OD so that I can use my john guest push-to-connect fittings. I wish I had thought of this years ago, rather than spending so much money on different types of tubing and those barb nut stem fittings.