11 replies to this topic

[passlaku]

I have read of folks using PBW to clean their lines. I was cleaning my lines with BLC and decided to follow that up with PBW just because so many folks on this forum use it for their lines (plus my lines were really dirty).I was wondering what is the difference between these two? Is BLC followed by PBW overkill? I did follow that up with StarSan too. Is the combination of all those chemical cleaners and sanitizer going to make mustard gas or some noxious poison (like ammonia and bleach)?

[Buzz Buzzard]

My lhbs says use pbw.

[SchwanzBrewer]

PBW is good stuff, especially when used hot. But, I've never had a lot of luck cleaning lines and hoses. So I got some line cleaner. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.

[passlaku]

I micromanaged the cleaning this time. When I ran the PBW I let it sit in the line for a while and shook the line so that the sediment in the line clouded up then I drained the line. It must have been beer-stone and yeast.

[tag]

BLC is a caustic cleaner. PBW is a noncaustic cleaner.

[Genesee Ted]

PBW is caustic. Read its description.

[tag]

This description? "PBW is an alkaline, non-caustic, environmentally and user friendly cleaner."

[Genesee Ted]

Alkaline=caustic

[djinkc]

Alkaline=caustic

Aw man I hate chemistry. I'll touch PBW, I won't touch lye. School us.

[Genesee Ted]

I humbly submit. I had my terminology mixed up. It is alkali but non-caustic. I always thought caustic meant alkali or basic but I was wrong! Sorry guys!

[passlaku]

Which one is better for cleaning beer line?

[tag]

Some think that caustics can worsen beerstone build up. Birko recommends an acid cleaner followed by "an alkaline, non-caustic cleaner". But recently Dana said that they are now recommending just the acid cleaner. https://www.birkocor...eaning-methods/