So over bottling so I up-graded to kegs... But how do I clean em?

[Ollie]

Hi all,

So I just made the decision to up-grade to kegs because I am sick of sterilising all those bottles. But i have a few questions about sterilising the kegs and lines... As I am new to this concept I hope someone out there can help me out. [biggrin]

 

I am assuming that I can sterilise the keg much like I do the fermenter before i put down a batch... Just fill with hot water, add appropriate amount of steriliser powder and leave overnight then rinse really well and let air dry. Correct??

 

But what about the beer lines??? Do you need to sterilise these too??? If so how?? Do I need to remove them each time I do a brew and soak them in sterile solution?? Or can I pressurise the keg and run the sterile solution through the lines and the taps and then repeat but with fresh water???

 

Any tips anyone has willbe much appreciated!! I am no where right now! [pinched]

[Matty A]

What I would do is fill the keg with some starsan and water solution (Starsan is a no rinse sanitiser).

 

Then to sanitise the lines I would hook up the CO2 to the starsan andrun it through the lines and taps like you do beer.

 

If you have another keg to catch the starsan that comes out of the tap you can sanitise to kegs at the same time.

[Guest]

I clean my kegs by:

Mix some keg cleaner (powder from LHBS can use napisan) and let sit for at least 1/2 hour then turn keg upside and let it sit like that for another 1/2 hour then run some of this solution through my lines. I then rinse well with hot water and also run this through the lines. Then I use starsan in the keg and run this through my lines also.

I then pull it all apart. Remove the PRV and the lid and take out the gas and liquid posts, dip tube, gas tube and remove the poppets. I soak all these in napisan or keg cleaner then rince and spray with starsan prior to putting all back together again. Every so often I rub a food grade lube, like Klubber, over the seals.

 

I reluctantly discard the first half glass of beer poured.

[Ollie]

What I would do is fill the keg with some starsan and water solution (Starsan is a no rinse sanitiser).

 

Then to sanitise the lines I would hook up the CO2 to the starsan andrun it through the lines and taps like you do beer.

 

If you have another keg to catch the starsan that comes out of the tap you can sanitise to kegs at the same time.

 

Matty that is pure genius! I havesome of that stuff and never thought of it! [pinched] As for the second keg... I also have one of them!! Love ya work mate thanks for the tips![biggrin]

[Ollie]

Every so often I rub a food grade lube, like Klubber, over the seals.

 

I reluctantly discard the first half glass of beer poured.

 

Bill,

Where do you get the Klubber?? This sounds like a good idea, is it just to maintain the seal longevity??/ What or why do you do this??

All the tips I get the better as I am so new to the kegging game [crying]

[Guest]

Any food grade lubricant is good to use. I just happen to use Kluber as my choice.

 

The reasons why I use it are: to help create a good seal around the seals and I think it will add longevity to the life of the seals.

[Trusty1]

Any food grade lubricant is good to use.

 

Vaseline?

 

[Guest]

Any food grade lubricant is good to use.

 

Vaseline?

I honestly didn't know you can get food grade Vaseline. Just googled it and yes you can. However, I personally wouldn't be using it for this purpose as I have no idea how petroleum will react with regards to rubber seals. I assume that petroleum may actually shorten the life but I really don't know and am not going to try it.