weggl Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Just tossed out a Real Ale, tasted like bacon, bloody awful. I discovered the culprit. It was an infection inside the tap. When I say inside I mean in-between the static part of the tap and the part that moves. It is one of those white ones that come with the old fermenters. This is the second one I have had the same problem with; the trouble is that you can\u2019t pull them apart to clean. My fermenters are filled with a strong chlorine solution and I always turn the tap on and off to make sure the chlorine gets well inside the tap. This however does not sanitise the inside of the tap. I discovered it today when I bottled an English Bitter, it has the same bacon taste. It was then I examined the tap and discovered an immovable brown ring inside. Anybody know of any taps that can be pulled apart to clean? Can the new Coopers taps be dismantled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Here is a link that may be of some assistance. Fermenter Taps Let us know if it works. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 You can take the taps apart but it is easier just to occassionally buy a new one from bunnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 For further info on taking them apart check out this link.....over....HERE I find they sometimes get a bit tight when I take them apart - I have spare taps but I rarely change I just make sure to take them out and hose out the gunk in the threads and let some napisan through them when I'm soaking my FV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Thanks Hairy. Yea Muddy, but how do you know that beer has not gotten in-between the 2 walls. To play it save it would need a new tap every brew. I think the last on I bottled today will have to go, that would make 4 lost from bloody taps. Am thinking about stainles ball valves if I can get the right thread for the fermenter. I think the threads on the fermenters a bastard non standard thread. Or better still the tapered gas valves that can be pulled apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Maybe you need a new cleaning regime? I really don't put much effort into cleaning my FV. Just hose it out, fill it with non scented (for sensitive skin) coles brand nappy wash and leave it for a couple of days. By this time all the crap has soaked off. I drain the FV uncrew the tap and let some of the contents out and make sure it looks clean - then I just tip the rest contents out and give it a quick rinse. I then either use it again or leave it upside down in a milk crate to dry. When I'm to brew I put a splash of iodophor in and splash it around and let some flow through the tap and into the threads. I then make some good ol' infection free beer [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Muddy it appears mine are cleaner than yours. Mine are filled with a strong pool chlorine solution for at least 2 days, flushed through the tap as well. washed out with the hose after all crap is removed, the chlorine makes that very easy. After washing out with hose then a jug of boiling water, lid on shaken and then sprayed with iodophor. It is the inside of the taps that are the ptoblem. From now on i will pull the taps apart every time i use them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Geez, your fermentor must really stink of chlorine [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyR1525228508 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I guess this is one of the rare occasions when the taste of bacon is undesirable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I have a similar regime to you Muddy, except I got a bung to stick in the tap hole, I open the tap and drop it in the solution that sits in the fermenter. After I empty the FV I then attach the tap, fill and let it all run through the tap, I then rinse it all out so I cant smell chlorine. I sanitise and I am ready to go again. I also sanitise with starsan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I used to do that too Matty but my bung leaks...I'll see a doctor on Monday [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 No Muddy, I wash it out thoroughly with cold water then a jug of boiling water. Not a whiff of chlorine left. I figured out what causes the beer to get between the spigot and the barrel of the tap. When I fill the fermenter with the water chlorine solution the water temp at the moment is about 12C. When I pitch the yeast I pitch around 24-25C. At that temp the barrel of the tap expands because it is connected directly to the fermented, the spigot on the other hand does not expand as much this lets the beer get between the barrel and the spigot. When I fill the fermenter with cold-water 12C the barrel shrinks causing a very tight seal with the spigot, this prevents the chlorine getting in-between the spigot and the barrel, thus leaving the entrapped beer in that space. The spigot has a groove machined in it and it is this groove that gets filled with beer. If I had filled the fermenter with hot water chlorine solution then the chlorine would have penetrated to the groove. That is the answer to the problem. The link that Hairy posted fixed the dismantling of the tap. Kai\u2019s suggestion was good but when used in conjunction with PB2\u2019s it was even better. Heat the barrel up first and then use say a 3/8 bolt to drive the spigot out. A screwdriver too sharp. When reassembling heat the barrel only and the cold spigot presses in quit easily.[biggrin] Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I thought you used cold water with bleach and that hot water "deactivates" it?? [unsure] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yea, your correct Muddy, I was making the point that hot water would open up the gap between barrel and spigot, you cant do that however because Chlotine is a gas in solution and heat lets the gas out that is why i do the final wash in boiling water. Magnetic fields in the correct configuration will also eliminate chlorine from water if the mixture is passed through the fields at speed. Had a lot of experience with this type of water treatment. The water becomes very soft and i dont think it would be suitable for beer because the amount of foam you would get from the malt may be too much. Might try it one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Is it too early to say that I have no idea what a spigot is? [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brew Master Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Muddy, Muddy, Muddy,....... I thought you would have Googled it! So now you have learnt that your little tap has another name. [rightful] Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I thought as much Peter...I just always feel an undying need to be obtuse [innocent] I'm working on it [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 A spigot is the male part of the tap, or the male part of a drainage pipe that fits into the female collar. I thought you would know all about male and female parts.[love] Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I know all about male and female parts Warren and that is the main reason I never hold hands with girls. I don't want to get them pregnant [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 Gee Muddy, wish I had known that when I was a young bloke![pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Glad you learned something - I'll tell you all about girl's germs next time [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 So that's how my little girl came along. It makes sense really, because I am sure we held hands around that time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.