Whats the best Cleaning and Sanitisers

[Shanus]

im just wondering if ppl could help me i have a keg setup just need to know the best ways to clean and sanitise it all befor i start using it all im really looking foward to using my kegs for the first time instead of having to bottle it and wait

[Clean Brewer]

im just wondering if ppl could help me i have a keg setup just need to know the best ways to clean and sanitise it all befor i start using it all im really looking foward to using my kegs for the first time instead of having to bottle it and wait

Hey shanus,

I use PBW cleaning and Starsan for Sanitising available from http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/default.asp?CID=104

Im quite regimented in my Cleaning, any time I empty a keg or when I first got them, I
1. Rinse out fully with HOT water.
2. Pulled them all apart(seals aswell), and put in a solution of PBW.
3. Put it all back together, place PBW into keg and run through beer tap, rinse with hot water and run hot water through tap to rinse PBW.
4. Pull apart and place posts, seals, dip tube, gas tube into sanitising solution, then lube seals with paraliq and put all back together.
5. Put Starsan mix into keg and give a good shake, run it through tap till empty.
6. Fill keg from fermenter(chilled), put on lid, purge with CO2.

It may seem a bit over the top, but ive read enough stories about infections etc etc and id rather be as safe as possible and not risk a batch of beer..

I have the same sort of routine with my Fermenters and AG gear also, like anything, look after it properly and it will last you a long while and make the process easier everytime..

Cheers

[drsmurto]

My routine is quite simple.

Rinse the keg with water as soon as it empties, the same as most people do with bottles.

If its going to be filled straight away as it tends to these days then a quick rinse with DrSmurtos no-rinse sanitiser and then fill with fresh beer. If not then add some napisan and water and let it sit till its needed. The rinse it out with water and use sanitiser as above.

After a few kegs i would run thru hot water, followed by beer and line cleaner (which is basically caustic soda + some surfactants - you could just use napisan or a dilute caustic solution), then water then the sanitiser.

If the disconnects start to get a bit stuck they get soaked in napisan.

Cheers
DrSmurto

[Shaun]

One of the things to be aware of is to not use a chlorine base sanitizer as SS does not like it.

[Shanus]

thankyou very much guys

[Shanus]

My routine is quite simple.

Rinse the keg with water as soon as it empties, the same as most people do with bottles.

If its going to be filled straight away as it tends to these days then a quick rinse with DrSmurtos no-rinse sanitiser and then fill with fresh beer. If not then add some napisan and water and let it sit till its needed. The rinse it out with water and use sanitiser as above.

After a few kegs i would run thru hot water, followed by beer and line cleaner (which is basically caustic soda + some surfactants - you could just use napisan or a dilute caustic solution), then water then the sanitiser.

If the disconnects start to get a bit stuck they get soaked in napisan.

Cheers
DrSmurto

do you mean if you are not using the keg you leave it full of napisan and water? and then rinse it when you whant to use it?
do you fill it right up or just a little bit?
is there a certain type of napisan i should use?
does it matter how long it is left in the keg?

[Longwood-65]

I empty a keg, disconnect it, put it at the end of the production line, when it's time to use it wash out with hot water only, sanitize, air dry, refill.

It is a sealed air tight stainless steel container no light penetration still filled with 99.9% pressurized co2 not really the conditions for any thing to breed in, it's had beer stored in it for at least a month prior to empting, IMO your more likely to get an infection the moment you depressurize and let air into the keg.

I clean the tap and lines once per month which is every 4th or 5th keg.

Haven't had to replace seals as yet, although 1 keg I think has a leak where the dip tube joins the post, I say this because on that 1 keg a gas bubble forms in the beer line, I pour frothy beer into a jug to get the bubble out, and it's fine until the following day when i have to do it again, all the other kegs no gas bubbles form in the the beer line.

Cheers
Ron

[drsmurto]

do you mean if you are not using the keg you leave it full of napisan and water? and then rinse it when you whant to use it?
do you fill it right up or just a little bit?
is there a certain type of napisan i should use?
does it matter how long it is left in the keg?

A few litres of water, a sprinkling of napisan (brand etc irrelevant - if you can, some HBS stock pure sodium percarbonate, the active ingredient in napisan altho if you use this you need a surfactant to enable it to cling to surfaces) and then shake. Leave as long as you dont have beer to put in it.

Longwood-65's method is simpler and as he said, nothing will grow in there. I do find that if you leave that keg for more than a few weeks you actually need to get a brush in there to dislodge the yeast that dries out.

Having a keg full of napisan is also very convenient for flushing beer lines/taps etc

[Shanus]

so napisan wont do any damage to kegs lines or taps?
i have 13 kegs atm so i might fill some with napisan cause i have washed them with water thinking it was the right thing to do. so i will fill them with water and napsain to help keep them clean

[drsmurto]

Sodium percarbonate, the active ingredient in napisan is fine to be used with s/steel. I soak my taps/disconnects in napisan every few months. All good.

No need to fill the keg, just add a few L of water, add some napisan, seal and shake. When you want to use it simply empty it, rinse it with water, sanitise and then fill with beer.

[Ross]

Napisan doesn't come close to PBW in the cleaning stakes.
The best combo for kegs & beer lines IMO is PBW followed by Saniclean or Starsan.
Yes, i sell the products, but there's a reason i do, they are made for the brewing industry & the best products I've found.
Not only are they some of the best cleaning/sanitising products on the market, they are some of the safest as well.

cheers Ross.

[Bizier]

Not rocking your boat Ross, as I will probably be buying 5 star goods off you at some stage in the near future, but I have come up with a "ghetto pbw" after listening to the brew strong cleaning show, featuring a 5 star rep.

I am using:

Alkali cleaning powder
Nappisan
Dish Detergent

Hot water

I have found that this cleans sooo much better than the sum of its parts, and AFAIK should be similar to pbw.

When I run out of these components, I think I will be switching to the real deal though.

[Errol44]

Have a keg fridge with 2 tap font. Been away for 2 weeks so thought it best to clean/sanitise.

Run out of my regular cleaner, so thought I'd try Bizler's cleaner above.

Would dishwasher powder (which I assume is alkaline) be ok with the Napisan & detergent?

cheers
Errol

[Sonny]

Aldi bleach, works a treat!