Corny/beer line cleaning

[jayk34]

My first keg kicked last night and cleaned it this morning.

I rinsed it first and then half filled it warm water and oxy cleaner and then turned it upside down and rolled on my lap every few minutes. I then pushed this cleaner through the beer line and tap using bicycle pump. Then rinsed the keg with clean water several times and then pushed a free litres of clean water from the keg through the beer line and tap.

Finally, and this is where my question comes in. I put a litre of star San in keg. Shook the keg thoroughly, pressurised with CO2 and pushed this through the beer line and tap until it started foaming. Disconnected the beer line and gas from keg to leave it sanitised and pressurised. Is it ok to leave the foam from start San in the beer line? Will this affect the beer line in any way?

 

[NotSure]

You should be fine. In fact, leaving a bit of Star San in the beer lines might eat away at any beer stone that may have built up. Although since it's your first keg, I doubt there'd be any beer stone yet, but to prevent it down the road you look like you have a good cleaning plan.

 

[jayk34]

You should be fine. In fact, leaving a bit of Star San in the beer lines might eat away at any beer stone that may have built up. Although since it's your first keg, I doubt there'd be any beer stone yet, but to prevent it down the road you look like you have a good cleaning plan.

Thanks, Good to know. I never remember the do's and don'ts with cleaners and sanitisers.

 

[The Baron]

I leave a litre of Starsan solution in my cleaned kegs once cleaned I also leave starsan in my beer lines too and have never had a problem

 

[peebee]

It'll be fine.

But was the Starsan rinse worth the trouble? Lots of folk attribute Starsan with a wide range of mystical virtues, but if you think you won't need to reclean your keg before you next use it, you'd be mistaken! Starsan has no "cleaning" ability and there is no guarantee how long the residue continues to inhibit* microbial growth on cleaned surfaces. So next time you come to use the keg you should still treat it to a clean. And the "Oxy" stuff will be good for that (any microbes that have established may be protected from further "Starsan" rinses by "biofilms", or any other invisible accumulations of grime).

"Oxy" (and any percarbonate cleaner) works by breaking down to produce hydrogen peroxide which is a powerful cleaner and killer (and bleaches too). The hydrogen peroxide doesn't hang about long either, which is why you can't reuse the prepared solution after a very few hours.

* I've used the word "inhibit" on purpose, as there are plenty of people who doubt Starsan's (active principle being "dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid") ability to "kill" effectively.

 

[The Baron]

I am not going to condone this action I take some times especially for newbies but when one of my kegs kicks I have been known on more than one occasion to leave the residue in the keg for a few weeks as it is under co2 pressure and just the same as leaving beer under pressure. I would then clean the said keg on kegging day i.e do not open it and leave the pressure in it till then.

 

[jayk34]

It'll be fine.

But was the Starsan rinse worth the trouble? Lots of folk attribute Starsan with a wide range of mystical virtues, but if you think you won't need to reclean your keg before you next use it, you'd be mistaken! Starsan has no "cleaning" ability and there is no guarantee how long the residue continues to inhibit* microbial growth on cleaned surfaces. So next time you come to use the keg you should still treat it to a clean. And the "Oxy" stuff will be good for that (any microbes that have established may be protected from further "Starsan" rinses by "biofilms", or any other invisible accumulations of grime).

"Oxy" (and any percarbonate cleaner) works by breaking down to produce hydrogen peroxide which is a powerful cleaner and killer (and bleaches too). The hydrogen peroxide doesn't hang about long either, which is why you can't reuse the prepared solution after a very few hours.

* I've used the word "inhibit" on purpose, as there are plenty of people who doubt Starsan's (active principle being "dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid") ability to "kill" effectively.

The short answer is I haven't a clue. Thought it would be better than just leaving the keg wet with water inside as it would be more likely to go mouldy if not used for a while?

 

[jayk34]

It'll be fine.

But was the Starsan rinse worth the trouble? Lots of folk attribute Starsan with a wide range of mystical virtues, but if you think you won't need to reclean your keg before you next use it, you'd be mistaken! Starsan has no "cleaning" ability and there is no guarantee how long the residue continues to inhibit* microbial growth on cleaned surfaces. So next time you come to use the keg you should still treat it to a clean. And the "Oxy" stuff will be good for that (any microbes that have established may be protected from further "Starsan" rinses by "biofilms", or any other invisible accumulations of grime).

"Oxy" (and any percarbonate cleaner) works by breaking down to produce hydrogen peroxide which is a powerful cleaner and killer (and bleaches too). The hydrogen peroxide doesn't hang about long either, which is why you can't reuse the prepared solution after a very few hours.

* I've used the word "inhibit" on purpose, as there are plenty of people who doubt Starsan's (active principle being "dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid") ability to "kill" effectively.

Again, good to know. I wasn't going to clean it again but now I will give it a clean before use.

 

[jayk34]

I am not going to condone this action I take some times especially for newbies but when one of my kegs kicks I have been known on more than one occasion to leave the residue in the keg for a few weeks as it is under co2 pressure and just the same as leaving beer under pressure. I would then clean the said keg on kegging day i.e do not open it and leave the pressure in it till then.

Also another option to save time. thanks

 

[The Baron]

Hi Jaky
Just clean your keg and store with a litre of Starsan in it until ready for use then on kegging day give it another clean by rinsing out the starsan put a kettle of near boiling water from the kettle in it put on the lid and shake carefully then leave for 15 mins. You will find that the hot water will create pressure allowing you to run some of it through the beer post after the 15 mins or so as it creates pressure.
Then after the said time empty out the water and just put in a litre of Starsan replace the lid shake and leave for 10 mins again then empty this out you will be good to go

 

[peebee]

@jayk34: I sort of expected this in response to me casting doubt on "Starsan" ...

Hi Jaky
Just clean your keg and store with a litre of Starsan in it until ready for use then on kegging day give it another clean by rinsing out the starsan put a kettle of near boiling water from the kettle in it put on the lid and shake carefully then leave for 15 mins. You will find that the hot water will create pressure allowing you to run some of it through the beer post after the 15 mins or so as it creates pressure.
Then after the said time empty out the water and just put in a litre of Starsan replace the lid shake and leave for 10 mins again then empty this out you will be good to go

The evidence this is a good policy can be found ... err .... where?

Like I said; "Starsan" gets attributed with all sorts of mystical virtues. One place not to look for "evidence" is the manufacturers of Starsan! (You won't find any).

But don't get overly concerned about cleaning. As long as you are cleaning (and "sanitising") shortly before putting your beer near what you've cleaned, you won't have a problem. The longer you leave things after cleaning, the bigger risk you take. And the risk exists despite any Starsan kicking about unless it's kept permanently in contact and wetted (not pooling about a few mm away).

It's all about reducing the risk to what you are comfortable with. Attempting to take no risk (and beyond the realms of clinical sterilising; some try!) is the path to lots of un-necessary work (and potential insanity). @the baron is happy with the risk he takes, and it should see him all right, but not everyone is going to be convinced!

 

[foxbat]

I've often left starsan in the lines for a couple of weeks and it's been fine. It will attack some plastics and go milky leaving a soapy sheen but it seems that Valpar beer line and JG connectors are OK.

I've emailed 5 star and asked if it's safe and got a bit of a corporate answer repeating the usage instructions and stating it's not meant to be left long term.

These days I leave clean water in there instead. I might go back to using a very dilute Starsan solution that's just acidic enough to inhibit the growth of any organisms.

 

[The Baron]

The evidence is experience but there again you know best

 

[Braufather]

I am not going to condone this action I take some times especially for newbies but when one of my kegs kicks I have been known on more than one occasion to leave the residue in the keg for a few weeks as it is under co2 pressure and just the same as leaving beer under pressure. I would then clean the said keg on kegging day i.e do not open it and leave the pressure in it till then.

That’s standards practice for me, I wait until I have a few few and lean them all together, or I wait till it’s needed. they have sat for a couple of months on occasion,as I see it no different to have beer in it as it’s full of CO2.

 

[Donegal john]

The easiest option is to have a beer brewed ready to go into the keg and then you only need to clean it once

 

[Braufather]

The easiest option is to have a beer brewed ready to go into the keg and then you only need to clean it once

and if it similar then not even once!

 

[peebee]

... there again you know best

Which is? Ah, I've not said what I do! It's a bit of "new me" shining through. I don't know "what's best", I'm making a point that we're not qualified to determine "what's best" from the information available. Or, put another way, what's best is up to the individual to decide. And ... get it? 'Cos it would really help if you can tell me what I'm on about

 

[The Baron]

Not Biting play with somebody else