Keezer bottom is disgusting

[mhochman]

I had an unfinished keg sitting in my keezer and neglected it for a couple of months (had no time to brew for months). I took out the keg, and there was a lot of frozen condensation at the bottom and, because of an apparent leak, some beer and funk. I unplugged the keezer and let it sit with the lid open, and now I have two inches of a beer/water mix with some sort of science project growing on it.

Short of hauling the entire thing out onto the driveway, resting it on its edge, and hosing the entire inside down, does anyone have a good suggestion on how to empty, clean the bottom of the keezer? With the collar, it's impossible to reach the bottom. A mop won't work, it will just swish it around since it's so deep.

Could I rent a wet/vac? I don't know how wet/vacs work when it comes to mold or whatever it is that's growing in there.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[baldm79]

I had an unfinished keg sitting in my keezer and neglected it for a couple of months (had no time to brew for months). I took out the keg, and there was a lot of frozen condensation at the bottom and, because of an apparent leak, some beer and funk. I unplugged the keezer and let it sit with the lid open, and now I have two inches of a beer/water mix with some sort of science project growing on it.

Short of hauling the entire thing out onto the driveway, resting it on its edge, and hosing the entire inside down, does anyone have a good suggestion on how to empty, clean the bottom of the keezer? With the collar, it's impossible to reach the bottom. A mop won't work, it will just swish it around since it's so deep.

Could I rent a wet/vac? I don't know how wet/vacs work when it comes to mold or whatever it is that's growing in there.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

If possible I’d say the hose route sounds best. Otherwise I guess vacuuming should work, you’d still need a way to actually clean it though or mold will come back

 

[mirthfuldragon]

A wet/dry vac will suck out the water without an issue. Borrow or buy one - they are pretty useful. Propping one side up an inch or two should make it easier to drain the water out, so that it runs to one side.

Once it is drained, you can use a mop, brush, rag, etc., and some good all purpose bleach cleaner to get it clean and disinfected.

Also, most freezers have a drain plug somewhere, so if you can find that, it may make life easier.

 

[mongoose33]

+1 on the shop vac. It'll suck out water faster than you can say "Triple-hopped Miller Lite."

My keezer collar also makes it impossible to reach the bottom of the keezer to clean it out. I use a pair of grilling tongs for reach and wadded paper towels to clean things up.

Once everything is "clean" I'll use a weak chlorine bleach solution to wipe down the inside to (mostly) prevent regrowth of any nasties that may still be in there.

Tongs like this:

 

[mhochman]

So to confirm, shop vac to suck up water, spilled beer, and alien life?

Everyone is cool with that? (Except maybe the guy at Home Depot).

 

[mongoose33]

So to confirm, shop vac to suck up water, spilled beer, and alien life?

Everyone is cool with that? (Except maybe the guy at Home Depot).

A wet/dry vac will suck out the water without an issue.

+1 on the shop vac. It'll suck out water faster than you can say "Triple-hopped Miller Lite."

What other confirmation would be helpful?

 

[mhochman]

What other confirmation would be helpful?

Since both answers state specifically that the vac will suck out the water, I wanted to be sure everyone offering that advice understood that there is wildlife growing in there. I'd rather not destroy Home Depot's shop vac that I'd be renting. Just looking for reassurance.

 

[day_trippr]

Haha! I wager the typical rental wet vac has seen much more gruesome scenes than a swampy keezer...

Cheers! (Seriously, you have no idea where it's been )

 

[mhochman]

Haha! I wager the typical rental wet vac has seen much more gruesome scenes than a swampy keezer...

Cheers! (Seriously, you have no idea where it's been )

That sounds like a request for a photo!

 

[stz]

This isn't as exciting as hiring a wet vac, but I just toss an old towel in there. Once I've absorbed everything and removed as much as the liquid as I'm going to I wipe all surfaces down with a damp sponge and warm soapy water, followed by the sponge sopping with sanitiser solution. Then leave it open to dry. Old towel goes straight in the machine with other slightly unloved items suitable to hot wash (cat bed blankets and stuff)

 

[WFox93]

I'm in for pictures of this "Alien life"

 

[homebrewer_99]

A small shop vac only costs $20., why rent one?

Also, my keezer has a plug in the bottom...have you checked yours for one?

My keezer is on a dolly. I just move it over to the floor drain and shoot the hose in there to clean it out. Once it's cleaned I use bleach on a mop and clean all the surfaces then dry with rags.

 

[shelly_belly]

For nasty jobs, I use my old waterbed pump.

 

[Greytop]

For what you'd pay on two rentals, you could probably just buy a shop vac and then you wouldn't be bringing someone else's nasties under your roof. I treat the interior of my keezer the same as my other brew equipment. Once in a while when I finish cleaning kegs, I wipe down the inside with the PBW solution. I wipe it down with clear water and then spray on Star-san. I have a USB powered fan in mine that keeps the air circulating so condensation doesn't pool at the bottom. I avoid getting bleach anywhere near my equipment.

 

[Swamproad]

I just use a car wash sponge.

 

[lschiavo]

How did you get this far in life without a shop vac?

 

[TallDan]

OP's location: Long Island. I'm guessing apartment brewer or otherwise very limited space.

Still, you may consider buying the small shop vac:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UQVQ0I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have the older version of that which I bought when I lived in an apartment. I still get a lot of use out of it for cleaning up small messes even though I have a bigger shop vac as well. (Including the small mess involved with every batch of coffee I roast.)

 

[mhochman]

Hi everyone and thank you for all of the advice and ideas. I stopped at Home Depot on the way home and rented a shop vac ($22). It worked perfectly and the keezer looks shiny and new inside. To those wanting pictures, sorry to disappoint, but I forgot.

I have a fan inside and I have one of those rechargeable dehumidifiers. That does a decent job with condensation, but this issue was caused by a leak/spill.

I will definitely look into purchasing my own shop vac for future issues.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[mhochman]

How did you get this far in life without a shop vac?

Never needed one. When I built the keezer, my buddy who helped brought his vac. All other work was done by pros who had their own. I don't have the knowledge (or time) to do major jobs myself.

 

[mhochman]

OP's location: Long Island. I'm guessing apartment brewer or otherwise very limited space.

Still, you may consider buying the small shop vac:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UQVQ0I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have the older version of that which I bought when I lived in an apartment. I still get a lot of use out of it for cleaning up small messes even though I have a bigger shop vac as well. (Including the small mess involved with every batch of coffee I roast.)

Comfortable size house, so space isn't an issue. Just never had a need. I will look into this for the future. Thank you for the link.