kegging noob-storing unused keg liquid lines?

[m3n00b]

Do you guys keep star San in them or what?

 

[hunter_le five]

I store mine empty. I generally run PBW through them after the keg kicks, and Star-San before I tap a new keg.

My cleaning/sanitation procedure for pretty much ALL of my brew equipment: PBW after use, Star-San before use.

 

[m3n00b]

Okay I just flushed the star San out of the lines with hot water. I don't have any pbw and dont want to leave oxyclean in too long. I was just remembering what happens to other tubing when it sits in stars an too long.

How do you empty them? A blast of co2?

 

[hunter_le five]

How do you empty them? A blast of co2?

Yup.

 

[m3n00b]

Yup.

Sounds good. At least one of them won't be used for a month. I won't have any problems with mildew?

 

[eluterio]

If your using oxyclean I would make sure you really rinse out the kegs. I used to do it before PBW and thought I rinsed them out well enough but when I pulled from the tap I had a soapy taste to my beer.

I would also after rinsing it out with hot water, take the keg apart let the dip tube dry out. The parts will store water and leaving it upright the water will collect on the bottom of the keg. Put parts on towel, flip the keg and let air dry. Once its all dry assemble and leave top part off and store upside down. When your ready to fill run star san through it. and your golden!

 

[hunter_le five]

Sounds good. At least one of them won't be used for a month. I won't have any problems with mildew?

I never have. I've left them empty for longer than that too.

Maybe some other people will chime in with their own experiences or preferred methods?

 

[m3n00b]

Thanks guys. Yeah I learned oxyclean is tough to rinse off with my carboys. I do a minimum of 5 vigorous rinses with hot water.


I rinsed the keg with starsan then purged with co2. Is that not a good way to store it? Lhbs told me to do that.

 

[eluterio]

You need to invest in some PBW go the the Lhbs and ask for 8 lbs canisters. I bought one earlier this year and im down to my last 4lbs and I brew 10 gallons at min a month.

You can store it with star san in the keg ive done it but it just adds an extra step.

I after you clean your keg I would store it upside down or parts on and right side up. I would only use star san if your going to use it right away. Your going to have to use star san again after you purge it because homebrewers are crazy like that, well this guy is sanitation baby.

I usually use 1 oz to 1 gal ratio and can clean multiple items with it. Longer it sits the more stuff comes off.

Ive got 9 kegs, when one pops I rinse it out and use a brush to get some nasties out. Once I have 2 or 3 empty one I will use pbw about 3 gallons of water let it sit in the keg. I have the keg sealed so I can just flip it on its top. About an hour usually does it for me. Then I pour it into the next keg, rinse and reuse. Works for carboys and you can stretch the PBW a long ways. Ive also let the kegs sit with PBW for a day or so doesnt hurt the SS like oxyclean does.

 

[Begin2Brew]

When I kick a keg I'll rinse it out with a hose, run some of the water through both posts, drain it and add some warm water and oxyclean. I'll shake it up, run some through both posts and let it sit a few days to a week. Then I'll drain it and rinse with fresh water and fill half way with Starsan solution and again run some through both posts and let it sit until I need it.

 

[m3n00b]

When I kick a keg I'll rinse it out with a hose, run some of the water through both posts, drain it and add some warm water and oxyclean. I'll shake it up, run some through both posts and let it sit a few days to a week. Then I'll drain it and rinse with fresh water and fill half way with Starsan solution and again run some through both posts and let it sit until I need it.

You leave oxy in there for up to a week?

 

[Begin2Brew]

You leave oxy in there for up to a week?

In my kegs, yes.

 

[m3n00b]

In my kegs, yes.

You never get a nasty film that doesn't want to come off? I've left it in a carboy overnight and will never do that again. 1 hour is my new limit.

 

[eluterio]

You never get a nasty film that doesn't want to come off? I've left it in a carboy overnight and will never do that again. 1 hour is my new limit.

Do a search on HBT about oxyclean on stainless steel. Iv read in several places that it will strip away with time and basically ruin your SS. Oxyclean might cost per ounce less but I would still just go and buy PBW its been used for years and works great in half the time and wont eat away at your product.

 

[ColoHox]

You never get a nasty film that doesn't want to come off? I've left it in a carboy overnight and will never do that again. 1 hour is my new limit.

I have had a problem with that film forming on plastic parts that sit too long, never my kegs. I often let my kegs soak in oxyclean (which has the same active ingredient as PBW) for days.

But for OP, after an oxyclean wash, water rinse, and Starsan rinse, I store my beer lines hanging so they drip dry.

 

[zachattack]

The "white film" is a function of your water. Using PBW instead of oxy will help. You can also add TSP to the oxy to simulate PBW, lots of people do that. You can remove it with something acidic, like star san. Since I have rather soft water, oxyclean works fine for me. The film is not any evidence that the oxy is "ruining" your stainless, it will form on glass as well.

 

[m3n00b]

I have had a problem with that film forming on plastic parts that sit too long, never my kegs. I often let my kegs soak in oxyclean (which has the same active ingredient as PBW) for days.

But for OP, after an oxyclean wash, water rinse, and Starsan rinse, I store my beer lines hanging so they drip dry.

My lines have oeteker clamps so its not easy to disassemble them.