Tacosaurus
Member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2016
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 6
I feel like this is a pessimistic/needy first post so accept my apologies. I want to begin by stating that Ive spent several months lurking, learning, and absorbing information from the very helpful posts in this community. It is my intention to not ask questions that have already been answered, but in my current situation Im not able to find the clarity or consensus that is typical of a lot of common issues.
I hooked my first kegged beer up to my keezer Wednesday night, it tasted great, and at the same time Thursday evening it was an infected mess. I dont fully understand where my set-up would have been vulnerable to this aggressive of an infection and need opinions and advice on eliminating the remnants of this in my equipment prior to my next attempt.
The only thing that touched this beer that was not in contact on a constant basis previously was the liquid QD, tap line, shank and faucet. Beer had been carbing in my garage for around 2 weeks, and I only removed the gas line QD to put the components in the keezer, hooking back directly afterward.
Over the course of the 2 weeks carbing, I have hooked up a liquid line and taken a few samples/pints. There was absolutely no infection at any of these points, including the first pull from the set-up after completed keezer installation, this occurred in the 24 hour period after hooking up to the final.
1. Can a beer line harbor an infection this aggressive? I havent found any examples of an entire keg getting smacked in less than 24hrs by a beer line.
2. Can infection in tap lines contaminate the entire keg? I pulled around 2 pints off before disconnecting the line, Im assuming 2 pints is enough to be pulling from the keg and not lines only (5ft).
3. When disconnecting the liquid lines there was spillage into the keezer. I wiped the interior down with 1/10 bleach/water solution, is this sufficient given it is an external environment?
4. If the keg was contaminated, could this have gotten into the gas lines if the infection created excess head pressure and pushed air back into gas lines (Set at 10 PSI)?
5. Is the wooden collar susceptible to harboring this infection long term due to being porous?
6. Do lines need to have sanitizer left in them in between kegs?
7. Is bleaching the disconnects enough or should I replace all liquid side non-metal?
Things Ive done/will do
· Both beer lines are garbage, bought new line.
· Removed everything from keezer, wiped exterior of keg, CO2 tank, and interior of keezer with 1/10 bleach/water and air dried.
· Soaked faucets, QDs (gas and liquid), shanks, and rubber shank washers in same bleach solution for 15 minutes. Rinsed with water and air dried.
· Will clean keg with boiling water, PBW, Star San, and replace all O-Rings.
· Will run sanitizer through new beer lines
Equipment:
(2) 5 Gallon Ball Lock Corny Keg
* Were purchased used, Soaked/cleaned with PBW, sanitized with Star San, beer sat in keg under pressure for ~2 weeks prior to hook-up to keezer and tasted great.
(1) 10lb CO2 Tank
(1) Tap-Rite Dual Body Regulator
(2) Gas lines and QDs (MFL)
(2) Beer lines and QDs (MFL, fitting leaked so thread wrapped in Teflon tape)
(2) 4in faucet shanks
(2) Perlick Chrome plated faucets
(1) Collar, Freezer, and temp controller.
Infection characteristics (Pretty inexperienced off- flavor identifier)
· Poured quite cloudy (change from previous pours)
· Head disappeared almost immediately
· Sharp, cutting, solvent/light vinegar taste
· Body way diminished (Was a FG 1.016 ESB, so had a good backbone previously)
· This is a spit the beer out on the floor change, not a hmm, thats an off-taste I hadnt noticed before
Thanks in advance for the feedback and help. Pretty discouraging for the first beer through the keezer to end up ruined, no feeling sorry for myself though. Ill be brewing a replacement this weekend to hopefully get on tap in the next few weeks. I want to make sure the set-up is ready to go for next time and I dont repeat any mis-steps.
I hooked my first kegged beer up to my keezer Wednesday night, it tasted great, and at the same time Thursday evening it was an infected mess. I dont fully understand where my set-up would have been vulnerable to this aggressive of an infection and need opinions and advice on eliminating the remnants of this in my equipment prior to my next attempt.
The only thing that touched this beer that was not in contact on a constant basis previously was the liquid QD, tap line, shank and faucet. Beer had been carbing in my garage for around 2 weeks, and I only removed the gas line QD to put the components in the keezer, hooking back directly afterward.
Over the course of the 2 weeks carbing, I have hooked up a liquid line and taken a few samples/pints. There was absolutely no infection at any of these points, including the first pull from the set-up after completed keezer installation, this occurred in the 24 hour period after hooking up to the final.
1. Can a beer line harbor an infection this aggressive? I havent found any examples of an entire keg getting smacked in less than 24hrs by a beer line.
2. Can infection in tap lines contaminate the entire keg? I pulled around 2 pints off before disconnecting the line, Im assuming 2 pints is enough to be pulling from the keg and not lines only (5ft).
3. When disconnecting the liquid lines there was spillage into the keezer. I wiped the interior down with 1/10 bleach/water solution, is this sufficient given it is an external environment?
4. If the keg was contaminated, could this have gotten into the gas lines if the infection created excess head pressure and pushed air back into gas lines (Set at 10 PSI)?
5. Is the wooden collar susceptible to harboring this infection long term due to being porous?
6. Do lines need to have sanitizer left in them in between kegs?
7. Is bleaching the disconnects enough or should I replace all liquid side non-metal?
Things Ive done/will do
· Both beer lines are garbage, bought new line.
· Removed everything from keezer, wiped exterior of keg, CO2 tank, and interior of keezer with 1/10 bleach/water and air dried.
· Soaked faucets, QDs (gas and liquid), shanks, and rubber shank washers in same bleach solution for 15 minutes. Rinsed with water and air dried.
· Will clean keg with boiling water, PBW, Star San, and replace all O-Rings.
· Will run sanitizer through new beer lines
Equipment:
(2) 5 Gallon Ball Lock Corny Keg
* Were purchased used, Soaked/cleaned with PBW, sanitized with Star San, beer sat in keg under pressure for ~2 weeks prior to hook-up to keezer and tasted great.
(1) 10lb CO2 Tank
(1) Tap-Rite Dual Body Regulator
(2) Gas lines and QDs (MFL)
(2) Beer lines and QDs (MFL, fitting leaked so thread wrapped in Teflon tape)
(2) 4in faucet shanks
(2) Perlick Chrome plated faucets
(1) Collar, Freezer, and temp controller.
Infection characteristics (Pretty inexperienced off- flavor identifier)
· Poured quite cloudy (change from previous pours)
· Head disappeared almost immediately
· Sharp, cutting, solvent/light vinegar taste
· Body way diminished (Was a FG 1.016 ESB, so had a good backbone previously)
· This is a spit the beer out on the floor change, not a hmm, thats an off-taste I hadnt noticed before
Thanks in advance for the feedback and help. Pretty discouraging for the first beer through the keezer to end up ruined, no feeling sorry for myself though. Ill be brewing a replacement this weekend to hopefully get on tap in the next few weeks. I want to make sure the set-up is ready to go for next time and I dont repeat any mis-steps.