How often do you CIP vs disassemble to clean?

[matt_m]

I'm curious what others are doing. I've been doing a CIP on my fairly complicated eBIAB system, circulating 180F PBW mix for an hour through the whole system. I'll typically circulate for about half that time through my counterflow chiller and my recirc port, then the rest of the time through my whirlpool port which gets the element very clean. Then everything gets pumped out via the chiller followed by a thorough rinse through all the plumbing and chiller. About every 4-5 brews I'll break it down for a more thorough cleaning but never find anything more than an amber tint on areas like the inside of the TC ports where there's insufficient flow to self-clean so I'm thinking I can go a few brews longer without an issue.

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm on a three vessel system (electric), all with TC fittings.
Every batch I break down the MT to get all the grain out of the nooks and crannies. Especially out of the false bottom.
The BK gets broken down as needed. Which is every couple/few batches at present. I do use a PBW soak to clean the element. Last session I just let it soak. Next session (this coming weekend) I plan to also fire the element to get a better clean on it.
I run clear water through the HERMS coil every batch. Every other (or so) I'll also run PBW through it.
I do run PBW through the plate chiller each batch. Followed by rinse water to get all traces out.
All my other fittings (not on the kettles) get taken apart each batch. Including the TC ball valves (I have two). But those are easy to break down due to the TC clamp holding them together. I do that because I found that they can trap a bit of wort inside them post brew day. I'll take the couple of minutes to take those apart, clean, and put back together to remove any potential issue.

I mix up more PBW in the kitchen to soak any items that need it. Usually that's the wort strainer screen and the carbonating stone (for the fermenters). I bought an 8# container of PBW last time (previous was 4#). Will see how long that lasts.

 

[Sammy86]

I'm curious what others are doing. I've been doing a CIP on my fairly complicated eBIAB system, circulating 180F PBW mix for an hour through the whole system. I'll typically circulate for about half that time through my counterflow chiller and my recirc port, then the rest of the time through my whirlpool port which gets the element very clean.

This is what I do on my Brewzilla except no whirlpool port...i always clean the mash pipe out to get the grain but everything is CIP.

 

[DuncB]

@Sammy86
Do you have the CIP on the recirc tube or a separate pump?

I find that the Guten 70 litre pump with the CIP hanging from the lid isn't that powerful.

 

[Sammy86]

@Sammy86
Do you have the CIP on the recirc tube or a separate pump?

I find that the Guten 70 litre pump with the CIP hanging from the lid isn't that powerful.

Recirc tube...its not crazy over powered but it gets the job done.

 

[day_trippr]

20 gallon 3v2p single tier here. I normally just rinse out the rig with hot tap water (~125°F) after a brew, then every 2 or 3 batches will do a 150°F PBW recirculation, which leaves everything wicked clean. I occasionally take my wort side ball valves apart to see if they're clean and have yet to have to take additional action - everything is usually quite bright...

Cheers!

 

[hottpeper13]

I do exactly what tripper does,and found that if I run with the ball valves half open(or closed depending on how your bent) when there disassembled no crud is present.

 

[Brooothru]

I've got a 20L all-in-one Braumeister for mash and boil, and a 7 gal. Unitank and 7 gallon conical. After going all-in for a CIP and 17 g/min recirc pump, I wasn't satisfied with the job it did. Actually the CIP setup was way overkill but still left gunk in some impossible to reach places.

I've gone back to a system of drain, hot rinse, extended PBW soak, drain & hot rinse again, followed by a breakdown and removal of all the TC fittings to get to places that the CIP just doesn't clean adequately in my judgment. There are recesses that are magnets for trub and compacted spent yeast that can impact future brew sessions. Ask me how I know.

Things would be different if I cleaned and soaked with caustics, but I'm not willing to go there.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Mash tun and boil kettle get completely broken down and washed by hand every time.

At the end of the brew day, run Oxyclean through the pump, the HERMS coil, and the CFC, following by a rinse and sanitizer.

I have the Spike 3V + system and they advertise it as being able to clean in place but it's a joke, you can't do that.

 

[matt_m]

I do exactly what tripper does,and found that if I run with the ball valves half open(or closed depending on how your bent) when there disassembled no crud is present.

So I disassembled all 3 ball valves I have in my system. The ones for controlling whirlpool and recirc were clean as I run them part way open just to control flow during CIP. The one right off my kettle which I always just run open or closed, something nasty that looked like a bad sinus infection and smelled like death fell out.

 

[Golddiggie]

I take apart the two ball valves in my setup after each batch. With these being three piece (TC) versions that's very easy to do. Butterfly valves are easy to inspect for clean.

I'm looking at creating manifolds on my pumps (as well as the HERMS coil inlet) before my next batch. I plan to take apart the wort side setup at least every other session. Since it's all TC fittings/connections, it won't be all that much trouble. Coupled with butterfly valves means I have less concerns around the valves being good. I will continue to run PBW solution through the BK/wort pump/plate chiller setup after each batch. I have the BK with some in it now (soaking the element). I plan to finish the cleaning over the next day or two. I like to give the element a soak for a couple of days. I did already run the solution through the plate chiller and wort pump (rinsed the plate chiller during cleanup on brew day). I'll run hot PBW through it again though, just because I can.

 

[Brooothru]

So I disassembled all 3 ball valves I have in my system. The ones for controlling whirlpool and recirc were clean as I run them part way open just to control flow during CIP. The one right off my kettle which I always just run open or closed, something nasty that looked like a bad sinus infection and smelled like death fell out.

You can cycle your valves open and closed during CIP. Just be careful that you don't "starve" the feed to your pump and cause cavitation. When I CIP, I have drainage lines attached to the low point dump port and the transfer valve port part way up the cone. I leave the valves attached rather than removed. The drain lines are connected with a "T" that sends the combined discharge to the input side of the pump.

If you open and close each valve one at a time you'll avoid cavitation of the lines or running the pump dry. If you really want to get serious about cleaning and don't mind spending some $$$, replace you ball valves with butterfly valves. I still disassemble after most brew sessions even when I CIP, but my valves are always clean when I cycle them open/closed during CIP.

 

[bkboiler]

I don't have access to hot tap water next to the brew rig. but I do have a hose nearby.
I've rigged up my mash tun with a flexible diptube (part rigid part flexible), so I just bend it back and lift up the false bottom and pull it out and spray it all down with the hose.
Then I run hot pbw and then water through the valves and tubing and pumps...
The only thing I unthread is my loc line which feeds from the lid of my mash tun. I toss it in the hot pbw whole recirculating and bend it around several times. Other than that all fittings and valves stay in place and all I do is turn the ball valve handle a few times (if I remember).
I do this after every brew (as it is usually several weeks between brews).
And before every brew I hose everything down as my brew rig is stored in the garage and there's a lot of sawdust flying around.