how to keep faucets clean in garage

[nerdling1]

Hi!
A year and a half ago I built a kegerator for my husband's birthday with 2 taps. We keep it in the garage but it seems that for the last few months there are some gross black flakes that start to come out with the beer about halfway through a new keg. We clean the lines and faucets out with micromatic every new keg. I tried using a little screw brush with a rubber end to plug the faucets from garage dust but it got so moldy, so quickly, that I threw it out. Is there any way to keep the faucets clean in a garage? How do I get rid of this black debris in our beer? Thanks in advance!!

 

[helterscelter]

Hi!
A year and a half ago I built a kegerator for my husband's birthday with 2 taps. We keep it in the garage but it seems that for the last few months there are some gross black flakes that start to come out with the beer about halfway through a new keg. We clean the lines and faucets out with micromatic every new keg. I tried using a little screw brush with a rubber end to plug the faucets from garage dust but it got so moldy, so quickly, that I threw it out. Is there any way to keep the faucets clean in a garage? How do I get rid of this black debris in our beer? Thanks in advance!!

Sounds like you need to take your faucets apart and scrub the crap out of them. What kind of faucets do you have?

Personally I keep these on my keezer in the garage, but mostly to prevent fruit flies from accumulating

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Bqe5+GsVL._SY400_.jpg

 

[microbusbrewery]

Never had this issue, maybe because it's really dry where I live. Based on your experience with the brush, I suspect the beer residue in the faucet is getting moldy. I'd try a couple squirts of Star-san from a spray bottle up into the faucet after the last pour of the day. That should rinse out any beer left behind so that it doesn't have a chance to go moldy.

 

[nerdling1]

Thanks. I do take the faucets apart and soak and scrub with wvery keg change...but I will definitely look into the star san and the black attachments! Thanks guys

 

[splendidus]

You might consider doing a faucet (and maybe line) clean every 1/2 or 1/3 of a keg (based on your observations).

 

[passedpawn]

I live in FL and my keezer is outside under a covered patio. I just keep the blue brush plugs in the 4 perlic 525ss taps I have, no problems at all over several years. I'm actually surprised myself at that, since this is the bug capital of the western world.

I clean the lines once a year, whether they need it or not. Taps probably don't get cleaned that often, though I recently disassembled them and they were turning the corner on gross.

I do keep a spray bottle of starsan by the keezer, and liberally spray stuff off pretty often, including directing the spray up the exit of the taps.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I run 630ss in the garage with no problems. I've pushed about 100 gallons of beer through them this year with no issues. I live in a very dry climate. Should be below 10%rh again today.

 

[etk29321]

I've seen the black flakes before on my non-perlick taps. Since I got tap plugs I have not seen them. I'm pretty sure its just dried up beer that gets stuck in the tap (it will grow mold too if left). The forward seal perlicks don't let as much beer remain in the tap past the seal and with the plugs none of them seem to dry out so fast either. Drinking beer more beer helps too... less time for things to dry out.

 

[nerdling1]

Thanks again. I live in georgia, and the humidity is killer. We dont get this when it is colder in the winter. We have 1 perlick, I regular. They both seem to get the flakes in warm weather. I think I am going to start cleaning the lines less often, maybe every other keg switch and clean the faucet more often- and buy some star san!

 

[beerme70]

If they are NOT 100% stainless steel, my guess is that it is the chrome plating coming off. Beer will eat plating plum off, and once it starts, there ain't no stopping it. I would suggest replacing them with Perlick SS taps.

 

[ron deru]

I use picnic taps from 4 kegs in my kegerator. I had the same problem. I started keeping a jug of starsan in the kegerator and drop the taps into the solution between uses. That seems to have worked.

 

[odie]

I have forward sealing faucets. I remove the nozzles after every session and clean them. I also spray star-san up inside the faucet body to flush out any beer and let them drip dry.

 

[Vinny]

odie, that is exactly what I do to the letter, never an issue!

Vinny