Question about beer lines when not used for months - preventing mold, just curious

[Rev2010]

I've had my kegerator for a year now and all has been perfect. Just now wondering something. I stop brewing in the summer and turn off the kegerator. I don't have, nor have yet had, any problems with mold but I was wondering something. I clean all my beer lines with BLC within days of kicking a keg but I rinse with water after with my hand pump. I got to thinking, when I come off season is it bad to have any residual moisture from the water rinse in the lines for the months I'm not using it? I pump until it blows air, but there of course will still be some moisture in the lines. Now I am thinking that when for the last cleaning of the season I should run StarSan through after the water, should that be adequate? Again, I don't have mold and never have but it's a thought that got me thinking I should probably do better to ensure that I never do get it. What say you all?

*edit - BTW I have Ultra Barrier Silver lines, which they say the silver is also to prevent growth of organisms. But I think perhaps I should starsan them before I leave them for the summer.

Rev.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

If I'm going to have a tap off for a while, I flush it with Starsan. Why not?


If you're shutting the kegerator down for an extended period, take the connector off one side and leave the faucet open on the other after the Starsan rinse. No moisture... No problems!

 

[sillbeer]

I just recently cleaned mine out. I filled a keg full of PBW and hot water and ran it through the line then I filled up a keg full of starsan and ran it through the lines. I let each solution sit in each line for 10 minutes then rinsed with water. Like k1ngl1ves said, just leave one end disconnected afterwards with the tap open.

 

[E-Rodge]

So what do you mean by "season"?

 

[Rev2010]

So what do you mean by "season"?

I ferment in a place in my house so during the warm summer months the temp where I ferment is too high so I stop brewing during those months. Hence, I have a brewing season from September or October to May.


Rev.

 

[Gavin C]

I ferment in a place in my house so during the warm summer months the temp where I ferment is too high so I stop brewing during those months. Hence, I have a brewing season from September or October to May.


Rev.

I always try to keep lines filled. Never going to get all the moisture out so I only try to eliminate air.

Filled with beer, or water/BLC when a keg kicks and there is a delay between hooking up the next one. I'm not sure if this is good practice. I just don't want air and moisture in there together.

Biofilms in lines are a nuisance.

After a keg kicks, the line gets cleaned and sanitized before being filled with beer or water/BLC

 

[Natdavis777]

I always keep lines not in use (which is never more than a month) filled with starsan solution...

 

[applescrap]

Faucet open disconnected on other side ..... dry sounds best after sanitized. Silver could also trump we have these 30$ dish towels called norwex my wife said the demo party lady put raw chicken on plate then wiped with silver towel and then licked plate. It could be true silver has anti bacteria strength

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Faucet open disconnected on other side ..... dry sounds best after sanitized. Silver could also trump we have these 30$ dish towels called norwex my wife said the demo party lady put raw chicken on plate then wiped with silver towel and then licked plate. It could be true silver has anti bacteria strength

9 out of 10 doctors used to recommend Camel cigarettes too.






Don't lick raw chicken.