Types of cleaning solution for kegs?

[nduetime]

So I purchased several kegs from eBay a couple of years ago and never got around to cleaning shortly before I got out of brewing. I kept all my stuff knowing I would have more time to get back into it. Well I finally realized that I really may never get "more" time like I was hoping for so I decided it would be good to get back into it.

A few weeks ago I brewed my first return batch of beer. I figured this was the perfect time to make the switch to kegging. I pulled out a couple of kegs I had purchased to prep for transferring.

After releasing the small amount of pressure the kegs were shipped in, I opend them up. There was a tiny bit of liquid at the bottom, below the dip tube. There was no lofting smell when I opened them, thought to myself, "That's good." Then I stuck my nose down inside and immediately thought, "Wow!!! That can't be right." the smell was pugant. It didn't really burn my nose but was close.

I drained the liquid and didn't notice any discolor or anything scarry. I rinsed it out with extremely hot water, scrubbed, and rinsed a couple of times. Then I filled with hot water and PBW and let it sit for 24 hours. I just got done rinsing, scrubing, and refilling it with stronger PBW and hot water solution. The smell had subsided but was slightly present. I will let it sit for another 24 hours before rinsing again. Depending on the smell I may take another run through before throughing isophor into it prior to kegging. The kegs look grat inside, jus the smell has me concerned.

Does any one know of another cleaning or sanitation solution that might have been used which displays what I have mentioned above? I'm not sure I have the contact info from whom I purchased the kegs from. Any other recomendations on what to do?

Thanks,

B.

 

[Haputanlas]

Just do another round of PBW.

I've had this take care of some pretty nasty situations.

You could also try some Oxiclean.

 

[nduetime]

Thank for the recomendations.

I did some research to find the seller of the kegs and was able to make contact with them. My fear that the kegs were used for something other that drinkable liquids was all for not. They were used for beer and soda, cleaned with starsan and/or iodophor prior to shipping. The smell is just the breakdown of the chemicals after years of sitting.

I'll rinse tonight and see what it smells like before I proceed. Any idea what smell I should be looking for with a clean keg? Should there be NO smell at all? Or is a little acceptable?

 

[rustbucket]

take some non-chlorine oxiclean and put it in the keg and fill it up, let it sit for a day or two, that stuff works miracle sometimes. then give a good 4-6 rinses, you should be good to go as far as it being cleaned out...

with mine sometimes after filling it with co2 you get some strong smell of that (yes i know co2 is odorless) but you get something of along the lines that it burns to smell or hard to breath..

 

[LordUlrich]

I would let it soak in HOT pbw for a few days. I would also replace all the gaskets.

 

[nduetime]

Well then that brings up something else. What if I was smelling the c02? The co2 in that tank was filled before I stored my stuff 3 years ago. How long will the co2 be good if the tank is holding the pressure? Will co2 go bad beyond safe use?

 

[LordUlrich]

Co2 in a tank will not break down, it will be just fine to use.

 

[rustbucket]

my statement was kinda misleading... its not really a smell.. its more of a harshness to breath.. its kinda hard to explain unless you really know have experienced it.

and like previous poster said, Co2 should not break down.. really there is only a few ways that Co2 will break down (photosynthesis) and i think there is a mechanical/electrical/chemical process that breaks down Co2 (could be wrong on that one)

 

[nduetime]

rustbucket....I think I what I experienced what you commented about. It's really hard to describe. It wasn't something that burned my eyes or anything...just something that shocked me to smell. I'm replacing all the gaskets.

I appreciate all the responses.

 

[snwmnhntr]

I doubt anything in the keg would hold an odor other than the gaskets. I think you are probably smelling co2 and old water. I would replace all the gaskets and then let it soak in hot PBW for a day or two. that should clean it up nicely.

 

[dragonbreath11]

Bar Keeper's Friend is an awesome cleaner for stainless steel and can be found in many supermarkets. Just don't use it on aluminium.