Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Spent the first half of the Super Bowl cleaning, rinsing, and sanitizing my ball and pin-lock kegs.

I built a set-up using instructions I found on-line; and it worked well. I was able to make sure PBW was forced through the gas input and beverage output, as well as the main interior.

I put the wash cycle at 15 minutes, with a 1 minute hot rinse, and a 1 min Starsan rinse. The Starsan really bubbled up...and made a little mess...next time, I get Starsan through the tubes and a 10 second rinse in the interior, and I'm done.

What was interesting, was getting the empty kegs pressurized. I had one pinlock that was particularly stubborn, I had to use keg lube to get it to seal. I spread it on the lip of the lid, and on the inside lip of the keg and then re-installed. This is a keg I completely refurbished with new o-rings (both on the gas and beverage pins and the main seal).

Do any of you regularly require the application of keg lube to establish a good seal?

Also, I had used one of these kegs for soda...and after 15-20 minutes of a hot PBW wash...the smell was still there. Until I replace all of the seals, I guess this one is dedicated to soda pop or Starsan.

I put keg lube all over the O-ring for the lid so that it seals easily, and a quick swipe around the gas/liquid post O-rings so that the disconnects slide on and off smoothly.

I have one keg labeled cider, another hard lemonaid, and the rest beer. Before I had enough to do that though, I never noticed a problem, even though one of the kegs started out with labels from asia, and containing SURGE soda syrup which had a very distinct smell.

I have been kegging since 2004 and have never used keg lube. I think it is great stuff, just have not needed it. I hit my kegs with 40 psi to set the lid and leave at that pressure overnight to carbonate. An old trick if you have trouble sealing and no lube, is soak the gaskets in hot water which will help them soften and seal easier. Hit with at least 30 psi just to set the lid. Then you can release the pressure and set where you want it.

Daryl, use saniclean instead of starsan if running in your keg washer. It is the same but does not foam.

For sanitizing, I have a keg dedicated to starsan. I just push some into the cleaned keg, shake, and push it out (also sealing the keg.) It's sanitized and ready to go when your beer is.

I have a spray bottle w/ star-san. I like to hit the post before connecting. It should kill anything on it, and also give some lube so the qd goes on easily.

Great tips Matt.

Again, another return on my investment of club dues.

Thanks.

Matt F wrote:I have been kegging since 2004 and have never used keg lube. I think it is great stuff, just have not needed it. I hit my kegs with 40 psi to set the lid and leave at that pressure overnight to carbonate. An old trick if you have trouble sealing and no lube, is soak the gaskets in hot water which will help them soften and seal easier. Hit with at least 30 psi just to set the lid. Then you can release the pressure and set where you want it.

Daryl, use saniclean instead of starsan if running in your keg washer. It is the same but does not foam.

Matt,
The instructions on the SaniClean says to air dry. Do I have to wait for it to dry before I can fill my keg or carboy? Or is it like StarSan...and what little is in the keg/carboy/bottle will not effect the beer?

I have not used it so better make sure. I am guessing OK.

I think air dry means no rinse is necessary.

The SaniClean worked well. It did foam up a little but, more than the PBW, but not enough to bubble over and out of the bucket.

Thanks for the tip.