Clean your beer lines!

[alb]

I've been using this set-up and it's da bomb. Total cost just under $25, over half of that was the special Firestone liquid out ball lock post.

EASY PEASY BEER LINE CLEANING

[BlackDuck]

That's a great idea. Thanks for posting this.

[Kealia]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

[ScrewyBrewer]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

I use Beer Line Cleaner and pump it through the lines and tap. I used OxiClean, but once I saw the crud that BLC washed out of what I thought were clean beer line, I'll never use anything else.

[FedoraDave]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

This is what I do, also. Two jobs done in one swell foop. And the CO2 required to run liquid through is minimal. This method might be preferable for some folks, though. I won't knock it, since I can definitely see it working, rather than some crackpot idea.

[Beer-lord]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

I use Beer Line Cleaner and pump it through the lines and tap. I used OxiClean, but once I saw the crud that BLC washed out of what I thought were clean beer line, I'll never use anything else.

I do the same each and every time a keg kicks. It's worth it.

[Kealia]

Especially with YOUR beers........haha, sorry I couldn't resist.

[alb]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

I use Beer Line Cleaner and pump it through the lines and tap. I used OxiClean, but once I saw the crud that BLC washed out of what I thought were clean beer line, I'll never use anything else.

Yep, That's why I use a separate system now, and the otherwise unexplained funk I was getting in my brew is gone.

[John Sand]

I use the sprayer described in the video. Mine took some tinkering to fit the post to the sprayer. It works well, I use One-Step.

[Tabasco]

That's interesting, but I clean my beer lines when a keg kicks. At that point I'm also cleaning my keg so I just push some PBW and then some StarSan through the lines with minimal CO2. This seems like extra work FOR ME, but kudos to anybody it helps.

This is what I do, also. Two jobs done in one swell foop. And the CO2 required to run liquid through is minimal. This method might be preferable for some folks, though. I won't knock it, since I can definitely see it working, rather than some crackpot idea.

Me three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FedoraDave]

I also use Five Star Liquid Line Cleaner to get the scale and other crap out, but not every time a keg punts the pail. I just don't think it's necessary every single time. To me, that's sort of like clipping your fingernails every single day.

And when I use the Five Star, I run it through same way I do the OxyClean and Star San. I just let it sit in the line for 15 minutes before flushing it like crazy.

[bpgreen]

I'll confess that sometimes, when a keg kicks, I'll just swap to the next keg and start running that beer through.

I have two reasons for this: 1. I figure that there's not enough time for anything to happen to the beer lines and 2. I want to finish pouring my beer.

[RickBeer]

I know an expert in this area and she says that the #1 thing that bars, and homebrewers, should do more of is frequent line cleaning. I sent back beer last month when it clearly had off flavors from the lines not being cleaned. Bartender had no response when I told her to give me two bottles instead.

I have not taken up kegging at home for this reason. If we drink 72 ounces a week, it would take 4.4 weeks to empty a keg IF I only drank that one type of beer. With bottles, I have a dozen to pick from and like that.

[FedoraDave]

I know an expert in this area and she says that the #1 thing that bars, and homebrewers, should do more of is frequent line cleaning.

I would say there's a difference between line "cleaning" and line "purging." Every time a keg quits, I follow the same procedure: 1. Clean the keg with OxyClean Free. 2. Run OxyClean Free through the line/tap. 3. Rinse keg with clean water. 4. Run clean water through line/tap. 5. Sanitize keg. 6. Run Star San through line/tap. I usually have another keg ready to hook up to that line, so there's no down time. I will use the Five Star Line Cleaner every fifth keg or so.

I have not taken up kegging at home for this reason. If we drink 72 ounces a week, it would take 4.4 weeks to empty a keg IF I only drank that one type of beer. With bottles, I have a dozen to pick from and like that.

I also like variety in my pipeline. I keg every five gallon batch, but I bottle a good number of my 2.5 gallon batches. While I'm able to fit 3 kegs in my keeper, I only have two taps. Even so, I usually have about four or five different styles to choose from.