Decided to try out Craft Meister Alkaline Brewery Wash in place of cleaning carboys with PBW. Prepping carboys for the last two brews noticed small white streaks in the bottom of the carboys. I store the cleaned and rinsed carboys upside down to drip dry. Suspect the white streaks is PBW that did not rinse out.
I use less than 1 tablespoon of PBW in 2 to 2.5 gallons of water so I don’t think the left over PBW is from a too strong solution for soaking the carboy over night. My cleaning and rinse water for carboys is 75° to 70°. PBW supposedly works best for cleaning when the solution is over 140°. Good temperature for clean in place systems but not for a glass carboy. The poor rinsing could also possibly be a reaction with minerals in our water which has a total hardness 183. Will have a couple of carboys to clean soon. See what happens.
Let us know what you find out. I’ve never used PBW. Instead I’ve used elbow grease and Starsan. At times when I’m lazy I use Oxiclean, rinse and store with Starsan.
I thought this wash an interesting read on the subject.
The oxygen wash is percarbonate based, like PBW. The difference is in the quality of the ingredients Craftmeister uses. PBW sources their percarbonate cleaners from the laundry industry. Craftmeister uses ingredients made specifically for them. The results is that the Craftmeister dissolves and rinses more readily than PBW and does a better job cleaning. The alkaline cleaner works kind of like a caustic wash in the brewery. Sorry I can’t give you the exact chemistry. I’ve found that the alkaline cleans better in cold water than PBW does in hot water. The alkaline used with hot water will clean just about anything.
Now you’ve got to explain… I was under the impression that the PBW, and the Craft Meister belong to the alkaline side of the pH scale… I understand that their are certain “adjuncts” to these cleaners we use that work better on… say, protein as opposed to water deposits left from the boiling process… Lime, calcium… brewing salts…
Did I have too much to sample? Sneezles61
OK… Did some research… Cryptobrewology, Jan. 12 2012… That explains this to me… If read all the way through it, theres a public announcement the article makes that should get you to smile! Sneezles61
This Chinook IPA was the first brew in a carboy cleaned with Alkaline Brewery Wash. Bottled 6/18 and one day of chilling in the refrigerator. No problem with head retention and that beautiful lacing in the glass. Seems to have been worthwhile to switch from PBW.
First picture the glass and the camera lens are covered with condensate on this hot and humid day.