Storing empty kegs ....short term

[tominboston]

I just picked up my son's empty keg, he put some water and dish soap in it and pushed some out with co2 to clear out any old beer. I rinsed it, cleaned and soaked with hot water and pbw, pushed most of that out with co2 , then rinsed with hot water.... Then put 2 gal of warm water and a half oz of star San in it, shook it up purged the air with gas, turned upside down for a while , then pushed about half the volume through the picnic tap.
Now I just have it sitting with the star San solution. I will be putting his Oktoberfest lager in it but not for another 5 days or so. Should I just leave the sanitizer in it or should I dump it ( or I will save to soak my racking cane and keg cover )?

[uncdeo]

Don't use so much co2 on the cleaning portion......and I wouldn't use soap in the keg.....just pbw....then dump then fill with star San and then push that with co2. After its empty you can just leave it as nothing will live in that much co2.

[dannyboy58]

Yea I agree on avoiding the use of soap.

I'm pretty casual when it comes to cleaning kegs. I just rinse with hot water a few times as long as I see no visible stuck on debris. Then put in a quart or 2 of premixed star san, swish and empty. Always store them under pressure though.

[tominboston]

Thanks ! Ya I would not have used soap but I figured rather than having the old beer dry up on the bottom before I could get in there to pick it up I told him to just put a little soap and water on the bottom. I will buy him a small container of pbw for next time.

Thanks for the tip on storing under co2 pressure, I was not even thinking about that......I don't foresee any kegs being empty for too long but I suppose at some point I am going to have one or two that may sit for a while before needed.

Another question if I may...... When I sanitize my kegs just prior to filling I have a hard time getting the star San bubbles out....and then when filling I can't see the beer level, only the bubbles rising and pushing out the top. Any tricks to this? Or maybe I am doing something wrong?

[WMNoob]

Personally, if there's a little foam and no standing Star San (I let mine sit upside down for awhile after sanitizing), I just fill 'er up.

[tominboston]

Thanks, I do the same....sits upside down for 15-20 min then I try to shake the foam out. I just like to watch the beer go in ....... I will just live with it knowing my keg is well sanitized. :).

[hd4mark]

I don't do a thing until they are ready to be used again. The CO2 will keep out anything bad. When ready to use I rinse well, clean with One Step and fill. If it has any spots that don't look bright I scrub with a (new) toilet brush.

PBW works well but is more expensive and you have to rinse. Kegging a Hefe right now BTW.

[sneezles61]

Hey the cammode brush is good to know...I will clean mine real good after use, then, I usually leave a quart of star san left in mine when they are stored... I shake them for a while before use... blow that bit out with CO2... ready to use... Sneezles61

[WMNoob]

Same:blush:

[Flash]

Ok, I boil water, pour it in, close and shake keg, run water out (cleans line).

When I'm done I pour a half shot of cheap vodka in it. Pressurize the keg turn it upside down for a while to make sure it really sealed and then store it for years. I put blue tape across the keg to tell me it's clean (usually write "clean 10/17" on the tape). Then it can sit for years.

I NEVER USE SOAP EVER! Oxyclean or B-brite only... just boiling water most of the time.

Cheers,

Flash