Back to Shopping at NorthernBrewer.com

Anyone tried boiling Keg Disconnects & more?

Northern Brewer General
#1

I am having a bit of an issue with sanitation. I think I’ve found the culprit (see here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=118610&start=30#p1044086 ), but rather than “scientifically identify the problem.” I just want to scour the whole system to fix it.

To that end, I’d like to boil the following items. Why? Replacing all of them with new is expensive! So, has anyone ever done it with good results? If so, for how long did you leave the item in the boiling water?

  • Gas Ball-Lock Keg Disconnect (all parts, including valve & washers)[/*]
  • Liquid Ball-Lock Keg Disconnect (all parts, including valve & washers)[/*]
  • Keg Post Poppets (Type A)[/*]
  • Keg Lid Pressure Relief Valve (grey plastic kind with affixed rubber pad)[/*]

I can, of course, clean these items, but if boiling them won’t eliminate the possible infection source, then I hope someone here knows that & can share it (before I make that effort).

Thanks,
~Andrew

#2

How about a soak in PBW/Oxy and then in StarSan/Iodaphor?

I might be concerned about some of those parts being on the bottom of a pan with the heat on.

#3

Like Night stated. If you really want to double wammy soak/brush in PBW then sanitize clean parts in star san, then sanitize in alcohol or Idophor to be certain as switching up the sanitizers on bugs usually is enough to do the trick. I appreciate your gusto but boiling is a little too much for these types of parts when the alternative is perfectly suitable for the job at hand.

#4

Interesting. Even though they’re plastic pieces, and the usual mantra is to discard and start a-new (i.e., fermentation buckets), a dual-sanitizer approach is likely sufficient?

#5

If you want to toss them, go ahead. I doubt they are damaged like a pail can become that they need to be tossed. Even a simple soak in dish soap with a lite brushing with a small bottle brush will remove all the solids from the disconnects.

Then a soak in either sanitizer should be sufficient. If you wanted to do both that works also. Each works a little different. Keeps the bugs on their toes. Tossing in a bleach/water/vinegar solution for a triple knockdown if you like.

This is where a spray bottle of StarSan comes in handy. Hold the disconnect with a rag and spray it down when changing out kegs.

Lines can be a little tougher to clean. But even they should be fine with a PBW/Oxy wash, running some BLC or it’s generic active ingredient in solution through them, then a sanitizer should keep them tidy.

#6

Couldn’t have said it better myself. My SOP exactly. A spray of Star san is less than nothing in cost/effort so I spray just about everything/anything cold side if anything is open to environ for any period of time.

Just somthing like you stated makes it awful easy to keep things proactive. A corny liquid fitting comes off…Boom a quick spray and left to chill/dry. A fitting goes on liquid side…Boom a quick spray and attach therefore always “clean” as beer spray does happen sometimes when disconnecting/connecting and if left to build will cause issue after time if left unchecked.

Now this is not to say this conclusion you found about your fittings Silent is/ was the smoking gun. But it definitely steps up the war against beer spoilage. Good show.

#7

[quote=“ITsPossible”]
Now this is not to say this conclusion you found about your fittings Silent is/ was the smoking gun. But it definitely steps up the war against beer spoilage. Good show.[/quote]

Yah, definitely still unknown about the infection source, but gas-side disconnect seems eligible for better cleaning, at any rate.

I HAD a spray bottle of starsan, and then well, I threw it out in a fit of rage because the spray nozzle sucked. I guess I shall find a replacement.

#8

I take apart the keg every time it kicks. I take out the dip tube and place it in the keg. If the puppets come out of the posts, I don’t know how to get them out so they stay in the post. I take my ball locks and attach them to the posts to push the poppet down then soak both ball locks and posts along with the cornie lid in PBW over night. I then remove the ball locks from the posts and take them apart and soak those over night. The next day I rinse every thing off and air dry for a while before putting the ball locks bak together. Before use I sanitize with Starsan.
Did you ever have beer back up your Co2 line toward the regulator? I have twice in the past. I wonder if that may be an issue with your infection.
Brad

#9

Wow, dirty gas disconnects from beer backing up into the lines, it seems. Definitely take everything apart in your co2 system, soak in PBW overnight, rinse well, drip dry. I had a similar issue a while back that I’d only really notice in hoppy beers, but every beer was turning butterscotchy once fully carbonated. Discovered mold on one of my gas disconnects and in the co2 lines. Must’ve been from a beer that backed up a while back. Been smooth sailing since. If anything, soak the disconnects and replace all your lines. Should solve the issue.
And I make sure to always spray liquid and gas disconnects with starsan before hooking them up. Cheap insurance.

#10

Yeah, I noticed, and it was then I remembered to check my own gas system. Odd that you got butterscotch and I got rancid cabbage / DMS, but hey, could be different bugs.

Of course, it could be something else in my system, somewhere else, but so far everything else has checked out as visibly clean.

#11

Yeah, I noticed, and it was then I remembered to check my own gas system. Odd that you got butterscotch and I got rancid cabbage / DMS, but hey, could be different bugs.

Of course, it could be something else in my system, somewhere else, but so far everything else has checked out as visibly clean.[/quote]
Was this something that would develop after about a week in the keg or right around when the beer was fully carbonated? It’d start coming on more for me as the beer got more carbonated. I’m still super paranoid that I didn’t get it all. I fear that every time I taste my beer that if my palate is off that it means something is wrong with the beer. I’m gradually getting over it, but man, was that traumatizing. Two years of beers turning to butterscotch after a week. Ugh. It’s good to put that behind me. No werther’s beer for about 6 months now…

#12

[quote=“Beersk”]
Was this something that would develop after about a week in the keg or right around when the beer was fully carbonated? It’d start coming on more for me as the beer got more carbonated. I’m still super paranoid that I didn’t get it all. I fear that every time I taste my beer that if my palate is off that it means something is wrong with the beer. I’m gradually getting over it, but man, was that traumatizing. Two years of beers turning to butterscotch after a week. Ugh. It’s good to put that behind me. No werther’s beer for about 6 months now…[/quote]

If it developed in the keg while cold, it was really slow. Originally, it showed up in the bottles I had filled from the keg. My bottling process is/was such that I’d let the bottled beer sit at room temp for quite a while before I put it in the fridge.

Even though I used two different bottling apparatuses, I thought it might still be something in that process. Then, it showed up in a barleywine I had been bulk aging in the keg (at room temp), naturally carbed. I went to check how it was doing, poured the first-ever pint from the keg, and besides being overly foamy & warm, it was rancid. Of course, I used the gas disconnect in question to purge the keg. Otherwise, it wasn’t connected.

I suppose it could be in a new “tee” I installed on a new regulator. Heck, it could be something to do with the new regulator I got for last Christmas… or even the swapped tank I got about the same time last year.

#13

My personal experience is that you CAN sanitize plastic items.

#14

[quote=“Silentknyght”][quote=“Beersk”]
Was this something that would develop after about a week in the keg or right around when the beer was fully carbonated? It’d start coming on more for me as the beer got more carbonated. I’m still super paranoid that I didn’t get it all. I fear that every time I taste my beer that if my palate is off that it means something is wrong with the beer. I’m gradually getting over it, but man, was that traumatizing. Two years of beers turning to butterscotch after a week. Ugh. It’s good to put that behind me. No werther’s beer for about 6 months now…[/quote]

If it developed in the keg while cold, it was really slow. Originally, it showed up in the bottles I had filled from the keg. My bottling process is/was such that I’d let the bottled beer sit at room temp for quite a while before I put it in the fridge.

Even though I used two different bottling apparatuses, I thought it might still be something in that process. Then, it showed up in a barleywine I had been bulk aging in the keg (at room temp), naturally carbed. I went to check how it was doing, poured the first-ever pint from the keg, and besides being overly foamy & warm, it was rancid. Of course, I used the gas disconnect in question to purge the keg. Otherwise, it wasn’t connected.

I suppose it could be in a new “tee” I installed on a new regulator. Heck, it could be something to do with the new regulator I got for last Christmas… or even the swapped tank I got about the same time last year.[/quote]
Oh yes, I do remember reading that now. Sorry to make you explain it again. My money is on that disconnect/co2 lines, that thing was dirty as sh*t. Disassemble your CO2 system, clean, and put back together, and I bet your problem will go away. Be patient, you’ll have to ruin some beer to find the problem, but you’ll find it. Brew a couple quick and easy batches that you aren’t too invested in as experimental beers to test out whether you solved the problem or not.

#15

Don’t hold back, now, tell me how you really feel! :cheers: Yeah, I feel totally stupid. An over-night in oxyclean/TSP cleaned all the parts up nicely, and they’re all soaking in starsan right now. I did throw out the worst of the bunch (which is what was pictured).

I’ll probably run all new CO2 lines, too, at least between the distributor and the disconnects.

#16

Don’t hold back, now, tell me how you really feel! :cheers: Yeah, I feel totally stupid. An over-night in oxyclean/TSP cleaned all the parts up nicely, and they’re all soaking in starsan right now. I did throw out the worst of the bunch (which is what was pictured).

I’ll probably run all new CO2 lines, too, at least between the distributor and the disconnects.[/quote]
Did you take your manifold off too and soak/sanitize?

#17

[quote=“Beersk”]
Did you take your manifold off too and soak/sanitize?[/quote]

Not yet. It’s on my list. It’s a long list. :frowning:

#18

I take apart my kegs every time they empty. Usually soak everything in starsan, but every couple batches I boil everything except the plastic disconnects.

#19

[quote=“Silentknyght”][quote=“Beersk”]
Did you take your manifold off too and soak/sanitize?[/quote]

Not yet. It’s on my list. It’s a long list. :frowning: [/quote]
That’ll be a big step in the right direction, also. It sucks to have to dismount it, but the work will be worth it. Cheers and good luck!

Back to Shopping at NorthernBrewer.com