Best way to clean keg system

Hey all,

This is totally a noob question, but how do you clean your kegs/lines between refills?

I have sanitizer, PBW, ALC, and I know there are a ton of other products out there for cleaning draft systems - but I can’t find any solid recommendations on routine cleaning between batches.

Also, once primary fermentation is complete (about 2 weeks), do you usually keg, refrigerate, and carbonate immediately, or is it better to rack and let it age at room temperature(for an ale)?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Most people just run some sort of cleaner/sanitizer through the lines after the keg has kicked. I normally fill it 1/4 with a star san solution, shake the crap out of it, the run that through the lines.

For you second question, it really depends on the type of beer in the keg.

I run oxyclean through it(using a keg) then warm water then an iodine solution.

I keg and carb after primary, but usually primary for 3-6 weeks.

Rinse keg. Disassemble. Hot PBW or Oxyclean soak. reassemble. Run this solution through lines. Dissassemble, thorough Rinse, reassemble. Run water through lines. Star San keg. Run star san through lines. Blow out with CO2. Connect beer.

You only need to run about a quart of each solution through a typical beer line (5-10 ft) not the whole keg.

so a lot of you guys aren’t even disassembling your kegs(poppets and tubes, etc) and cleaning between each use you just run cleaner/sanitizer through them and then refill them and go?

I disassemble my kegs and do a PBW soak every couple beers, not every time. I run hot water followed by starsan through the line every time.

Convert a 1-3 gallon garden sprayer to run your cleaner/sanitizer through the lines.

I don’t disassemble my kegs everytime either. I use PBW for cleaning the kegs.
StarSan flush between kegs, clean faucets twice a year, replace lines once a year.

I disassemble nearly every time, unless i went through a keg quickly and it was not dry hopped.

I’m lazy and use BLC every 2 or 3 kegs. I replace the lines and disassemble and clean the faucets 2x year.

[quote=“Wahoo”]

You only need to run about a quart of each solution through a typical beer line (5-10 ft) not the whole keg.[/quote]
Agreed, this is what I do.

We burn through kegs pretty quick at my house. :wink:

Before I fill a keg I disassemble and sanitize everything.

+1 - what he said