How do you clean 15 gallon fermentors?

roddy · December 30, 2011, 4:01pm

I lust racked my first 10 gallon batch out of my curtec 15 gallon fermentor. I am now addnig 15 gallons of water and PBW to clean it. This seems like a lot of waste. Do yo store the PBW after cleaning? Are there other ways to clean this vessel?

glug_master · December 30, 2011, 4:17pm

Why do feel you have to fill it up? I’d think a 2 gallon batch of PBW and some elbow grease would do the trick.

For what it’s worth, I don’t use any cleaners on my buckets, just hot water and a sponge.

roddy · December 30, 2011, 5:29pm

I was under the assumption you needed at least a 30 minute soak. I usually let my glass soak overnight.

hummelbrew · December 30, 2011, 6:15pm

No need for a 30 minute soak. If it’s clean, it is clean. Granted if you’ve got a lot of much in there, then a longer soak with hot water or cleaner will make it easier to clean, but if you can clean it in 2 minutes you might as well.

gregscsu · December 30, 2011, 6:19pm

Gallon of PBW and a soft dish cloth. Star San before refilling.

baratone_brewer · December 30, 2011, 8:21pm

+1 Never needed to soak mine. Sponge and elbow grease here.

tom_sawyer · December 31, 2011, 12:07am

I’m going to make a clean in place (CIP) unit for my large fermentor. You can get a spinning ball head and pump PBW solution through it, recycling the solution.

The oxyclean part of PBW won’t store too long.

mullerbrau · December 31, 2011, 1:56pm

I have 4 Curtec fermenters and I clean mine with a little hot water and a new toilet brush. Then when I need to sanitize them, I put a 2 gallon batch of StarSan in and slosh it around enough to coat all surfaces. Then dump it into the next and so on.

roddy · December 31, 2011, 5:49pm

Okay, so I guess I am overdoing it.
So how do you guys clean your sanke kegs. My arm will not fit through the opening.

mullerbrau · December 31, 2011, 7:08pm

[quote=“Roddy”]Okay, so I guess I am overdoing it.
So how do you guys clean your sanke kegs. My arm will not fit through the opening.[/quote]Sanke? or do you mean Corney? I blast them out with hot water and then fill to the top with hot water and let soak for a few hours. I usually run a dip tube brush through the dip tube too. For sanitizing Cornies, I fill them up with Iodophor an water to the top. Depress poppit to fill dip tube. Soak for a few minutes, then Autosiphon into next keg, etc.

roddy · December 31, 2011, 9:24pm

[quote=“MullerBrau”][quote=“Roddy”]Okay, so I guess I am overdoing it.
So how do you guys clean your sanke kegs. My arm will not fit through the opening.[/quote]Sanke? or do you mean Corney? I blast them out with hot water and then fill to the top with hot water and let soak for a few hours. I usually run a dip tube brush through the dip tube too. For sanitizing Cornies, I fill them up with Iodophor an water to the top. Depress poppit to fill dip tube. Soak for a few minutes, then Autosiphon into next keg, etc.[/quote]

I meant Corney. I have been filling mine with PBW, running it through a picnic tap and letting it soak overnight.