Disgusting!
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Disgusting!
This morning I decided to pull my inline Kegland in line thermometer apart and replace the PTFE tape as there was a bit of a leak.
Oh dear--this is what greeted me. Truly horrible. The bits are sitting in Sodium Percarbonate now.
Guy
Oh dear--this is what greeted me. Truly horrible. The bits are sitting in Sodium Percarbonate now.
Guy
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Re: Disgusting!
Lovely
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Re: Disgusting!
Yuck.
It's a good reminder that anything the wort touches on the cold side (i.e. post boil) should be disassembled and cleaned after each brew. That includes things like kettle and fermenter taps/ball valves.
It's a good reminder that anything the wort touches on the cold side (i.e. post boil) should be disassembled and cleaned after each brew. That includes things like kettle and fermenter taps/ball valves.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
Re: Disgusting!
I suppose it is also a good reason for keeping connections and pipes to a minimum. I wish I could make CIP work but have failed spectacularly in the past.
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Re: Disgusting!
guy,
So that`s what happens to shiny, shiny is it?
Does it impart a nice burnt type of flavour to a Stout?
WA
How long since you last cleaned it?
So that`s what happens to shiny, shiny is it?
Does it impart a nice burnt type of flavour to a Stout?
WA
How long since you last cleaned it?
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Re: Disgusting!
Never! Bought it at least 2 years ago. Always washed it through with water at 60C after use. Obviously didn't do the job.
If I dismantle it after every brew will the PTFE tape need to be changed every time? Bit of a PITA if it does.
Guy
Last edited by guypettigrew on Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Disgusting!
Oh yes
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Re: Disgusting!
The simplest thing is to put a quick disconnect/camlock/triclamp somewhere on that T piece, so you can pop it open whenever you want.guypettigrew wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 8:23 pmNever! Bought it at least 2 years ago. Always washed it through with water at 60C after use. Obviously didn't do the job.
If I dismantle it after every brew will the PTFE tape need to be changed every time? Bit of a PITA if it does.
Personally I'd screw the thermometer into a type A camlock, and then put a type b camlock on the T piece. It'll move the thermometer stem back a couple of centimetres, but it looks like the probe should be long enough for that to keep it in the moving wort flow. If it's not then you can stick the connectors between a hose and the T piece.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
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Re: Disgusting!
Thanks Jocky, but I don't really understand!
Surely it would still need PTFE tape on the threads and would still get all gunged up like before.
I'm probably just being thick, but wouldn't I still have to unscrew the fittings and remove the PTFE tape to clean it properly?
Guy
Surely it would still need PTFE tape on the threads and would still get all gunged up like before.
I'm probably just being thick, but wouldn't I still have to unscrew the fittings and remove the PTFE tape to clean it properly?
Guy
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Re: Disgusting!
Yes there would be PTFE tape on the threads of the disconnects, but you shouldn't need to undo those to do a brew day clean.
I'm pretty certain the issue you have is that a dribble of wort is getting trapped in the thermometer end of the T piece. It's a little nook that isn't in the path of flow of the liquid, so difficult to clean without quite a long recirculation of cleaner. A little dribble of sugary wort every brew day for two years will grow a lot as you've seen.
However, if you have the thermometer on a disconnect then you can remove it after each brew and clean out any remaining wort, stopping it from starting to grow in the first place. You could even leave it disconnected between brew days to allow it to dry.
I disassemble the ball valves on my kettle and fermenter after every use because they too trap a little dribble of wort and end up mouldy. However the disconnects attached to them (with PTFE thread) only get taken off every few years, and when I have there's never been anything growing in them.
I'm pretty certain the issue you have is that a dribble of wort is getting trapped in the thermometer end of the T piece. It's a little nook that isn't in the path of flow of the liquid, so difficult to clean without quite a long recirculation of cleaner. A little dribble of sugary wort every brew day for two years will grow a lot as you've seen.
However, if you have the thermometer on a disconnect then you can remove it after each brew and clean out any remaining wort, stopping it from starting to grow in the first place. You could even leave it disconnected between brew days to allow it to dry.
I disassemble the ball valves on my kettle and fermenter after every use because they too trap a little dribble of wort and end up mouldy. However the disconnects attached to them (with PTFE thread) only get taken off every few years, and when I have there's never been anything growing in them.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
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Re: Disgusting!
Thanks again Jocky
Your suggestion makes a lot of sense now. Great explanation. Those camlocks aren't expensive so, next time I order from Malt Miller, I'll get some.
Guy
Your suggestion makes a lot of sense now. Great explanation. Those camlocks aren't expensive so, next time I order from Malt Miller, I'll get some.
Guy
Re: Disgusting!
Jocky that is a good idea.
If you fit the connectors to the T piece, you can remove and clean the whole thing. Very nice.
If you fit the connectors to the T piece, you can remove and clean the whole thing. Very nice.
Re: Disgusting!
Have you thought about ditching the percarbonate and using caustic/TFR?
Sabro Single Hop NEIPA 25/02/20 CLICK ME to monitor progress with Brewfather & iSpindel
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Disgusting!
I find it to be.
I ditched oxy as I have very hard water and the chalky film it left was a pain.
I now use max power TFR or even better is Surfex HD. Link below. This gets used on the brewery, bathroom, keg washer etc. it’s water based and free rinsing. Not had any taste impact since switching over.
I already have it in stock as I like keeping the fleet sparkling.
https://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/bil ... ex-hd.aspx
I ditched oxy as I have very hard water and the chalky film it left was a pain.
I now use max power TFR or even better is Surfex HD. Link below. This gets used on the brewery, bathroom, keg washer etc. it’s water based and free rinsing. Not had any taste impact since switching over.
I already have it in stock as I like keeping the fleet sparkling.
https://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/bil ... ex-hd.aspx
Sabro Single Hop NEIPA 25/02/20 CLICK ME to monitor progress with Brewfather & iSpindel