Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away

[Fr_Marc]

I treated myself and purchased a refurbished beer engine from RLBS Ltd.

However, the beer pumped through the engine takes on a nasty, moldy taste that ruins everything. When I asked RLBS what to do, they told me to pump beerline cleaner through the engine in order to get rid of the taste. Unfortunately, this did not help. So far, I have pumped professional beerline cleaner as well as thinned chlorine bleach (not to mention loads and loads of fresh water - hot and cold) through the engine multiple times - the moldy taste does not go away.

I let the cleaner sit in the hose and cylinder for multiple hours and flushed everything with clear water. Didn't help.

Do you have any suggestions what I could do to get rid of the moldy taste? I would prefer not to disassemble the engine, as I am very poor with tools and stuff. That is the reason why I purchased a "refurbished" beer engine in the first place. I am slightly disappointed, to be honest...

Thank you for your help!

Marc

[Jim]

If bleach and beer line cleaner can't shift the taint I'd be looking for a refund.

It obviously hasn't been properly refurbished if it's still mouldy inside.

[JonB]

I second Jim's comment.

The mould is likely in the rubber, and I'd expect the rubber seals to be completely replaced on a properly refurbished hand pull; they clearly haven't done that with your one...

[Fr_Marc]

Unfortunately, the purchase was more than a year ago. I was not able to try out the beer engine due to health reasons and now I find myself with an expired warranty and a mouldy handpump. „Not my year“ sums it up nicely.

Nevertheless thanks for your advice!

[guypettigrew]

Perhaps you could contact the company, explain the situation, and ask if they could service the handpump and fit new rubber seals.

It would probably cost you a bit, but better than throwing the thing away.

Guy

[IPA]

Is this the case with more than one keg? Or have you only tried it with one. The reason I am asking is that for the first time ever I had a keg that has an earthy/mouldy taste. I brew 57 litre batches and fill three cornies. This time two tasted fine and one had this taste. All the the kegs were sanitised in the same way.

[Fr_Marc]

The keg is not the problem. The beer from the keg tastes fine as long as it is not pumped through the beer engine. And every liquid I pump through (even water) smells and tastes mouldy after contact with the pump.

Sending the pump back to England and having it „re-refurbished“ is way to expansive in this post Brexit world. I guess I will say a prayer, take the pump apart and have a look inside. There is not much I could ruin anyway…

[guypettigrew]

Sending the pump back to England and having it „re-refurbished“ is way to expansive in this post Brexit world. I guess I will say a prayer, take the pump apart and have a look inside. There is not much I could ruin anyway…

Best of luck! Hadn't realised you weren't in the UK. Let's hope you can buy new seals easily where you are.

Guy

[PeeBee]

What pump is it? If it's RLBS's own (once EWL) they do sell seal kits (£21, seems a lot though) and it will be the seals that have picked up a taint (or pipes - don't know what pipes EWL use?). Though you don't care for a bit of DIY you've said (you'll perhaps have to pray harder?).

RLBS (they are just up road from me - relatively speaking, things are not so "compact" in Wales): Handpump bits

[Fr_Marc]

RLBS (ex EWL) it is. I will see what awaits me once the pump is opened. If I can‘t find the seals etc. locally, I will order the set from RLBS.

[Fr_Marc]

Though you don't care for a bit of DIY you've said (you'll perhaps have to pray harder?).

I will try my very best. I am not totally useless in DIY matters, but try to avoid them if possible. Better give the monastery a call and ask them to light a candle though…

[PeeBee]

This character was pulling his EWL pump apart (for a different reason). Might help?

THBF! - Hand pull woes

[Jim]

There's this one as well where I changed the seals in my EWL beer engine.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2783&hilit=beer+engine

Probably a bit more about me fumbling about in the dark though.

[PeeBee]

So, Fr_Marc: There you have it. You might feel like avoiding the DIY job, but Jim's done it without the usual national calamity. And I had a quick skim through the rest of the link and one character was talking about his "plastic bladder" ... and you think you've got problems!

[JonB]

When I did mine I took all the o-rings, etc. off and took the lot to a seals & bearings industrial unit. They measured all of them and sold me replacements and a tub of anti-seize grease for about £8.00

Went back together with no issues and functioned correctly...