how long can beer be kept in a dispensing line

[owdgit]

Hi all ..I have a sankey keg with an S type fitting. I keep the keg pressurised with 2-4 psi and my line out is 3/8 clear tubing to my dispensing tap. My question is how long can I leave the beer in the line before cleaning it out. The beer in the line is air tight so to my mind it is ok indefinately. Thanks for any advice

[orlando]

The amount of beer in the beer line is relatively small but over time it will attract deposits that will break off and end up in your beer as "floaters", not a terrible thing but aesthetically displeasing, eventually it can actually cloud the beer. My answer is to take a look at the beer line through a bright light, once you can detect a build up clean it. I keep my lines very short and have a "sight glass" brush that fits them so can clean them easily but mine are standard beer lines, before that I just threw it away and cut some new. The real villain in this piece is your tap, that harbours far more problems than the lines. A regular disassemble and soak in suitable cleaning solution is my recommendation.

[Jim]

As Orlando says, deposits can build up on beer lines and in taps.

I find that as long as I clean them out (with commercial beer line cleaner - normal HB cleaners will not do the job) at each keg change they're fine. If I have a keg on for a long time (months) I will usually clean the lines out mid-keg.

[Fil]

my reasoning is that if your cleaning and sanitising routines and procedures are robust enough,
and your line and connectors are leaned and sanitised to the same level as the keg.
If you attach and then leave a keg connected the connection and line to the tap point become an extension of the keg system.

commercial servers schedule regular line cleaning as the occasion of keg changes between cleanings can happen frequently and unlike a home kegger its very doubtful the keg change takes place with any cleanliness or sanitation procedures and so can introduce risk which is countered with the regular line cleaning.

I clean and sanitise lines when i change kegs as part of the keg cleaning using the same cleaner and sanitiser as used in the keg on removal. with a closed/sealed sanitised line between the tap and disconnect i feel confident enough giving the post and disconnect a wipe clean and starsan spray before connection and again forgetting till the kegs removal.

Tap Spouts on the other hand get exposed to beer and everything else between pours and can harbour nasties, to my shame i had one close up with deposits and whatever had thrived on it,
the beer in question was a too sweet ginger beer that had been online for well over a year getting used 100ml at a time as a cooking liquor for the occasional spicy meal. the discovery that the beer wouldnt pour due to a clogged up spout horrified and sickened me.. i now use taps with removable spouts which get pulled and soaked after every session.

[owdgit]

Thanks for all the sound advice fellas...it was pretty much along my own lines of thought but I'm not experienced enough to be sure. I will keep an eye on it and clean and sanitise as necessary. I keep my tap submersed in starsan when not in use which I think will keep the nasties at bay

[orlando]

I keep my tap submersed in starsan when not in use which I think will keep the nasties at bay

Stuff kept in starsan can get a nasty slimy film attaching to it, subject to what water you have.

[owdgit]

Thanks Orlando I will keep an eye on that and change the solution on a regular basis

[orlando]

Thanks Orlando I will keep an eye on that and change the solution on a regular basis

You don't have to change it that often just place the item you want to sanitise in the starsan for a minute at least, job done. Worth placing an item in the starsan for a week to test if it does what I say.