Newbie question - sterilising pressure barrel

[Gill]

Hi all,

So my Fixby is now ready to go into the pressure barrel for secondary fermentation and conditioning - can't wait until I can drink some in a few weeks' time! Hope nobody minds me asking a (probably very simple) question here, but what's the best, easiest and quickest way to appropriately sterilse a bottom-tap King Keg? I use VWP, but haven't done a barrel before and I don't want to miss anything and mess up my so-far-so-good ale!

Thanks in advance,

Gill.

[Titanium Tone]

Fill Barell with warm water add 4 to 5 teaspoons of VWP stir and leave for 30 mins if quite clean or overnight if it has any heavy stains. Then rince throughly with cold water and fill with Beer. TT.

[Gill]

Thanks for that. I actually didn't get the reply until after I'd finished, so just did it in my usual way...rather more stooge-like - filling about half the barrel with sterilising fluid, then turning it 1/4 every 15 minutes or so for a while, before rinsing. Hopefully it's enough - the Fixby Gold certainly seems to be going to plan.

Gill x

[Sunray11A]

I use this method: 2 heaped teaspoons of VWP to 1 imperial gallon of warm water, not from the hot water tap though, replace the cap and shake the keg a couple of times over a 30 minute period. Rinse well with cold water. I've had no problems with this method + it saves VWP and water. I save some of the solution in a large jug for sterilising my hydrometer etc.

A tip: Put 2 heaped teaspoons of VWP directly into the plughole of your sink and leave it overnight, flush with hot water. This gets rid of a good deal of the gunk that can clog the drain and make it smell, and kills a lot of the germs/bacteria that live there.

[chris_reboot]

You'll like the Fixby Gill, just coming to my last few drops in my keg now, sorry to see it go.
Every cloud has a silver lining though, and that means there's a free keg, so on to brew some more!

[Gill]

You'll like the Fixby Gill, just coming to my last few drops in my keg now, sorry to see it go.
Every cloud has a silver lining though, and that means there's a free keg, so on to brew some more!

I've heard unanimously good things about Fixby Gold, so I'm really looking forward to it. My other half couldn't resist pulling a little out of the barrel the other night, and even though it's nowhere near ready it tastes wonderful. It'll make a fantastic light-tasting Summer ale. Nice to hear someone else recommend it so highly though - sounds like it went down a treat!

I bought another keg so I'd got more room. Which means now it's sitting there, just BEGGING to be filled with some nicely altered Cooper's IPA at the weekend. Yum.

Gill x