Beerline cleaning

[Scooby]

To all cornie users how often do you clean your beerline/tap, what with and what method do you use

[steve_flack]

I have a bottle of BLC (Beer Line Cleaner) from the US but in future I'll probably just use Antiformin (it's a strong caustic bleach) - you can get it from homebrew shops (at least you will when Clive's got some bottles that don't leak).

[maxashton]

My early brews tasted like washing up liquid, and i fancy it was becuase i was using tablespoons of VWP instead of teaspoons.

Naughty me.

I'm going to switch to either really cheap bleach, or the Rx type product DaaB recommended in my steam cleaner thread.

[maxashton]

I've looked for these soda crystals, but found them to be illusive. I had thought that wilko would sell them, since they sell things like generic borax and bicarbonate of soda, but no soda crystals.

My local Londis sells "thin bleach" in a 2l bottle for 99p, and is "<5%" bleach. 75 ml of cheapy bleach has got to be cheaper than 5 tsp of vwp, and if it rinses easier i'll be well chuffed.

If it tastes chemically this time i'll know what i did wrong i suppose.

As you say, vwp does certainly do the job, i think i only soured one batch, and it was becuase i forgot to sanitize the lid of my fermenter i think.

[tubby_shaw]

Both my local Tesco and Sainsbury sell soda crystals at 56p / kg
If you have a Lidl store close to you 5L of thin bleach can be had for about £1

[steve_flack]

Soda Crystals are usualy available from supermarkets but you have to hunt around, they are near the other cleaning products but they arent displayed that well.

Try looking at your feet, they're usually that low down on the shelf hoping you buy something else (more expensive) instead

[deadlydes]

Caustic cleaners need a lot of rinsing according to the Murphys website and my experience of using VWP and caustic soda seems to bear this out. I prefer to avoid using it for this reason.

i use antiformin for cleaning and i have had no problems with rinsing it off. one rinse with water generally does the job. if i am going the non rinse way (depending on what i am sanitizing) i just rinse with paracetic. it neutralises the antiformin and doesnt need rinsing it self.

ps i know what you will say that we all have different methods/experiences/etc i am just saying what i find

[inthedark]

I have a keg of iodophor which I use to rinse through the lines straight after use.

This reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask - how long can dilute iodophor (or betadine) be kept for it to remain effective?

The yellowing seems to dissipate quite quickly and although it's seriously cheap to use and dump, I want to make sure I haven't missed an easy opportunity to make it go even further!

[maxashton]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peracetic_acid

FYI, concentrated form will detonate after 110 degrees celcius.
I think Steve will be able to confirm!

[steve_flack]

i'm pretty sure peracetic isn't available at homebrew shops though, it's nasty stuff and according to Steve Flack very unstable.

It's not available in homebrew shops and a bloody good thing too as it's pretty nasty. The last thing you want is people who are not aware of how careful to be just buying some in a shop.

That being said it's OK if you do know the risks - Wear gloves and eye protection when using undiluted, pour in a well ventilated place (outdoors is good). Keep cold (I've got it in a fridge).

Diluted it's fine but I still wear gloves etc just in case.

It is unstable at high temperatures and the shelf life isn't up to much - the undiluted stuff has apparently a couple/few months shelf life. The diluted stuff a couple of hours. The explosion risk is lower with the 5% stuff but I wouldn't like to perform a test to find out.

[maxashton]

You could leave it in the beer if the yeast could ignore it, and market it as Blasting Cap Bitter.
I don't know it'd do too well in the shops, though.

[steve_flack]

You could leave it in the beer if the yeast could ignore it, and market it as Blasting Cap Bitter.
I don't know it'd do too well in the shops, though.

It's no-rinse amazingly enough. So you probably already have drunk beer with peracetic breakdown products in it.

[maxashton]

I know for a fact i have, since my friend's brewery uses it. That's where i was going to get the dilute from.

Basically, i ask him nicely, he has someone mix me up a batch, and off i pop.

I wear gloves when i handle it. I'm paranoid already, and i've seen what it does to metal spray tubes.

Ta!

[ColinKeb]

i have a tap that fits straight onto the outlet post, i just swill it out under the tap after use thats all if its not been used for a while i'd soak it in bleach but otherise im a dirty B*&tard

[inthedark]

I've found the trick is to make it up with filtered water (chlorine breaks it down), this allows it to last for up to a month.

Great tip, thanks!