sterilising the tap

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barry44

sterilising the tap

Post by barry44 » Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:19 pm

Hi,

i have made up my first brew which is sat in my cupboard under the stairs bubbling away quite happily.

I am looking to carry out some hydrometer readings soon and i was wondering about my tap being sterile.

I will be drawing some beer into the test tube supplied with the kit and dropping the hydrometer into it.

When i took my og i had to put the test tube over the tap to ensure no spills and would expect to do the same again but now i am worried that my tap may not be sterile.

Do i have to sterilise my tap and test tube prior to drawing off a sample, and subsequently bottling the beer, or am i stressing over nothing?

I look forward to your advice as always

Barry

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vacant
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Re: sterilising the tap

Post by vacant » Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:32 pm

Sanitise the tap before bottling. No need to sanitise if just drawing off a sample so just wipe it dry.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget

barry44

Re: sterilising the tap

Post by barry44 » Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:04 pm

thanks, i have ordered starsan so will make up a bottle of that and give it a spray prior to bottling.

barney

Re: sterilising the tap

Post by barney » Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:24 pm

Can a plastic cask go bad from the tap up?

I always wonder about shite left on the tap for a week or two!

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jmc
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Re: sterilising the tap

Post by jmc » Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:14 am

barney wrote:Can a plastic cask go bad from the tap up?

I always wonder about shite left on the tap for a week or two!
Never heard of it. Tap bacteria would have to be fast swimmers. You can minimise risk by keeping tap clean with a spray bottle of Starsan ,or failing that boiled water in spray bottle.

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trucker5774
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Re: sterilising the tap

Post by trucker5774 » Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:22 am

I trickle boiling water over the tap just before I draw anything through which I am going to use. The tap is stripped and sanitised at the start of every brew. I identified a fermenter tap as the source of a repeat infection some years ago. It's the only part of my kit with "corners" for crap to lurk in.
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

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Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

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jmc
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Re: sterilising the tap

Post by jmc » Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:45 am

trucker5774 wrote:I trickle boiling water over the tap just before I draw anything through which I am going to use. The tap is stripped and sanitised at the start of every brew. I identified a fermenter tap as the source of a repeat infection some years ago. It's the only part of my kit with "corners" for crap to lurk in.
Good idea. =D>

I take it you've had no problems with boiling water distorting plastic tap at all?

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trucker5774
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Re: sterilising the tap

Post by trucker5774 » Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:32 pm

The tap has stood the boiling water many times over. I wouldn't actually boil the tap though as it does soften slightly. I always allow it to cool after running the boiling water over it before operating it.
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

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