Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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
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
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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.
It obviously hasn't been properly refurbished if it's still mouldy inside.
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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...
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...
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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!
Nevertheless thanks for your advice!
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Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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
It would probably cost you a bit, but better than throwing the thing away.
Guy
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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.
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin
1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip
It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)
Be who you are
Because those that mind don't matter
And those that matter don't mind
1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip
It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)
Be who you are
Because those that mind don't matter
And those that matter don't mind
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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…
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…
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Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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
RLBS (they are just up road from me - relatively speaking, things are not so "compact" in Wales): Handpump bits
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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.
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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…
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
This character was pulling his EWL pump apart (for a different reason). Might help?
THBF! - Hand pull woes
THBF! - Hand pull woes
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2783&hilit=beer+engine
Probably a bit more about me fumbling about in the dark though.
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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!
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
Re: Moldy taste from Beer Engine does not go away
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...
Went back together with no issues and functioned correctly...