HELP: Green Tint to Beer Left Sitting in Faucet / Tap

[JimsBrew]

I had a somewhat worrying discovery this morning when I went to my Kegerator to swap out a keg and clean the lines. Green tinted beer in the line directly before tap shank. Looking for some advice or opinions.

I have a kegerator that holds three corny kegs on tap. As of late, due to pipeline issues, I haven't been able to keep a steady flow of beer and ended up with all three kegs empty at once. Due to other time constraints, I was unable to to pull the last keg and flush the lines, I ended up just leaving it in there until a new batch was ready for kegging.

So today was kegging day, and to start things off I started by removing the empty corny to clean it and the beer line. Oddly, at the Tap/Faucet shank hose barb, I noticed a slight green tinge to the remnant of the beer in the ling directly behind the shanks hose-barb. At first I thought perhaps it was dry hop residue that had been blown through the lines as the keg kicked, but that wasn't the case, as this batch was not dry-hopped (just a simple kit).

I drew off the liquid into a glass. The liquid has a very distinct green tinge to it, I was going to post a photo but don't seem to be able to attach one [presume an account limit]. Below are two links to the images.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/jclayphotography/Z1TD3w
https://www.flickr.com/gp/jclayphotography/4744XY

The faucets / shanks are chrome plated brass from BrewUk, in this particular tap (1year old), some tarnishing is observed in the shank bore.

So, the remnants of the beer had been sat in the line / tap for just under 2 weeks, can anyone explain this green tint? I'm guessing, it may be related to copper oxide / verdigris coming from the tap/shank if the chrome plate has been eroded.

Should I discard the tap and shank, is it safe or toxic, and has anyone experienced this before or have any advise on how to prevent this happening with chrome plated brass taps /shanks?

I clean / sterilise using PBW -> Water -> Starsan

[Wonkydonkey]

Hi JB, 1st you have to post a few more post to post pics. Its to stop junk being posted.

I'm intersted in why you got coloured beer, as I have a brass bit in a CFBF,

This may not be your problem. As beer is not as acidic as starsan. the beer would have washed the starsan away

I have not noticed any prob as of yet with the CFBF, but what I have noticed is, I have a pressure barrel with a S30 valve. I used to spray starsan everywhere, but I did not like looking at it a few weeks later, it had a sliver looking colour, which I could wipe/rub off with my finger.

The only thing I could think of, was lead. IE brass being corroded by starsan leaving lead behind. I think I've read brass contains a little bit of lead. So I stopped using starsan on the brass bit. And it's gone back to its dull colour.

So now I do not use starsan on my tubes, I just use a oxi/washing soda, and flush with water.

The maker of starsan Charlie tally, says Good sanitation starts with good cleaning. So I give anything a very good clean that I don't want starsan on (Brass)

I will follow this post with great interest.