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Nasty beer stone in sanke kegs

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  • #16
    Originally posted by BAugust
    I performed an extensive study on this subject once upon a time and you will find that you just can't CIP it away completely.
    Can you point me to where you published that, Bob? Thanks!

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    • #17
      Read Read

      Larry Larry Larry
      I never said to wash kegs with PBW on A regular or even sometimes basis. You Didnt read. I have seen and used PBW as mentioned above excusively for removing beer stone it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This might save the kegs it wont hurt them if there already messed up.

      Graydon

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      • #18
        Matthew,

        Sorry, I haven't checked this thread for a few days. The study was conducted internally for the brewery where I used to work. The findings were not published for the general brewing community. I can refer you to my chapter on racking operations published in the MBAA Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer, Volume 2, Fermentation, Cellaring, and Packaging Operations. Although I don't directly address the issue of stone removal, there is good information to be had regarding proper cleaning and sterilizing techniques that will help prevent stone formation in the first place.

        As I had mentioned in my first post, we tried every imaginable combination of chemicals in order to remove beer stone without human intervention of some sort and nothing worked completely. This ultimately led to a maintenance policy of removing valves from kegs, inspecting and when necessary, manually CIP'ing the components and then wiping off the loosened stone with a soft cloth. Not exactly anyone's idea of truly rewarding work!

        I can tell you that if you follow the recommendations for cleaning that I have listed in the book, you will not form beer stone in your kegs. As part of the study, we tagged a group of kegs (both completely clean and with moderate beer stone formation) and filled them once a month for a year. After each filling, emptying at local accounts and subsequent cleaning, the valves were removed and photographed. Over the course of the year, the perfectly clean kegs never developed any trace of beer stone and the moderately stoned valves did not develop any additional stone. Some actually had a marginally reduced amount.

        I hope this helps a little. Get the books; they are excellent (3 volumes) and the proceeds benefit the MBAA.

        Cheers!

        Bob

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        • #19
          Originally posted by BAugust
          I can refer you to my chapter on racking operations published in the MBAA Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer, Volume 2, Fermentation, Cellaring, and Packaging Operations.
          Bob, thanks for your reply. I've got the MBAA set and love them. Really love them. Haven't seen such a practical q&a style since the first post-prohibition Practical Brewer volume. Thanks!

          I've found that alternating caustic and acid in the keg washer on roughly a six-month rotation keeps stone to a minimum in my situation, except for those damned stems. I'll revisit your suggestions- I'd love to stop pulling them!

          -Matthew

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Ted Briggs
            "Not Beerstone- If it is black this is true, its caused by Co2 meeting Caustic and creating Calcium oxalate as mentioned before. Make sure you have a good rinse cycle and purge kegs w/ compressed air not Co2, prior to washing."
            CO2 and Caustic form Sodium Carbonate not Calcium Oxalate. Calcium Oxalate is formed from Calcium and Oxalic acid.
            Last edited by hoptastic; 11-13-2008, 01:12 PM.

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