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  • Automatic Keg Washer Chemicals?

    We've just received a new keg washer and I am trying to figure out an effective chemical regimen to make sure the kegs are getting as clean as possible. Our old manual system was much different, with much longer cycles of Avoid II caustic and Peracetic Acid/Peroxyacetic Acid sanitizer with long rinses in between. The new machine is a much different setup so I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around what exactly we should use.

    This new machine runs a 2 minute run on 2 kegs with a heated reservoir (140ºF) and doses sanitizer in the final rinse. Cycles are adjustable in length but I assume the presets are there for a reason.

    I've contacted a few of our chemical suppliers to get their opinions too but want to hear what other brewers are using. My main goal is to get these kegs as clean as possible so I want to make sure the chemical is breaking down beer stone. I also want to make sure that the chemicals are being fully rinsed out obviously.

    So what is everyone else using?

  • #2
    I use a caustic based solution that has a beer stone remover in it for a year or so and then switch to a acid solution for another year then PA acid as a sani rinse. I would strongly suggest if beer stone is an issue you go right to the acid wash to try and break it down but, dont expect it all to be gone after a few washes that stuff is tuff to get out
    Mike Eme
    Brewmaster

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    • #3
      Originally posted by beerguy1 View Post
      I use a caustic based solution that has a beer stone remover in it for a year or so and then switch to a acid solution for another year then PA acid as a sani rinse. I would strongly suggest if beer stone is an issue you go right to the acid wash to try and break it down but, dont expect it all to be gone after a few washes that stuff is tuff to get out
      Beer stone is not an issue currently, but I'd definitely like to keep it that way.

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      • #4
        We use Nitric/Phosphoric acid with Birko X-Puma non caustic detergent. Doing this for 3 years with no issues.
        We just switched from PAA to a non foaming Acid anionic sanitizer from CH2O that maintains effectiveness when being reused. We ran about 100 kegs over the course of a month and the sanitizer tested out good with no recharge. The problem with PAA was we only washed kegs once a week and we had to dump the PAA since it doesn't store well.
        We ran some ATP tests on kegs we cleaned and stored for 30 days and there were no bad guys when we retested.
        Prost!
        Eric Brandjes
        Cole Street Brewery
        Enumclaw, WA

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Brandjes View Post
          We use Nitric/Phosphoric acid with Birko X-Puma non caustic detergent. Doing this for 3 years with no issues.
          We just switched from PAA to a non foaming Acid anionic sanitizer from CH2O that maintains effectiveness when being reused. We ran about 100 kegs over the course of a month and the sanitizer tested out good with no recharge. The problem with PAA was we only washed kegs once a week and we had to dump the PAA since it doesn't store well.
          We ran some ATP tests on kegs we cleaned and stored for 30 days and there were no bad guys when we retested.
          Going to be using the same chemicals, what cycle times are you using in your setup.

          Thanks,
          Geoff

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          • #6
            Rinse until clear, wash 2.5 minutes plus 30 seconds at lower pump speed to clean spear. 1 minute rinse plus 30 seconds for spear. 1.5 minutes sani plus 30 seconds

            Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
            Prost!
            Eric Brandjes
            Cole Street Brewery
            Enumclaw, WA

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