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Looking at new keg washer/filler - process conundrum

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  • Looking at new keg washer/filler - process conundrum

    Hey all,

    Looking to the collective wisdom...

    The brewery I just started at is looking to replace their beaten up IDD keg washer/filler. They are currently looking at a Lambrechts 235 which is similar in process to how the IDD works (clean/steam sterilize on one station then fill on the other).

    However, the more I look at the process flow, I have to wonder if this is the right way to go. We are draft only and kegging off of a 40 BBL brite and will be adding a 60 BBL soon. Because of the inefficiencies in the IDD it can take 8-9 hours to completely empty a 40 BBL. Makes for a long day and nearly impossible to turn the tank and put something else in it without going way into overtime. THEORETICALLY the new Lambrechts will bring this down to the 4 hour range but I'm still not convinced this is best. If I purchase a 3 head washer/sanitizer (Premier etc) instead of the Lambrechts I can clean about the same number of kegs per hour but I can do it during slower times and have most if not all of the kegs cleaned and ready when the tank is carbed and ready. Then simply build a octopus filler out of couplers and drain the entire brite in a couple of hours. This way I can hopefully turn the tank in the same day.

    For some reason the idea of filling one keg at a time vs. 8 at a time seems better to me even though the overall labor output is probably about the same....

    Any thoughts? I'm sure a few of you have been on both sides of this equation before.


    P.S. I also hate steam sterilization since it means I am filling cold beer into a crazy hot keg. I know that's how it's done at bigger facilities but the idea of cooking the first few gallons of beer bugs me a bit. Plus I'd love to regain the floor space by yanking out the crappy old high pressure boiler that is sitting in the packaging area...
    Scott LaFollette
    Fifty West Brewing Company
    Cincinnati, Ohio

  • #2
    Personally, I like the "octopus" method but I usually limit it to 4 couplings. I usually have one of my assistants filling and dread the thought of them leaving a keg filling and draining beer for a number of minutes. I try not to let anyone filling use their phone for this reason. If I was to invest in filler fobs that would probably eliminate my concern, but 8 would be a bit costly (although cheaper than loosing a few bbls over time). Have emptied a 120 in a day without issue. Fill pallets of clean kegs, line em up, and fill away.

    This might be different than most, but I prefer to clean my kegs as soon as I get them returned. I don't like the thought of old beer sitting in my kegs. If the clean ones sit for a very long time, then I might re-run them, but I have never really had them sit around long. I try to rotate the clean kegs. I like having usable kegs on hand at any moment. I have plated condensate water from the steam process, and never seen growth, so I feel comfortable storing them clean.

    I like steam, but they are cool by the time I use them for filling. I have had a Premier dosing pump fail multiple times (sometimes human error, sometimes machine issue) and had to re-run kegs. Super annoying. I can always tell if the steam is flowing. Plus they are really easy to clean the outsides when steamed. I don't think they would be too hot after a good co2 purge, but have never really paid attention since I don't use them immediately. I hose rinse briefly to bring down the temp a little and rinse any caustic from cleaning the outside.

    I always like having a keg cleaner if it's simple enough for an owner/intern to use, but I rarely trust them to fill properly. I'd personally opt for the keg cleaner only and an octopus. You can always buy the fobs to make it "semi-automatic". Kegs per hour may average about the same, but I like to choose when I clean them, and drain a tank quickly FWIW.

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