I was considering the other day about how most keg washers work. They clean upside down for the cascading waterfall of chemicals and water to clean the keg. This part makes sense. The part that I am wondering if we need to rethink is the CO2 purge. It seems to me that the CO2 being a denser gas when the keg is purged upside down the CO2 would make it down to the gas out / in section of the tap.
Now if one were just pressurizing the keg without blowing out gas, technically the air and CO2 will stratisfy and the CO2 will be on the bottom of the keg to create a blanket and the air would be expelled when filling the keg to keep equal pressures and beer flowing.
The other possibility, one would be expelling gas when purging the CO2 out of the keg for the first part of the purge. I would think that part of this gas is a blend of CO2 and air, probably still leaving some air in the keg. Either way their is still very much a possibility of having air in the kegs possibly reducing shelf life.
When working at a previous brewery there did not seemed to be an issue with shelf life in their kegs but their beer never stayed on the shelf very long. Has anyone ever considered this? Has anyone noticed any oxidation in their kegs? Does anyone take their kegs off their washer and purge them upright? Is this even something I need to worry about because almost all gas will be expelled in the filling process?
Cheers
Now if one were just pressurizing the keg without blowing out gas, technically the air and CO2 will stratisfy and the CO2 will be on the bottom of the keg to create a blanket and the air would be expelled when filling the keg to keep equal pressures and beer flowing.
The other possibility, one would be expelling gas when purging the CO2 out of the keg for the first part of the purge. I would think that part of this gas is a blend of CO2 and air, probably still leaving some air in the keg. Either way their is still very much a possibility of having air in the kegs possibly reducing shelf life.
When working at a previous brewery there did not seemed to be an issue with shelf life in their kegs but their beer never stayed on the shelf very long. Has anyone ever considered this? Has anyone noticed any oxidation in their kegs? Does anyone take their kegs off their washer and purge them upright? Is this even something I need to worry about because almost all gas will be expelled in the filling process?
Cheers
Comment