Sterile air filter

[baer19d]

We're thinking about adding a sterile air filter to our keg washer just as an extra layer of precaution. Does anyone else out there do this, and if so, which/what kind of filter are you using?
Thanks

[dick murton]

All gases, and the associated pipework downstream of the sterilising filter should ideally be sterile. However, if you are only using the air to blow out the beer residues and using steam to blow out the washes, then as you will be sterilising the keg after the post detergent rinse, it probably will not add much micro security. You should definitely be sterilising the CO2 purge system - filter and all associated kit downstream of the filter. If you cannot steam sterilise the filter and downstream system, then you cannot guarantee the gas going into the kegs is sterile even if the brand new filter is sterile for a short while - so some might say why bother with a sterilising filter? Just put in a particulate filter.