# 50 Litre Keg Set-up



## Milkaroo (12/6/07)

Ive been given this 50 Litre keg and coupler.

Im a keen homebrewer but only bottle at this stage but now ive got this keg...

So the question is how do i clean this thing and what equipment do i need to get set-up??

Your ideas would be appreciated...

Cheers 


Milky


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## bugwan (12/6/07)

Milkaroo said:


> Ive been given this 50 Litre keg and coupler.
> 
> Im a keen homebrewer but only bottle at this stage but now ive got this keg...
> 
> ...



Milky, nice work on the score...although it may turn out to be quite difficult to clean this bugger.

What the breweries do (as far as I know) is spray a jet of hot, caustic solution into the keg via the valve. This is then thoroughly rinsed out before refilling. Without a kegging line, you'll have to go for a more basic approach.

Probably best to remove the valve/spear assembly so that you have better access to the keg's innards. You can do so by following the instructions in this post.

You'll need to drain out any old stuff in there and then clean the thing like buggery. Obviously the hole is too small for any cleaning equipment to get in, so there's your difficulty. If you can clean it using hot/cold high pressure water and cleaning solution, you're fine...if not, it may not be of any use. Good luck with it!


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## Milkaroo (12/6/07)

bugwan said:


> Milky, nice work on the score...although it may turn out to be quite difficult to clean this bugger.
> 
> What the breweries do (as far as I know) is spray a jet of hot, caustic solution into the keg via the valve. This is then thoroughly rinsed out before refilling. Without a kegging line, you'll have to go for a more basic approach.
> 
> ...



Thanks for that... when i get home ill go to work on it (fingers crossed)

Do i use the standard kegging equipment as you would on the 19 litre kegs through the coupler?


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## tommy cooper (12/6/07)

milky cleaning them is not a problem really follow the thread supplied buy bugwan to open her up empty any left overs and rinse .make a caustic solution (but be cearfull) and soak for a couple of days empty and rinse rinse rinse .you can also rinse with a bit of citric acid as well it should come up ok . the most imortant part is make sure the vlve and spear is super clean as theese have nooks and crannies where muck can hide .dont for get to give a good dose of sodium met and rinse again before filling. 
with the coupler you can get posts to fit from andale to use with a standard hb set up for about 40 bucks tops .

tc


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## Bobby (12/6/07)

i wouldn't put acid into a metal vessel as standard cleaning practice...


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## Screwtop (12/6/07)

Bobby said:


> i wouldn't put acid into a metal vessel as standard cleaning practice...




Commercial breweries and wineries use caustic solution for cleaning SS.


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## phonos (12/6/07)

Caustic is alkaline, not acidic.

But you're very right - never use acid on steel. Not if you don't want it last.


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## Fents (12/6/07)

Phonos said:


> Not if you don't want it last.



So what your basically saying is use acid on Stainless Steel if you want it to last?... :blink: :huh:


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## phonos (12/6/07)

Fents said:


> So what your basically saying is use acid on Stainless Steel if you want it to last?... :blink: :huh:



Sorry, you're right,Me and my double negatives!

ACID+STEEL=BAD


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## blackbock (12/6/07)

Stainless can actually be passivated by acids, phosphoric, citric and nitric come to mind.
One of the worst things for stainless is chlorine bleach, the chloride being particularly savage if left for any amount of time.

Edit: factually incomplete


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## Jye (12/6/07)

It is common practice in washing cycles to use caustic in conjunction with an acid (phosphoric) to help remove soil (beerstone) in kegs.


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## kook (12/6/07)

tommy cooper said:


> dont for get to give a good dose of sodium met and rinse again before filling.



Why on earth are people still recommending sodium met for sanitising? What benefits does it provide compared to safer, more effective non-rinse sanitisers such as iodophor, orthophos acid and hydrogen peroxide?

And why is everyone recommending against putting acid anywhere near steel? Orthophosphoric and peroxacetic based acid sanitisers are perfect for stainless and both are used in commercial brewing.


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## Tony (12/6/07)

i use these kegs, have been for years now.

I just rinse them out when they are empty and add some keg and line cleaner and water and let them soak for a day or 2. this is generally a caustic solution and works well.

nodify the spear by removing it and cutting off the tab so it can be screwed in and out without disasembly.

you can get fittings to adapt to the comercial couplers that will work with common corny keg fittings.

cheers


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## MHB (12/6/07)

Just to take this thread even further OT

Re: Sodium Metabisulphite
Or any variation that gives free SO2, these are still very effective and remarkably inexpensive sanitisers, see how much is used in the wine industry.

They are also a no rinse sanitiser if used properly.

Their 1 big advantage is that cultured yeasts are breed to be tolerant of a fair dose of SO2, usually around 50 ppm, wild yeast and most nasties will be killed by this concentration.

Other advantages are that its a powerful Anti-oxidant and a preservative.

It would be unfortunate if the value of god old Sodium-Met was ignored, if it's used properly, it's just another tool that has its place in every brewer's armoury.

To try to get back OT
I have never had any problem cleaning commercial kegs, as they are sealed they dont dry out so the soil is relatively easy to remove with a good cleaner. I use Sodium Met Silicate (brewer's detergent among other names), shake the keg roll it around some, rinse with boiling water, then a sanitiser, usually one of the peroxide ones.

If I am feeling particularly paranoid I will sit the keg on a gas ring (with a couple of L of water in it), then give it a good boil, then screw the top in, allowing the keg to cool while sealed; not a good idea in this case.

MHB


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## kook (12/6/07)

MHB said:


> Just to take this thread even further OT
> 
> Re: Sodium Metabisulphite
> Or any variation that gives free SO2, these are still very effective and remarkably inexpensive sanitisers, see how much is used in the wine industry.
> ...



Thats the thing though, it is used extensively in the wine industry, but from what I've heard more as an antioxidant and barrel preservatives. For sanitising SS tanks etc it is ditched in favour of peroxacetic etc. In most homebrew applications it's used at incorrect concentrations and then made useless by rinsing anyway!

I always understood the opposite, that most beer yeasts were not tolerant of SO2 ?


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## domonsura (12/6/07)

A photo tutorial look at removing the spear.......here

Most places that clean multiples of these kegs set up a jig to upend the keg on. Not sure if that will be suitable for you, I would just remove the spear for cleaning and use hot caustic................


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## Back Yard Brewer (12/6/07)

kook said:


> For sanitising SS tanks etc it is ditched in favour of peroxacetic etc.



You are on the money. We have changed to a product called Pureline for removing colour from our wine hoses. For stubborn stains in tanks we use a product called LIQUID PUREXOL. The only problem with the purexol is that it needs to be rinsed well to remove the smell. Its a little safer than the old caustic pearls we used to use.

BYB


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## Tony (12/6/07)

ahhhh the caustic pearls. the starch plant used to work in used bags of little white caustic pellets.

one of the boys got one in his eye socket one night, almost lost his eye.

great for unblocking drains too.

i use the ESB keg and line cleaner but wouldnt mind finding something a bit more "bulk buy" to clean out larger kegs (50 liter)

cheers


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## peter.b (1/7/07)

Milkaroo said:


> Ive been given this 50 Litre keg and coupler.
> 
> Im a keen homebrewer but only bottle at this stage but now ive got this keg...
> 
> ...


Hi milky, you raised an interesting question, I also have 50L kegs and wondered how I clean/sanitize them. You must have the adapter/fitting for them. Don't butcher them by hacking off the valve at the top. Buy the fitting for them at a commmercial outllet. IE Andale, Placer pacific.Once you have it you can clean a keg as you do normally.Caustic,steam, sodium hyperclorite(bleach).25 parts per million is the recommended dose. These are invaluable additions to your storage supplies. With the spear going to the bottom of the keg, I put hot caustic in ,using boiling water. I then turn the keg upside down on blocks to drain the solution through the (air in) fitting. This give the keg a thorough clean. You can then rinse them with the same method. It's alway's better if you have a fitting to fill, and one to dispense. These are not cheap but that's the price you pay for 50L adaptors. Quality isn't cheap it's priceless.


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## chefeffect (1/7/07)

Milkaroo said:


> Ive been given this 50 Litre keg and coupler.
> 
> Im a keen homebrewer but only bottle at this stage but now ive got this keg...
> 
> ...



Hi mate i am pretty new at this as well but i have a simmilar keg and coupler, at least i think it is, i would need a better photo of the keg top with the coupler off but it looks like a german slider style coupler used on swan kegs and tooheys kegs but i could be wrong as i have been many times before. Any ways i have removed the spear on mine but its a bit different than removing the spear on a sankie keg. To clean there are a few ways you could just romove the ball in the coupler that stops the beer going back in the keg from the tap line, and then push a garden hose in and turn keg up side down and rest on a stand of some kind and flush out, you can then use a sanatiser or beer line cleaner depending how bad the keg condition is in, roll around for 5 mins and let sit for 30mins i have heard you can use napisan to clean and sanitis as its not corrosive, then flush out with water again. But i would just remove the spear and clean out with napisan and rince lots easier and you can pull the spear apart and clean easier. you then need a bar reg for Co2, gas in line HBS, beer out line HBS, tap, fridge, (inline check valve optional), srew driven hose clips, and Co2 bottle check out homebrewandbeer.com and look at 50lt kegging posts heaps of info. good luck.


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## goatherder (1/7/07)

B)-->QUOTE(peter.b @ Jul 1 2007, 12:14 AM) [post="222505"][/post]


snip

Once you have it you can clean a keg as you do normally.Caustic,steam, sodium hyperclorite(bleach).25 parts per million is the recommended dose. 

/snip

[/quote]

Chlorine bleach (sodium hyperchlorite) is not a good choice for cleaning stainless steel. It will attack the protective oxide layers and pit the metal over time. Stick to caustic or sodium percarbonate based cleaners.


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