Ag Brew Gear Preparation Advice Required

[Juzz]

My electric AG 3 vessel (converted keg) system is nearly up and ready, pics will follow once complete the final touches, and I was after some views and opinions on my planned next steps before I try and put a brew down.

The equipment comprises of the following components:

Polycarbonate tube (sight gauge)
Copper (chillier)
Stainless (kegs, false bottom, fittings and pickups)
Brass (fittings)
Silicone (washers and hosing)

My next steps are...

1. Boil the HLT and Kettle, filling the MLT and silicone lines with hot water then using PBW give them all a good clean (green kitchen sourer) - including immersion chillier
2. Pull apart all fixtures and fittings and clean (put them all in one of the other vessels in the cleaning solution)
3. Put back together and add water to HLT to make marks for sight gauge
4. Add few litres water to Kettle and drain to measure dead space volume
5. Repeat for MLT
6. Learn how to use beer smith
7. Sanitise all gear and brew.

Am I missing something here?

This is my proposed cleaning and sanitising regime, will these products have a negative impact on the metals, and plastics, that I am using? I dont think the PBW will, but unsure with Starsan on brass/copper.

Clean brew gear with PBW (includes soaking when required)
Clean fermenter with no name nappisan (or similarly cheap source of Sodium Percarbonate)
Sanitise everything with Starsan

I also have access (free) to caustic soda but might steer clear for the time being and only use if i need (prob wont touch though)

Does anyone see any issues or have any thought with what I am planning?

 

[browndog]

My electric AG 3 vessel (converted keg) system is nearly up and ready, pics will follow once complete the final touches, and I was after some views and opinions on my planned next steps before I try and put a brew down.

The equipment comprises of the following components:

Polycarbonate tube (sight gauge)
Copper (chillier)
Stainless (kegs, false bottom, fittings and pickups)
Brass (fittings)
Silicone (washers and hosing)

My next steps are...

1. Boil the HLT and Kettle, filling the MLT and silicone lines with hot water then using PBW give them all a good clean (green kitchen sourer) - including immersion chillier
2. Pull apart all fixtures and fittings and clean (put them all in one of the other vessels in the cleaning solution)
3. Put back together and add water to HLT to make marks for sight gauge
4. Add few litres water to Kettle and drain to measure dead space volume
5. Repeat for MLT
6. Learn how to use beer smith
7. Sanitise all gear and brew.

Am I missing something here?

This is my proposed cleaning and sanitising regime, will these products have a negative impact on the metals, and plastics, that I am using? I dont think the PBW will, but unsure with Starsan on brass/copper.

Clean brew gear with PBW (includes soaking when required)
Clean fermenter with no name nappisan (or similarly cheap source of Sodium Percarbonate)
Sanitise everything with Starsan

I also have access (free) to caustic soda but might steer clear for the time being and only use if i need (prob wont touch though)

Does anyone see any issues or have any thought with what I am planning?

No issues, a bit of overkill if you ask me, but there is no harm in that. You really only need to "clean" anything before the kettle. It is what comes after the boil that will spoil your beer. For what it is worth, I have never cleaned my HLT, only drained it and wiped dry. MT gets scrubbed with a scouring pad and cold water, rinsed and dried, same deal for the kettle and once every six months a soak in PBW to get rid of the beerstone. If you have ball valves you should pay them special attention as they can trap wort in the body where the ball is. You need to flush them while turning them on and off to get the crud out.

cheers

Browndog

 

[hockadays]

Hi there, you might want to heat up some water in your hlt to say65 deg and add it to your mash tun and read the temp it falls to so you have an idea of the tune thermal mass. This should help in hitting mash temps. Also as browndog said starsan is a bit overkillon anything preboil. With your vessels full of water is a good time to check for leaks as well.