Caustic Cleaning The Brewery

[Mardoo]

Why not just neutralise it with a solution of cheap, DILUTED white vinegar?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

http://www.recochem.com.au/files/downloads/Cons_Rust__Stain_Cleaner_PDS_Apr11.pdf

 

[Kingy]

All the mixing rates in this thread are confusing just like all my other research lol.

 

[Kingy]

Would 30gms a litre make a 3% solution or doesn't it work like that?

 

[Mardoo]

If its weight were 1gm/ml, as is water, then yes. I strongly suspect it's not though. Me, I just follow the directions on the label. The chem-fu is not strong in this one.

 

[billygoat]

Is that a typo billygoat? I bought some powdered caustic from a hardware store and the mixing ratio is 60g/l - http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/index.php?/topic/92009-my-score-yesterday/page__view__findpost__p__1397853
As for whether it does a better job than PBW, it does a better job than anything. Completely worth doing every year or so on the brewing gear, not so much required for fermentation equipment unless you're running into troubles.

Was a typo, 30 grams per litre not 3.

 

[billygoat]

Would 30gms a litre make a 3% solution or doesn't it work like that?

It's not going to be exaclty a 3% concentration but you'll find it extremely effective. Sometimes I only use 20 grams per litre, still works fine.
The 5 kg bucket cost me $15.

 

[mb-squared]

Already lots of conflicting info in this thread, and I'm not going to help matters, but this is what I do. After every brew, I add 1/2 cup of caustic soda (aka lye or drano) to ~20L of boiling water in my BK and then pump it through my whole system for 15mins as a pseudo cip. I've got a copper HEX and a copper CFC (both with SS fittings) and haven't ever had a problem. I then chase tap water through the system for a couple mins as a rinse, close it all up and there she sits until my next brew. A few years on now and everything is still clean as new. I swear by it. I also use it to clean my fermenters (50L ss kegs) and serving kegs. For the kegs, I always do a final acid rinse (starsan). As for disposal, it goes down the drain (it is drano, afterall). Good to keep the sewer pipes flowing I reckon.

But you definitely need to have some protective eyewear on when using this stuff. I also use rubber gloves.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

2% is strong enough for caustic soda cleaning as long as it's hot (>60 oC) and yes 20 g of sodium hydroxide made up to 1 litre in water is exactly 2%.

There is no real need to neutralise it before sending it to drain, wastewater from organic processes (including brewing) is always acidic so the caustic helps neutralise it. In industrial practice alkalisation of the wastewater is generally mandated: the trade waste people will want the pH to be between 6.5 and 8.5.

That being said, if your waste discharges to soil you should think about using potassium hydroxide not sodium, this avoids sodicity problems (plants will preferentially take up the potassium)

 

[Kingy]

Well I just done my first clean with this toxic **** and and wow [emoji15] im addicted. As I recirculated through the hlt for a little while and then across to the mash tun and recirculated through the herms for a little while @ 70° then across to the kettle. When I drained it out the water was like a weak cup of [emoji477]️ with a few brown floaters in it. I'll be definately doing this more often even tho I look funny with all my safety gear on, gumboots gloves clear safety glasses. Glad I had my gumboots on as when I changed hoses I got some on my boots. Cheers fellas.
Oh I used 30gms a litre.

 

[///]

Ahh the fork in the road between commercial brewers and home brewers. Caustic cleaning.

2% hot caustic for 30 mins, cold water flush, peracetic acid sanitize 10 mins with all valves closed.

Most liquid caustic is 50% water, so 4l total per 100l gets you close enough. Avoid pearl caustic, always finds your eyes.

Phosphoric based cleaners and sanitisers work, just not as good as the above.

 

[///]

Ahh the fork in the road between commercial brewers and home brewers. Caustic cleaning.

2% hot caustic for 30 mins, cold water flush, peracetic acid sanitize 10 mins with all valves closed.

Most liquid caustic is 50% water, so 4l total per 100l gets you close enough. Avoid pearl caustic, always finds your eyes.

Phosphoric based cleaners and sanitisers work, just not as good as the above.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Caustic cleaning has been around for some time in home brewing. As has the 2% ratio, second post from 2008 @ 200gm for 10 Litres.


EDIT - Additional warning about being careful with adding the caustic to cold water and protecting the eyes, face and skin. This **** really is dangerous. When forensic chemists, put on the safety gear, close the splash shield and turn on the extraction fan before adding this to water, then you should take that as a hint. They are scared of it, so should you be.

2nd EDIT - then there is this from 2012 Post Oh to search on the search function...

'Cleaning with Caustic soda', who would have thought such search words would have provided age old wisdom.....