Cube maintenance and lifespan

[shacked]

I recently emptied a cube of rye stout and went through my regular process post:

1) remove plug, rinse with hot water, then boiling water to get rid of wort/hops/other stuff
2) add a few litres of hot sodium perc and shake every couple of days
3) rinse with fresh water and replace with fresh sodium perc solution and leave in until next brew day

A week later and the cube looks stained - it's had about 12 brews in it (on the right, next to newer cube in the photo below).

Is there any way I can get rid of the staining?

Will it impact the next batch I put into it?

How many brews do you guys do before you replace a cube?

 

[RdeVjun]

I just rinse my used cubes quite thoroughly and drain them well, then sanitise just prior to reuse. It's best if the cubes are completely dried before recapping and storage, otherwise they can get the odd mould, which is probably not very helpful. The staining doesn't seem to impact on subsequent beers, full on cleaning with perc is probably overkill but won't hurt. My cubes have been in service for years.
RDWHAHB, you're doing it right.

 

[Ben1]

Mine did the same. A couple of days soak with napisan made all the difference. Just make sure you rotate it every couple of days so it gets all the surfaces.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Storing them with Sodium Perc is a good idea. Nothing will grow in it. But if you are going to keep them dry stored, make sure they are dry by leaving them in the sun for a few hours to completely dry

You may also want to give it a bleach ( with some white vinegar ) soak for a few days. This may remove the stain

Changing/alternating your sanitising chemicals also helps reduce resistance in moulds and bacteria

 

[real_beer]

You shouldn't need to keep changing the Sodium Perc every couple of days. If you use it with hot water when you soak the cube rinse it with hot water at least as hot when you eventually pour it out to remove any film residue. It's amazing how cubes stretch over time and I imagine they'd eventually become so thin you'll know when to give them the flick.

 

[TheWiggman]

I don't think there is any issue with a stained cube shacked, at the end of the day there will always been some impregnation of foreign stuff into HDPE by the very nature of its makeup. Provide you keep your cleaning process top-notch they should theoretically last indefinitely (unless a chemist/chemical engineer with more knowledge and skills than me can step in).
My regime is:

1. Give a good rinse with water immediately after use. Not the next day, straight after you've tipped it.
2. Add a full boiled kettle and half a scoop of napisan
3. "Shake it like a polaroid pictuuuuure", loosening the cap to allow air to escape. Rotate so all surfaces cop a hit and are thoroughly rinsed
4. Leave for 15 mins (leave lid loose) then drain
5. Top out and rinse a few times until the bubbles are nearly gone
6. Boil a full kettle, repeat step 3
7. Tip out and rinse again if required

Typically I'll give it a quick hit with sanitiser, dry out and put on the shelf. All up it takes about 30 mins and a cranky wife.

 

[dicko]

I fill my cubes with boiling water and add PBW and leave them soak for a few days or longer if possible.....clean as....

 

[Bribie G]

You need to go hard on the perc and completely fill the cube with hot tap water, then leave for a couple of days. I use about a quarter of a cup in my 10L cubes, only need doing every three months or so.

 

[idzy]

Removed.

 

[dicko]

You need to go hard on the perc and completely fill the cube with hot tap water, then leave for a couple of days. I use about a quarter of a cup in my 10L cubes, only need doing every three months or so.

cube maintenance.jpg

yes i agree, the secret is filling the cube with hot water and not relying on casual contact.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

And when the cube is full, lay it on its side so the handle gets a soaked as well.

Many brewers forget about the dead space in the handle

 

[Blind Dog]

As many others - I clean with hot Sodium Perc after rinsing the crap out and then flip so all sides get a soak over a day or so. Then rinse out and sanitise with starsan. I store mine withe some starsan inside.

Occasionally I hit them with sodium metabisulphite to keep the bugs on their toes (toss it around then dump and let the cube dry out with the lid off as its the fumes that do the work. then rinse with boiling water to get the smell out.

Some cubes are stained, some are not. doesn't appear to affect performance

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I don't fill my cubes up, but use a 5g/L PBW mix and fill them about 1/3. After shaking like a Polaroid picture I store upside down first to give handle best soak then change the position its in every day so each part of the surface gets a good soak. Mine don't appear stained at all.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Should add after the soak I rinse with hot water well and then store a litre of fresh stars an until ready for use. Haven't noticed mould or otherwise yet!

 

[Blind Dog]

Storing them with Sodium Perc is a good idea. Nothing will grow in it. But if you are going to keep them dry stored, make sure they are dry by leaving them in the sun for a few hours to completely dry

You may also want to give it a bleach ( with some white vinegar ) soak for a few days. This may remove the stain

Changing/alternating your sanitising chemicals also helps reduce resistance in moulds and bacteria

Doesn't bleach attack hdpe? I heard that pearl of wisdom from a couple of 'experienced' brewers (admittedly, one was an LHBS owner that recommended Chinook as a substitute for Fuggles, and the other didn't correct him) - never bothered to check as I don't use it in brewing, so it may well be fantasy.

 

[manticle]

Not sure about bleach but UV from direct sun definitely will.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Doesn't bleach attack hdpe?

Have a think about the container that bleach comes in.

http://www.calpaclab.com/chemical-compatibility-charts/

Sodium hypochlorite 15%

HDPE at 20C°-50C° show little or no damage after 30 days. LDPE at 20C° is suitable but at 50C° shows some effect after 7 days.


UV will definitely kill HDPE. I have had bitter experience with this happening

 

[kaiserben]

I use same methods as DJ_L3ThAL, except I fill to just over half way and mix with sodium perc. Filling to over half way means I only have to flip the cube/fermenter once.

I also only leave soaking in each position for about an hour. Dunno if that's too quick, but no problems so far.

I rarely no-chill these days, but the plastic on the corners of some of my old cubes seem a lot thinner than brand new ones. Dunno if I'd risk them with hot wort, but they're still useful otherwise.

 

[Kingy]

I must be a tight ***. I rinse out with cold water untill no foam then fill with cold water and put 4-5 heaped teaspoons of perc. Soak a few days then flip over for a few then rinse. I can see it clear up after a few days. If I'm in a hurry I fill with hot water and perc and soak for an hour or 3.

 

[seamad]

yep to UV damaging cubes, barely touched a 25L cube with a flanders red awaiting fermentation whilst trying to squeeze the ute into the garage because of a supposed hail storm coming , to be told by my 7yo daughter that my beer was leaking. Might have been better if it had at least hailed.