Kegs Before ‘First Fill’

[Rorschach]

Hey All

Having finally got my keezer to the point I can use the bloody thing, I want to make sure I have everything ready so I can decant the Saison bubbling away in the fermenter into the keg.

So, what do I need to do to my keg and lines before I use it? If anyone can point me to a thread where someone has already answered or give me some tips on what I need to do that would be awesome.

Also, I’ve no idea what pressure I need to set my keg at for carbing/serving (I’ve read a few and happy to let it sit for a week before testing!) that would also be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Grott]

In fairness there is tons of info in searching here and by searching google (for example) about cleaning kegs, beer lines, carbonating and serving pressures.
Is your keg new? Used but fairly clean? Filthy?

 

[Rorschach]

I’ve searched, but half the problem is too much info!

The keg is new

 

[Danscraftbeer]

In short. Sodium percarbonate to clean everything, Kegs, lines etc. Final, Phosphoric Acid sanitizer. (no rince).
Connect keg to 12 psi (serving pressure) is the set and forget method of carbonating were you cant go wrong. Will be carbonated in a week at serving temp.

 

[Grott]

A good cleaning agent is sodium percarbonate, use this or other beer cleaning product. With the sodium perc put a table spoon in the keg and fill. Seal with lid and put in 5 to 10 psi of co2 and connect your beer line. Open tap and pour a bit through, shut tap off and remove both disconnects from the keg. Your beer line and tap now has the cleaner sitting in it. Release pressure from keg, open lid top up with water to the top, drop the lid seal ring into it and sit lid in the liquid at the opening. Leave both for min 6 hours but overnight is better.
If you have a top loading washing machine tip solution from keg into that (to utilised the cleaner if you wish). Rinse keg,keg lid and seal well with water.
Now you need to sanitise. Starsan is great but use a no rinse and put a couple of litres in the keg, sanitise lid and seal, seal keg and shake to sanitise the inside.
Now pressurise 5 to 10 psi and connect to your beer line. Flush out the cleaner in the line using all the liquid. Release pressure from keg, open and tip out any left.
All is done and you are ready to go.

 

[Rorschach]

Grott, you’re my hero!

 

[Gloveski]

A good cleaning agent is sodium percarbonate, use this or other beer cleaning product. With the sodium perc put a table spoon in the keg and fill. Seal with lid and put in 5 to 10 psi of co2 and connect your beer line. Open tap and pour a bit through, shut tap off and remove both disconnects from the keg. Your beer line and tap now has the cleaner sitting in it. Release pressure from keg, open lid top up with water to the top, drop the lid seal ring into it and sit lid in the liquid at the opening. Leave both for min 6 hours but overnight is better.
If you have a top loading washing machine tip solution from keg into that (to utilised the cleaner if you wish). Rinse keg,keg lid and seal well with water.
Now you need to sanitise. Starsan is great but use a no rinse and put a couple of litres in the keg, sanitise lid and seal, seal keg and shake to sanitise the inside.
Now pressurise 5 to 10 psi and connect to your beer line. Flush out the cleaner in the line using all the liquid. Release pressure from keg, open and tip out any left.
All is done and you are ready to go.

Should change your name to the keg whisperer mate , nearly 12 months since you first helped me out with my kegging issues as a newbie, and I have seen you help many more since then

 

[Curly79]

Once your keg is clean and ready to fill you should purge the oxygen out by connecting your gas and holding open the relief valve for about 15-20 seconds.

 

[Nullnvoid]

Should change your name to the keg whisperer mate , nearly 12 months since you first helped me out with my kegging issues as a newbie, and I have seen you help many more since then

Grott The Keg Whisperer! Great name change! And whole heartily agree, he has been a quite help getting me into kegging!

 

[pcqypcqy]

A good cleaning agent is sodium percarbonate, use this or other beer cleaning product. With the sodium perc put a table spoon in the keg and fill. Seal with lid and put in 5 to 10 psi of co2 and connect your beer line. Open tap and pour a bit through, shut tap off and remove both disconnects from the keg. Your beer line and tap now has the cleaner sitting in it. Release pressure from keg, open lid top up with water to the top, drop the lid seal ring into it and sit lid in the liquid at the opening. Leave both for min 6 hours but overnight is better.
If you have a top loading washing machine tip solution from keg into that (to utilised the cleaner if you wish). Rinse keg,keg lid and seal well with water.
Now you need to sanitise. Starsan is great but use a no rinse and put a couple of litres in the keg, sanitise lid and seal, seal keg and shake to sanitise the inside.
Now pressurise 5 to 10 psi and connect to your beer line. Flush out the cleaner in the line using all the liquid. Release pressure from keg, open and tip out any left.
All is done and you are ready to go.

If star san isn't no rinse, I've got some serious undiscovered health issues after 2 years of use....

 

[Grott]

If star san isn't no rinse, I've got some serious undiscovered health issues after 2 years of use....

It definitely is no rinse, what I’m saying is star san is great but “use a non rinse..”in reference if using something else.

 

[Rorschach]

A good cleaning agent is sodium percarbonate, use this or other beer cleaning product. With the sodium perc put a table spoon in the keg and fill. Seal with lid and put in 5 to 10 psi of co2 and connect your beer line. Open tap and pour a bit through, shut tap off and remove both disconnects from the keg. Your beer line and tap now has the cleaner sitting in it. Release pressure from keg, open lid top up with water to the top, drop the lid seal ring into it and sit lid in the liquid at the opening. Leave both for min 6 hours but overnight is better.
If you have a top loading washing machine tip solution from keg into that (to utilised the cleaner if you wish). Rinse keg,keg lid and seal well with water.
Now you need to sanitise. Starsan is great but use a no rinse and put a couple of litres in the keg, sanitise lid and seal, seal keg and shake to sanitise the inside.
Now pressurise 5 to 10 psi and connect to your beer line. Flush out the cleaner in the line using all the liquid. Release pressure from keg, open and tip out any left.
All is done and you are ready to go.

I used this method to clean and sanitise my keg over the weekend, great post.
Thanks again for your help Grott!

 

[rossbaker]

A good cleaning agent is sodium percarbonate, use this or other beer cleaning product. With the sodium perc put a table spoon in the keg and fill. Seal with lid and put in 5 to 10 psi of co2 and connect your beer line. Open tap and pour a bit through, shut tap off and remove both disconnects from the keg. Your beer line and tap now has the cleaner sitting in it. Release pressure from keg, open lid top up with water to the top, drop the lid seal ring into it and sit lid in the liquid at the opening. Leave both for min 6 hours but overnight is better.
If you have a top loading washing machine tip solution from keg into that (to utilised the cleaner if you wish). Rinse keg,keg lid and seal well with water.
Now you need to sanitise. Starsan is great but use a no rinse and put a couple of litres in the keg, sanitise lid and seal, seal keg and shake to sanitise the inside.
Now pressurise 5 to 10 psi and connect to your beer line. Flush out the cleaner in the line using all the liquid. Release pressure from keg, open and tip out any left.
All is done and you are ready to go.

Another suggestion, if you use hot water with the sodium percarbonate, it will generate quite a bit of o2, enough that this will pressurise the keg quite quickly so no need to hit it with co2 to get the cleaner through the dip tube and beer lines at this stage.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

Great info above.

One small addition I would suggest (for new gear) is to triple rinse with water before going through the above sanitation. The large volume of water used by triple rinsing will ultra-dilute any nasties and also flush out anything (e.g. metal shavings) left from manufacturing process. Not that there should be anything in there ... but better to be safe.

Triple rinsing is standard agriculture industry practice before recycling used containers.

 

[Grott]

Another suggestion, if you use hot water with the sodium percarbonate, it will generate quite a bit of o2, enough that this will pressurise the keg quite quickly so no need to hit it with co2 to get the cleaner through the dip tube and beer lines at this stage.

Yes that does work with a good shake however now (old age) find it a bit of a effort with the 19l kegs, 12, 9.5 and mini kegs just great