Silicone tubing

[Georgedgerton]

Having returned from a brewing break of several years I have found using silicone tubing to transfer around the various pieces of equipment seems quite popular these days. Given the porous nature of the material, I would have thought sanitation / sterilisation would be an issue; especially when you do such things as transfer chilled wort from the boiler to fermenter.
Do any of you chaps (and ladies) have any infection issues with silicone tube?

 

[altone]

Having returned from a brewing break of several years I have found using silicone tubing to transfer around the various pieces of equipment seems quite popular these days. Given the porous nature of the material, I would have thought sanitation / sterilisation would be an issue; especially when you do such things as transfer chilled wort from the boiler to fermenter.
Do any of you chaps (and ladies) have any infection issues with silicone tube?

Dammit! I thought one advantage of food grade silicone hose was it doesn't become porous..
and no never had an infection although I only use it to transfer between urn/cube/fermenter.

From a manufacturer:

Food grade silicon hose.

Silicone hose does not crack or become porous, it maintains a very long and useful life.
- Can last up to 5 times longer than other materials
- Has a high tear strength - it is much stronger than plastic or ordinary rubber hose.
- Is resistant to ultraviolet rays
Silicone is not affected by bacteria
- The smooth continuous bore allows no place for bacteria to grow.
- If needed, silicone hose can be sterilized in boiling water
Silicone hose is efficient and easy to use
- The translucent hose allows you to see your product move through the hose
- Low compression set means no re-tightening of fittings or clamps
- Metal fittings can be easily pushed onto the hose
- Remains flexible to -55ºC

 

[gunbrew]

Hi Georgedgerton
I keep my length of silicone tubing in the freezer and before use boil it in my 3 litre kettle.
No trouble so far.

 

[Georgedgerton]

Dammit! I thought one advantage of food grade silicone hose was it doesn't become porous..
and no never had an infection although I only use it to transfer between urn/cube/fermenter.

From a manufacturer:

Food grade silicon hose.

Silicone hose does not crack or become porous, it maintains a very long and useful life.
- Can last up to 5 times longer than other materials
- Has a high tear strength - it is much stronger than plastic or ordinary rubber hose.
- Is resistant to ultraviolet rays
Silicone is not affected by bacteria
- The smooth continuous bore allows no place for bacteria to grow.
- If needed, silicone hose can be sterilized in boiling water
Silicone hose is efficient and easy to use
- The translucent hose allows you to see your product move through the hose
- Low compression set means no re-tightening of fittings or clamps
- Metal fittings can be easily pushed onto the hose
- Remains flexible to -55ºC

Possibly porous was a poor choice of words in as much that I didn't mean it literally passes fluids through it (and I now realise manufacturers refer to it as 'non porous', but some years ago I saw some microscopic photography of a silicone seal (though it wouldn't have been food grade) that had a fog of fluid passing from the inside to out. Perhaps here lies the food grade difference?

 

[altone]

Well I'm not sure how "food grade" some of the silicon tubing on sale is either.
The Platinum cured stuff like they use in the dairy industry etc.
is totally odorless but people are complaining about the terrible smell of some stuff on the market.

Dunno mine was compliments of a dairy maintenance guy and has no smell

Anyway no problems with it or an earlier length from a LHBS that I used for a long time.

 

[Georgedgerton]

Well I'm not sure how "food grade" some of the silicon tubing on sale is either.
The Platinum cured stuff like they use in the dairy industry etc.
is totally odorless but people are complaining about the terrible smell of some stuff on the market.

Dunno mine was compliments of a dairy maintenance guy and has no smell

Anyway no problems with it or an earlier length from a LHBS that I used for a long time.

It's interesting that the tubing stains and marks so easily, (at least the tubing I have) it's almost impossible to clean any stain off it, so you would think something would have to be hanging onto the surface that could cause issues, but apparently not.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Keatsy]

Where is a good place to grab some silicone tubing?

 

[Georgedgerton]

Where is a good place to grab some silicone tubing?

Sorry about the slow reply but have been away. Just about any of the larger brew shops carry it. As I am from the South Coast NSW I tend to buy a bit of gear from Cheeky Peak, but I am sure such places as Craft Brewer and many others will gladly help you out