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Author Topic: Should I....  (Read 2477 times)

Offline cheshirecat

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Should I....
« on: March 01, 2012, 06:42:54 pm »
So I naturally carbed two beers in kegs a couple weeks ago and went to put them on tap tonight. To make sure they were carbonated I pulled a bit to check the level. THEY WERE BOTH TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY INFECTED!!! It's been a while since I had an infection and sadly had to dumped both batches.

Here is my question: I am worried about the next beer I put in those kegs... totally sure it was not the kegs the gave me the infection but don't want it to spread to my next beer now that something infected was in there.

Should I replace all the "O" rings and such? They are in good condition but I do have extras on hand and don't mind doing it. Just asking because I hate to waste when I don't need too.

Second, should I replace the beverage line in the kegerator too?

Thanks!

Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2012, 07:03:53 pm »
Yeah, I think you should replace anything and everything associated with the kegs.  Clean with a PBW or oxyclean solution(let it soak overnight)then sanitize everything with a Starsan or iodophor solution, replace all the hoses,  o-rings and gaskets.
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline EHall

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2012, 07:17:51 pm »
Sometimes it takes a while for an infection to become noticable... did you taste going into the keg? was it fine then or not? You'll be able to clean all the 'hard' stuff, but the soft flexable rubbers and plastics should be replaced if you want to knock this out first time... if you don't know where it got contaminated...
Phoenix, AZ

Offline cheshirecat

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2012, 07:21:47 pm »
Pretty sure they where fine going in, almost positive. I know where f'ed up... I also kegged a sour about the same time. I am pretty sure I got some cross contamination from my plastic wine thief. Anyway long story but I am pretty sure I know when and how...

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2012, 07:58:20 pm »
While you have the posts off to replace the o-rings on the tubes, boil the posts and poppets for 10-15 minutes.  If anything is luking there, it will take care of it.
Jeff Rankert
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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2012, 08:19:09 pm »
This is an old story of mine but many years ago, before internet forums and such I made a batch of malt vinegar INSIDE a keg of crappy pale ale.  It sat in the keg, in my garage,  for a year before i bottled the vinegar.  After I racked the vinegar to my bottling bucket, I cleaned the keg with PBW as usual, sanitized as usual and at some point later  filled the keg with beer.  Over the 15 years since I made that vinegar in the keg I've probably served 50 batches of beer in it without ever even replacing the o-rings.  I have no idea which keg it was but in 20 years of brewing I've never had an infected batch of beer, even in that keg.
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline bluesman

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Re: Should I....
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2012, 08:06:00 am »
While you have the posts off to replace the o-rings on the tubes, boil the posts and poppets for 10-15 minutes.  If anything is luking there, it will take care of it.

+1

Bacteria can hide in any part of your system that was exposed to it. So I recommend taking everything apart including the lid and boiling. A hot PBW soak overnight in the keg will take care of that. All utensils and equipment exposed will need to be sterilized if you plan to use it for other brewing (post boil). I know homebrewers that a second set of equipment dedicated to sour beers.
Ron Price

Offline cheshirecat

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Should I....
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2012, 11:10:19 pm »
Thanks guys. I do have a second set of stuff for sours. I just got careless. Ah well.


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