Hey, just recently finished my first batch (IPA, turned out pretty good for a first recipe!) and I am getting ready to brew another batch on Saturday. I have cleaned my two glass carboys (primary and secondary) thoroughly along with my bottling bucket and all my tools. The only thing I am somewhat unsatisfied with is my siphon tubing. I ran hot water and sanitizing solution through it countless times but it still seems like there is some buildup in there and I don't want that to negatively affect my next batch. Is there a good way to clean these? Pipe cleaners? Not sure. It's about a 5-6 foot long siphon.
Can I ask why not? I had an autosiphon that clogged pretty badly, and when I unclogged it with a toothpick the little checkvalve/clip at the bottom fell out. I was able to replace the clip with the double sided tape/dowel trick, but then soaked the autosiphon in OxyClean to loosen and remove the tape and residue. Was there a reason I should not have done that?
Regular OxiClean contains perfume/fragrance...and possibly other things you don't want to soak your brewing stuff in. I keep spelling it with a "y", even though it's an "i". On of these days I'll remember.
OK -- thanks. It was just the autosiphon so I can probably give it another good cleaning in hot water and/or sanitizer and I should be OK. and I only spelled it with a "y" because you guys did :-)
Tubing just needs to be flushed with water and sanitized....the mistake some brewers make is not cleaning/flushing things immediately after use, IMHO. As far the Oxyclean...unscented if available, but no big deal if it's not. Again, a mistake some brewers make is not rinsing the Oxyclean (or Potassium Hydroxide -line cleaner) THOROUGHLY...first with water and then with something acidic (Starsan)...IMHO
Indeed! Beer is mostly sugar water. Thus, a hot water rinse immediately after using the tubing - before it dries into gunk - is all it really needs.
Honestly, if there is any doubt on the cleanliness of you tubing, toss it and buy more. It is pretty much dirt cheap at home depot etc. and well worth simply replacing rather than infecting a batch and tossing 30-60 dollars worth of wort/beer not to mention the time invested.
agree, but lots of times it's what's connected to the tubing that might be causing the problem...tubing is not anymore vulnerable than anything else if it is flushed promptly and sanitized before subsequent use.
