Cleaning the System

I believe there are homemade cleaning systems shown on you tube.
Just do a search with the right key words

Hope this helps
Cheers

 

A one time purchase of a hand pump beer line cleaning kit for ~$50 is not that expensive, IMO. You can probably build your own pumper, but you really want beer line cleaner to clean your lines.

 

I use an empty 2L soda bottle fitted with a carbonator cap. Put my BLC solution in there, pressurize the bottle, invert it and open the tap. I run it through several times while also letting it sit in the line for a few minutes.

You have to use a gas ball lock disconnect to do this because the liquid disconnect will get stuck on the carbonator cap just as it would on your corny keg if put on the gas out. Costs way less than a hand pump system. Only thing you have to buy is a carbonator cap and I have two anyways.

 

Is there anything wrong with mixing the cleaner in a Corny keg and running the solution through the system that way?

 

No not at all. You'll just use up more CO2 and have to fill up your tank more often.

 

That's what I do and seems to work very well so far.

 

You're using a trivial amount of CO2 for this (but I have a pair of 20# tanks, so I don't give it a thought). I mixed 5 gallons of 'One Step' in a keg using RO water a few years ago. Whenever a keg kicks, I run a couple of pints through, then let it sit in the line until I'm ready to tap the next keg, or at least overnight. I then flush it with soda water that I keep in another keg (I also use this for soft drinks, BTW). The first sediment-laden pint or so of beer is going to get tossed anyway, so I rinse with that. This has worked well for me.

 

There are a lot of home remedies for cleaning the system - soda is the best!

 

I do this. I kill two birds with one stone if you will; clean the keg and lines with the same solution. Run some PBW, then Starsan and leave the starsan in the lines until I tap the next beer.

 

Here you go man. Make sure you order the firestone ball lock. I got the wrong type by accident and it would not thread on the 3/8 fitting.

 

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/02/recirculating-draft-line-cleaning-build-2.html

I built a version of this. My draft line is long so I use a small bucket under the tap line.

 

remove the faucet, soak and clean. rinse.
do the same with the coupler.

buy a 100' roll of 3/16" Bev Line. Replace the line. Do this every few months.
replacing the line is actually easier and takes about the same amount of time, maybe less if you are efficient. and it's cleaner. and 100% clean. and easy. (and you will need to replace the line eventually anyway because you aren't removing beer stone.)

but a simple cleaning kit is also real easy to use, so don't sweat it.
Cheers.

 

Protocol with new beer line - ready to use or just flush with warm water?

My system is approaching 6 months of use. Definitely want to change the line but think it will be a pain for double tower.

 

Not really that much of a pain, after you break the faucet nut free it is easy. Not that much more of a burden with two.

 

Do I really need a hose cutter? Seems like superfluous purchase.

 

new beer line is 100% good out of the box.
getting into the tower can be a PITA, but if you give yourself time and don't get frustrated it goes pretty easy. this isn't NASA after all.

no, you don't really need a special tube cutter, though they are cheap and really convenient. any sharp utility knife will do. i strongly advise you to adhere to the following two points of advice:
slice away from your body.
slice away from your body.

there is a third bit of advice, and that is if you choose to ignore the first two(drinking?) be sure to know the quickest route to the ER. hey man, no shit.

just take your time. i mean it.
Cheers.

 

Replacing the line/lines is not easier than a good cleaning, it's just not. Also suggesting replacing beer line every "few" months to me is way overkill. Clean your lines after each keg, and if you replace your lines once a year you are way ahead of the curve and your lines should stay in really good shape. That's my opinion on it.....just an opinion.

 

the reason for replacing the lines every few months is to eliminate the cleaning requirement. otherwise you are correct, nobody needs to replace lines so frequently. draft beer assoc. recommends every two years for commercial operations.

how hard is it to cut a length of tube, dip the ends in hot water and install of a barbed end? cleaning isn't difficult either but it does require extra hardware. the cost of BLC almost negates the cost of the roll of choker. almost. I get it wholesale, so yeah it isn't the same. and my opinion is not the typical advice. just another consideration.
Cheers.