How to Clean Your Kegerator
http://www.articlesweekly.com/articles/57340/1/How-to-Clean-Your-Kegerator/Page1.html
Felicia Jenkins
This article was written by Felicia Jenkins for beerkegaccessories.com - the #1 source for beer tap handles and other bar supplies. By Felicia Jenkins
Published on December 6th, 2009
Keeping your kegerator clean is very important to the taste and freshness of your beer It may not seem important to clean a beer container before you put more beer into it, but it really is a crucial step in the process
Keeping your kegerator clean is very important to the taste and freshness of your beer. It may not seem important to clean a beer container before you put more beer into it, but it really is a crucial step in the process. The taste can be affected very easily, and the beer can be ruined by a dirty keg.
You need to have a schedule for your kegerator. One of your biggest enemies when it comes to the proper working and sanitation of your kegs can be the beer itself. The lines that carry the beer from the keg to your glass can have beer left in them when the beer runs out. If this is left in keg or lines it can spoil and lead to bacteria growing. If this happens, your next batch of beer will taste funny at best. At worst it will be go bad very quickly and be undrinkable.
So, every time you finish off a keg of beer, you need to clean the kegerator, lines, and keg thoroughly. Do this before anything has a chance to sit for too long. If it is awhile before you get another keg, you may want to clean the kegerator again before adding the new beer to the system.
Cleaning the kegerator itself is important, but very easy. Generally the inside of the refrigerator doesn't get very dirty, and a quick wipe-down with a cloth and gentle cleaner is all that it requires. Follow the instructions that come with the kegerator if there are any special requirements.
Thankfully, there are kegerator cleaning kits that you can buy to make the process a little easier. These can be a little on the pricy side, but can be a good option for you until you know what you are doing. There are "beer line cleaners" that you can buy for this specific purpose. You will need to send the cleaner through the lines with the help of a hand-pump or CO2. Any beer supplier will be able to provide something to help you with this step.
You definitely need to use a non-abrasive cleaner though. When you are cleaning the inside of the keg, you don't want to leave any scratches. Steel wool and other scrubbing pads can leave microscopic scratches on the inside of the keg. When this happens bacteria have an easier time sticking and multiplying. The keg will be harder to clean and will be more likely to leave a strange taste to the beer.
Once you clean the keg to remove any leftover beer residue from it, you will need to sanitize it. There are also products that are made to do just this. Push the sanitizer through the lines with the help of CO2. Check the instructions before you proceed, but you will probably need to flush the lines with water before putting beer back into them. This will avoid any unusual tastes being left behind.
If you are buying kegs of beer from a company, see what their rules are for cleaning the kegs and follow them. It isn't cheap to replace a keg if you ruin one. Otherwise, if you own your kegs, make sure you take good care of them. This way they will last a very long time.
You need to have a schedule for your kegerator. One of your biggest enemies when it comes to the proper working and sanitation of your kegs can be the beer itself. The lines that carry the beer from the keg to your glass can have beer left in them when the beer runs out. If this is left in keg or lines it can spoil and lead to bacteria growing. If this happens, your next batch of beer will taste funny at best. At worst it will be go bad very quickly and be undrinkable.
So, every time you finish off a keg of beer, you need to clean the kegerator, lines, and keg thoroughly. Do this before anything has a chance to sit for too long. If it is awhile before you get another keg, you may want to clean the kegerator again before adding the new beer to the system.
Cleaning the kegerator itself is important, but very easy. Generally the inside of the refrigerator doesn't get very dirty, and a quick wipe-down with a cloth and gentle cleaner is all that it requires. Follow the instructions that come with the kegerator if there are any special requirements.
Thankfully, there are kegerator cleaning kits that you can buy to make the process a little easier. These can be a little on the pricy side, but can be a good option for you until you know what you are doing. There are "beer line cleaners" that you can buy for this specific purpose. You will need to send the cleaner through the lines with the help of a hand-pump or CO2. Any beer supplier will be able to provide something to help you with this step.
You definitely need to use a non-abrasive cleaner though. When you are cleaning the inside of the keg, you don't want to leave any scratches. Steel wool and other scrubbing pads can leave microscopic scratches on the inside of the keg. When this happens bacteria have an easier time sticking and multiplying. The keg will be harder to clean and will be more likely to leave a strange taste to the beer.
Once you clean the keg to remove any leftover beer residue from it, you will need to sanitize it. There are also products that are made to do just this. Push the sanitizer through the lines with the help of CO2. Check the instructions before you proceed, but you will probably need to flush the lines with water before putting beer back into them. This will avoid any unusual tastes being left behind.
If you are buying kegs of beer from a company, see what their rules are for cleaning the kegs and follow them. It isn't cheap to replace a keg if you ruin one. Otherwise, if you own your kegs, make sure you take good care of them. This way they will last a very long time.