DIY Beer Line Cleaner

Is your draft beer tasting a little off lately? Do you notice an unpleasant aroma or aftertaste when pouring a pint? If so, it may be time to clean those beer lines well. Maintaining clean draft lines is crucial for delivering optimal beer flavor and aroma. While professional line cleaning services are available, many bar owners prefer to clean their draft lines to save on costs. Luckily, with a few simple ingredients and supplies readily available at your local home improvement store, you can quickly whip up an effective DIY beer line cleaning solution. In this article, we’ll walk through a straightforward do-it-yourself approach to cleaning beer lines and keeping your draft system hygienic.

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Key Highlights

Keeping your draft beer lines clean is crucial for delivering great-tasting brews. Over time, residue and buildup can affect the flavor and aroma of your beer. While you can hire professional line cleaning services, DIY cleaning is an easy and affordable option. You only need common household ingredients like PBW or OxiClean, citric acid, and hot water. Make a cleaning solution, recirculate it through your lines, flush thoroughly, and sanitize. For optimal results, clean lines every two weeks. With some basic supplies and a bit of time, you can keep your draft lines spotless yourself. Your tastebuds and customers will thank you for a clean, fresh-tasting beer every pour.

Ingredients and Equipment

Keeping draft beer lines clean is crucial for delivering great-tasting beer to customers. While professional line cleaning services are available, many bars and restaurants opt for the more affordable do-it-yourself cleaning method. This requires just a few key ingredients and pieces of equipment.

Ingredients

When making your own DIY beer line cleaner, there are some critical ingredients needed:

PBW or OxiClean – These alkaline-based cleaners help dissolve and remove organic residues like beer stone. PBW (powered brewery wash) is designed to clean beer draft systems. Use around 1-2 oz per gallon of hot water as directed. Oxiclean Free or Original (non-scented) also works well.
Citric Acid – Helps remove any mineral deposits left behind that can impart off-flavors. Make a solution with about 4 oz citric acid per 5 gallons of hot water.
Sanitizing Solution – A no-rinse sanitizer like Star San or Iodophor is ideal for sanitizing lines after cleaning. Use a dilution of 1 oz per 5 gallons.
Hot Water – Hot water around 140°F helps dissolve gunk faster and improves cleaning efficacy.
Cleaning Aids – Optional brushes or detergents can help scrub stubborn residues.

Carefully follow label dilution instructions when mixing up cleaning or sanitizing solutions.

Equipment

In addition to ingredients, some essential equipment is also required:

Pump – Needed to circulate cleaning and sanitizing solutions through the lines. Use the existing draft system pump if available. If not, purchase a portable beer line pump.
Tubing – Food-grade tubing to connect the pump outlet to faucets, creating a closed loop system.
Containers – Clean kegs, buckets, or pots to hold sufficient quantities of mixed cleaning and sanitizing solutions.
Faucet Brush – For scrubbing faucet components.
Garden Hose Adapter – Allows easy faucet hookup for rinsing lines with fresh water.
CO2 Tank – Optional but useful for pushing solutions through lines faster.

With the proper ingredients and equipment, bars can easily DIY effective beer line cleaning. The small effort pays off through improved beer quality, less waste, and significant cost savings compared to professional cleaning services.

Recipe and Instructions

Maintaining clean draft beer lines is essential for delivering the best-tasting pint to customers. While professional cleaning services are available, many bars opt to clean lines themselves as a more affordable option. You can quickly whip up an effective DIY beer line cleaning solution with just a few ingredients and steps.

DIY Beer Line Cleaner Recipe

This simple recipe makes enough solution to clean an average 5-10 beer tap draft system:

1-gallon boiling water
2 oz PBW or Oxiclean cleaner
Optional: 2-4 oz citric acid

Add PBW or Oxiclean to hot water and mix until fully dissolved. For extra cleaning power, add citric acid as well. Avoid using scented cleaners. Always follow label dilution instructions.

How to Use DIY Beer Line Cleaner

Here is a step-by-step guide to using a DIY cleaner to clean beer taps and lines:

Mix cleaning solution according to recipe.
Connect pump and food-grade tubing to create a closed-loop system from the pump outlet to the faucets.
Turn on the pump to circulate cleaner through lines for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly by draining cleaner, then flushing with clean hot water.
Mix up a sanitizing solution like Star San or Iodophor as directed.
Circulate sanitizer through lines for 5 minutes.
Rinse out the sanitizer entirely with fresh, cold water.
Disassemble faucets regularly to clean and sanitize all components.

For best results, repeat cleaning every two weeks.

Safety Tips

When handling cleaning chemicals:

Wear gloves and eye protection
Use proper ventilation
Follow all label safety warnings
Rinse immediately if skin contacts solutions

Proper handling and rinsing of cleaning chemicals is essential to safety and preventing off-flavors in your beer.

Regularly cleaning lines yourself with this simple DIY cleaner and process allows bars to save significantly compared to professional cleaning services while still maintaining clean, tasty draft lines.

Tips and Tricks

Cleaning beer lines properly is essential for delivering excellent draft beer. While the basic process is straightforward, there are some additional tips, common mistakes to avoid, and troubleshooting resources that can help ensure an effective DIY beer line cleaning process.

Effective Beer Line Cleaning

Here are some extra pointers for cleaning draft lines properly:

Clean lines at least every two weeks for best results. More frequent cleaning equals fresher-tasting beer.
Take apart and scrub faucets – remember, this is an important part of the system.
Use hot water around 140°F to dissolve residues faster.
Rotate different cleaners like PBW and citric acid for maximum cleaning power.
Visually inspect lines while cleaning to identify any problem spots.
Clean lines even more often in summer when hot temperatures accelerate the growth of bacteria and mold.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Some common errors to be aware of:

Improper dilution – Always carefully measure cleaner and sanitizer amounts.
Inadequate rinsing – Flushing thoroughly is vital to prevent off-flavors.
Using corrosive cleaners like bleach can damage lines.
Allowing lines to dry between uses, leading to oxidation issues.
We need to clean faucets in addition to lines.
Using dirty buckets or kegs when mixing up solutions.
Pushing solutions through too fast results in inadequate contact time.

Avoiding these common pitfalls helps ensure cleaning solutions work effectively.

Troubleshooting Resources

If any issues arise with cleaning lines, there are some helpful troubleshooting resources:

Manufacturer product manuals – Provide dilution, contact time, and safety info.
Homebrewing forums – Can help diagnose any off-flavors or sanitation problems.
YouTube tutorials – Demonstrate proper DIY line cleaning techniques.
Draft line cleaning equipment companies – Offer troubleshooting advice on their websites or by contacting their customer support.
Local microbreweries – May provide hands-on troubleshooting tips.

With some helpful tips, awareness of potential mistakes, and troubleshooting resources, bars can master DIY draft line cleaning. The small effort pays off through tastier, fresher beer and major cost savings compared to hiring professional cleaning services.

FAQ

What are the benefits of cleaning beer lines yourself versus hiring a professional cleaning service?

Cleaning draft beer lines yourself can save a bar a lot of money compared to hiring professional line cleaning services. Professional cleaning can cost hundreds of dollars per service, up to thousands yearly. DIY cleaning costs just a fraction of that, with ingredients like PBW, citric acid, and sanitizer only costing around $100-200 per year. Beyond cost savings, cleaning lines yourself allows you to clean as often as needed to keep lines fresh, while professional services may only come monthly or quarterly. More frequent cleanings equals better-tasting beer. DIY cleaning also gives you full control over the cleaning process. You can inspect lines yourself and address any issues. Quick cleanings can be done anytime without waiting for a service appointment. For bars on a tight budget who want the best-tasting beer possible, DIY line cleaning is the way to go.

What equipment is needed to clean draft lines yourself?

Cleaning lines DIY style requires minimal equipment. You’ll need a pump to recirculate the cleaning solution through the lines. Many draft systems already have a built-in pump that can be used. If not, a portable beer line cleaning pump can be purchased for $100-150. You’ll also need cleaning and sanitizing solutions, such as PBW, citric acid, and Star San. Tubing is needed to connect the pump to the tap faucets. A container such as a Corny keg, bucket, or large pot is required to mix up and hold cleaning solutions. Optionally, line-cleaning brushes can be used to scrub inside lines. A tank of CO2 may help push solutions through lines faster. And buckets to catch expelled solutions. Beyond that, no other major equipment is necessary for DIY beer line cleaning.

What is the basic process for DIY beer line cleaning?

The process involves five key steps:

Mix cleaning solution – Combine hot water with a line cleaner like PBW or OxiClean according to package directions. Use enough solutions to fill the entire draft system.
Circulate solution – Hook up pump and tubing to faucets. Turn on the pump to push the key through the lines. Let circulate for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse – Drain cleaning solution, then circulate hot, clean water through lines to rinse. Rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize – Mix up a sanitizing solution like Star San. Circulate through lines for 5 minutes.
Final rinse – Drain sanitizer, then flush lines with fresh water. Purge all water from the pipes.

For best results, repeat the process every 1-2 weeks. Scrub inside lines manually every month.

What cleaning and sanitizing chemicals can be used?

Popular draft line cleaners are PBW and Oxiclean, both alkaline cleaners that dissolve organic residues. Five Star PBW is designed explicitly for beer lines. Use 1-2 oz per gallon of water as directed. Oxiclean Free or Original also works well. Citric acid solutions help remove mineral deposits; mix around 4 oz per 5 gallons of water.

Star San is highly recommended for sanitizing, requiring just 1 oz per 5 gallons. Iodophor can also be used at 12.5 ppm concentration. Other sanitizer options include BTF Iodo-Five and Saniclean. Always follow manufacturer dilution instructions.

Avoid using bleach solutions, as bleach can corrode lines over time and leave unwanted flavors. An acid cleaner followed by a no-rinse sanitizer is best.

What are some common mistakes people make when DIY cleaning?

Some common mistakes include:

Not cleaning frequently enough – Lines need cleaning every 1-2 weeks for best quality.
Inadequate rinsing – It’s critical to flush solutions out to prevent off-flavors completely.
Using wrong chemicals – Avoid bleach. Use a chemistry designed for beer lines.
Allowing lines to dry – Always reassemble lines quickly after cleaning to avoid oxidation issues.
Improper dilution – Follow label directions for proper cleaner or sanitizer dilution rates.
Forgetting to clean faucets and taps – Take apart faucets to clean and sanitize all components.
Using dirty containers – Buckets, kegs, or pots used should be cleaned and sanitized first.
Pushing solutions too fast – Solutions need proper contact time to work effectively.

Following proper DIY cleaning procedures and avoiding these common mistakes will result in sparkling clean draft lines and excellent-tasting beer.

Summing Up

Maintaining clean draft lines is one of the most important steps to keeping your beers tasting fresh and delicious. While professional cleaning services can be expensive, you can easily DIY effective beer line cleaning yourself with some basic household ingredients and supplies. Following a simple routine of mixing up a cleaning solution, circulating it through the lines, rinsing thoroughly, and sanitizing, you can keep your draft system clean and hygienic. The small effort of regular DIY cleanings will pay off in the long run with improved beer flavor, aroma, and less waste. Your bar staff and customers will appreciate the difference clean lines can make when they enjoy a perfectly poured pint. Keeping it clean yourself means tastier brews without blowing your budget.

Key Highlights