The Importance of Cleaning...

FrostyBeach said:
I have used a plate chiller for years and have never had any problems with it. I circulate hot pbw clone through it and rinse with water at same temp and then star san. Same pbw and star san go through everything.

I use the same pbw to clean kegs with too before I'm done with it.
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We don't get those products here, though there are alternatives.

I think the truth is that it was my processes more than the kit but also that the cleaning products I was using were not up to the task.
 
Sorry to hear about your dice with Covid Steve. They are releasing a new strain of it in Denmark now, one passed through Mink and ferrets. Obviously the Bat version didn't kill enough of us first time round.

As for the cleansing, yes it is surprising how much you have to do to ensure a good batch. I struggle with 30L batches and can't imagine how you cope with dumping 10m times as much. Stick in there. The next good brew should taste very good indeed.
 
AHarper said:
Sorry to hear about your dice with Covid Steve. They are releasing a new strain of it in Denmark now, one passed through Mink and ferrets. Obviously the Bat version didn't kill enough of us first time round....
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Ha ha; even more to look forward to. Can't even blame the Chinese this time either :)
 
Hey Steve...check out the Brulosophy podcast #147 on sanitation...they run through all aspects of the hot and cold side and storage...might be a good catalyst for checking your system!
 
Glad to hear that you are over the acute phase, please do take care with your recovery!

On the chilling front, I switched to a plate chiller when I got my recirculation setup working and, even after extensive PBW/hotwater circulation, _still_ get small chunks of black garbage out of the pump when I start the 15 minute sterilisation. My last brew saw me switch back to my immersion chiller to see what difference whirlpooling around it would make and it is slower, but it is also far less difficult to clean after use. I am in no way up to 100L batches, but the cleaning thing has me tempted.

Would a larger counterflow chiller work in your brew area?
 
James_sweden said:
Glad to hear that you are over the acute phase, please do take care with your recovery!
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The muscle aches are unreal. Anyone who thinks covid isn't real is deluded.


James_sweden said:
Would a larger counterflow chiller work in your brew area?
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Not sure about the pros/cons there to be honest. I'm ok with the plate chiller now that I have the caustic and perbac solutions I think, still amazes me how much geck comes out of the plate chiller when I clean it though.
 
Ward Chillington said:
Hey Steve...check out the Brulosophy podcast #147 on sanitation...they run through all aspects of the hot and cold side and storage...might be a good catalyst for checking your system!
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I will find that for sure, I do like what those guys do.

I think this is honestly pretty typical for me. I'm the guy who gets stuff out the box and starts pressing buttons; maybe look at the instructions as a last resort; I seem to have brought that mentality to brewing :)
 
Ward Chillington said:
Hey Steve...check out the Brulosophy podcast #147 on sanitation...they run through all aspects of the hot and cold side and storage...might be a good catalyst for checking your system!
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Found it, downloaded it and got through the first five minutes before deleting it. I find it really hard to get through the begging/advertising that seems to go along with most content these days.
 
That's what fast forward is for. They have to pay for the time and equipment somehow since everyone wants them to be free.
 
Hawkbox said:
That's what fast forward is for. They have to pay for the time and equipment somehow since everyone wants them to be free.
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I understand that but it really irritates. Same with YouTube, every video seems to be monetised and there's almost always a begging 'please like and subscribe bit.

There's a balance to be struck somewhere and I feel that many content providers/creators haven't got it quite right.
 
There's a reason Tivo was sued to not let them fast forward commercials. Advertising has paid for things for a long long time.
 
Hawkbox said:
There's a reason Tivo was sued to not let them fast forward commercials. Advertising has paid for things for a long long time.
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Again, I honestly understand that the bills need to be paid. I feel that monetising some content is a bit too needy though, what happened to just sharing knowledge? Do we really need to put a price on everything?

I contribute to Wikipedia every year. They send me one email which is a short, pleasant, explanation about their philosophy around providing content and I pitch in a few bucks. That seems like a model that suits my mindset at least. Not everything is a business or should be operated as one. I think!
 
Back for a sec on the "importance of cleaning" I witnessed an interesting but not real surprising need for cleaning tonight. My little refractor SG meter came with three cheepie all plastic eye droppers I use to pull samples with when I am brewing. I used one just yesterday. I rinse them out with clean water when finished but don't Star-San or bleach in any way. Tonight I picked it up to put away and it had black specks , mold I presume, inside the tube. As I mentioned this is only the next day...
 
west1m said:
Back for a sec on the "importance of cleaning" I witnessed an interesting but not real surprising need for cleaning tonight. My little refractor SG meter came with three cheepie all plastic eye droppers I use to pull samples with when I am brewing. I used one just yesterday. I rinse them out with clean water when finished but don't Star-San or bleach in any way. Tonight I picked it up to put away and it had black specks , mold I presume, inside the tube. As I mentioned this is only the next day...
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Can’t ever be too careful. Good catch.
I think an example like this is why I try and use the least amount of equipment possible when I brew. Less to clean!!
 
Yeah I ended up buying a 100 pack of those so I can toss them as they get gross.
 
Hawkbox said:
Yeah I ended up buying a 100 pack of those so I can toss them as they get gross.
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Same here. $3.69 for 100 of them. I used the one that came with my refractometer for more than 2 years before it developed a crack. Rinsing well right after use and not storing wet will keep mold from forming, but at 4 cents each, using one for each 5 gallon batch only adds 1/10 of a cent per pint. Pretty cheap insurance.
 
Here is another one good for this thread. I use a Big Mouth Bubbler to frement.
Clean between batches with soap and water, However I have not been removing the valve.
today After cleaning the vessel I decided to clean the valve, this is what I have been leaving behind.
Fortunately i have not had any kind of infection but I can see how it could happen.

upload_2020-11-23_14-11-48.png
 
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