If you don't cut the top of the keg how do you clean it?

Pamulli · Post by **Pamulli** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 11:38 am

I'm building my second still after making one for someone else out of a SS milk can. This time I'm using a 15.5 gallon keg and I have a question about whether I should cut the top of the keg.
I plan on using this almost exclusively for grain washes to make bourbon and single malt so my concern is that if I don't cut the top of the keg how can I easily clean it? Most of the how to stuff I've found on the net says to cut the top so it can be cleaned, but I see a lot of pictures on here where people connect directly to the 2" flange. It seems almost impossible to clean the inside like this, but I can see how it also makes construction a lot easier to not cut. So if I don't cut it, can I easily clean the inside?

Thanks,

Post by **rad14701** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:30 pm

Unless you are planning on distilling on the grain I would refrain from cutting the keg... As long as your wash is properly racked prior to distillation you shouldn't have any problems with scorching, even if heating with internal electric elements... Even taking the time to double clear and rack would be better than cutting the keg...

<<< I never got the choice of cut or uncut as a newborn... CHOP...!!!

>>>

Post by **HookLine** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:19 am

If you have an internal electric element, it also helps if you make sure the wash is fully fermented out so there are no sugars left in it to burn on the element.

Post by **goose eye** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:52 pm

it you scorch it an in ss . heat will burn it off. wont hurt your kettle. aint got a clue bout a internal elemnt. if it copper tread gently if it soldered

so im tole

Post by **rubber duck** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:26 pm

I've been messing around with a beer keg boiler and man this is it, it's a really nice rig. Mine isn't cut so I just put a chain down the hole and swirl it around. Probably doesn't get it clean, but the boil will kill any nastiests so don't cut and don't worry.

trthskr4 · Post by **trthskr4** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:05 pm

Leave the backset in it overnight. The acid will clean it pretty good. I have a pound of copper mesh in mine so I just stick a stick in and rub that around on the bottom and then rinse.

gary.angie · Post by **gary.angie** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:14 am

For SS only
My ss was a mess on the bottom after loaning it , about a inch burnt yeast, power drill with extension and brass wire brush 3 hours
sodium hydroxied with 10 liters water eg drain cleaner e.g caustic soda ( be care full with it ,it loves to eat skin ) if you heat it ,it gets really aggresive (be xtra carefull) have hose ready for first aid if you get splashed.
i left this over night .
then next night 60% nitric acid same stuff welders use to pickel stainless or clean before welding and water (saftey again) always acid to water mix never water to acid.
Note the above is if keg is bad.

so every couple months now i use a mild caustic soda ( drain cleaner ) not to strong and give it a soak over night rinse well and blank hot run some water through its great,.
some beer kegs have beer stone on the walls, quite normal if they have been in use for a while, its hard to shift as its calcium base
i found a vew runs start to lossen it but the stain stays.
but as they say on this site , rack well and you wont have a issue.

hope this was helpfull
saftey note : extra carefull with acids and caustics

Post by **HookLine** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:57 am

60% nitric acid

Serious overkill.

After a run I let the boiler cool to comfortably warm and flush it out well with water. If I am not using the boiler within 2-3 days, then after flushing I put enough water in it to cover the element by 50-75 mm [2-3"] and add a couple of teaspoons of citric acid. Bring it to the boil for 4-5 minutes, then drain and flush well with clean water. Never had to do anything more.

Not to mention that 60% nitric acid is not to trifled with. That concentration can seriously hurt you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitric_acid" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitric_acid#Safety" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

If you must use acid, phosphoric acid is much safer and will do the job fine, even at quite low dilution (10%). Also usually easy to get.

gary.angie · Post by **gary.angie** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:03 pm

true hookline , it is an over kill, but i had a real mess on my hands with the still i got back , thought about getting a jack hammer in at one stage ,
but i like your citric acid wash idea , think ill do that instead of the caustic.

G & A

still crazy · Post by **still crazy** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:04 pm

If you have no coil you can use a short (12") piece of stailess chain, buy it at a marine supply store.
No coil use coffee pot cleaner , local grocey store.

Post by **Dnderhead** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:11 pm

a few hands full of sharp stones (crushed stone as used on roads) helps scourer burnt on , but best not to do to begin with.

Post by **HookLine** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:34 pm

but i had a real mess on my hands with the still i got back , thought about getting a jack hammer in at one stage ,

Fair enough. But high strength nitric is dangerous stuff. Better going for much lower concentrations, and waiting longer. Trade off time and safety, against strength.

Post by **goinbroke2** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:35 am

When I'm done with a run I swirl the backset around then dump. Flush with a garden hose swirling/shaking then I leave it upside down with a clean rag over the 2" hole.
When I first started there was crud in it so I used vinigar and heavy rocksalt (pickling salt) Swirled that around for a few minutes then dumped. Clean as a whistle.

As was mentioned, rack well and don't burn in the first place, but a bad burn a SS chain could be used too.

Don't cut the top off, I LOVE the 15 second CLEAN assembly/disassembly. The paste/bread crap everywhere stuck/burnt all over the rig and dribbled on the work bench...ugh.

Tri clover all the way!

Post by **Dnderhead** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:12 pm

if money burning a hole in your pocket,, go for a bigger tri clamp like 5" then reduce to??.

Pamulli · Post by **Pamulli** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:20 am

Dnderhead wrote:if money burning a hole in your pocket,, go for a bigger tri clamp like 5" then reduce to??.

I looked at that, but not that much money burning in my pocket. Maybe if I find something at the scrap yard.

heynonny · Post by **heynonny** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:31 am

In several years, I have yet to clean the inside of my (7.75 gal.) keg. Swirling and rinsing w/ water is all I've ever done. Folks here have cut out the tops of their kegs, but I've not heard from them here, the consensus is to leave the keg intact.Sooo, to clean the keg with the top on, pick one or more suggestions listed above, , , , -hey-

Home Distiller

If you don't cut the top of the keg how do you clean it?

If you don't cut the top of the keg how do you clean it?

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