Can You Clean Keg Lines with Vinegar?
It is a good question: “can you clean keg lines with vinegar?” After all, many people in business and at home have turned to vinegar as an antibacterial and disinfectant for many purposes. Does this same approach work with keg lines? Is vinegar just as good as beer line cleaner? Let’s take a look at the facts.
Why Clean Keg Lines?
First, why do we have to clean keg lines at all? When you think about it, shouldn’t we just be able to trust the alcohol and hops to do all the cleaning for us?
Well… yes and no.
In terms of illness and food handling practices, we are probably well protected against most harmful yeast or bacteria that could sneak into our beer through unclean beer lines. Alcohol does indeed kill 99.9% of germs virtually on contact.
But there’s always that .1% chance something harmful could sneak into neglected beer lines.
Also, and much more concerning, there are those off flavors that will absolutely sneak into beer through unclean lines and ruin the entire effect of trying to enjoy a delicious and refreshing beer.
Over time, as beer passes through keg lines again and again, those lines develop buildup of yeast, bacteria, and beer stone, the hard deposits that simply sit in the lines.
As that matter flakes off and breaks away, it flows down the lines and into your beer.
No one wants that.
How Often to Clean Keg Lines
As a result, it is highly recommended that you clean your keg lines at least once every two weeks, and it certainly cannot hurt to simply build the cleaning into a weekly routine.
If you clean all your lines and parts weekly, you can be sure to remove any built up bacteria, yeast, beer stone, and any other residue and even prevent that buildup well in advance.
In general, large commercial bars and restaurants are expected to clean their lines monthly, but they are also likely running those lines more frequently than smaller breweries or home brewers.
The less frequently you run beer through your lines, the more likely residue is to sit and harden in place, creating opportunities to attract yeast and bacteria buildup.
Can You Clean Keg Lines with Vinegar?
This question is a difficult. The most common answer you will get to this question, “can you clean keg lines with vinegar,” is no. You are much safer using a cleaning solution specifically designed to clean beer lines.
Most beer line cleaning solution is made with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide as those chemicals create a caustic effect, scouring your lines for any residue. Sodium hypochlorite is another chemical included in this solution, which is like a liquid chlorinated bleach used as a disinfectant and antimicrobial.
You cannot get this kind of power from vinegar.
Is Vinegar an Effective Cleaner?
At the same time, vinegar is a powerful cleaner.
The difference is that it is not a powerful disinfectant, at least not on the level of caustic chemicals and chlorinated bleach.
When you are at home and simply trying to clean glass, floors, and kitchen counters, vinegar is perfectly acceptable. In fact, vinegar can be better in many cases than some of these harsher chemicals, especially when using them every day.
We have seen ample studies that show harsh chemicals in the long run only create harsher bugs, so when it comes to cleaning your home for everyday use, you are better off with milder solutions.
However, when we’re talking about less frequent cleanings, like weekly or monthly, and in scenarios in which we might be feeding or serving the general public, it is better to play it safe and use the cleaning solutions specifically designed for food, beverages, and in this case, beer.
How to Clean Keg Lines
To clean your keg lines, you can always buy a beer kit that has all of the ingredients and equipment necessary to get the job done. You can also buy the solutions and equipment separately, as you might already have some parts or others.
You will need:
- Beer line cleaning solution
- Spanner wrench
- Cleaning pump
- Keg lifter
- Cleaning brush
- Pot or bucket
Step 1: Turn off C02, remove the keg from the kegerator, and disconnect the coupler, placing the loose end into a bucket or pot.
Step 2: Remove the coupler from the beer line and separate out all the pieces, unscrewing the faucet with the spanner wrench, and so on. Put all the parts into the bucket.
Step 3: Add hot water and a cap full of cleaning solution and connect the cleaning pump to the faucet, tightening it with your spanner wrench.
Step 4: Pump the beer line cleaning solutions through the beer lines, watching that it empties into your bucket over the parts you have already placed there.
Step 5: Use your brush to clean all the parts sitting in the cleaner in the bucket and then empty the bucket and rinse the parts with clean water.
Step 6: Next, fill the pump with clean water and rinse the lines thoroughly.
Step 7: Disconnect your pump and reinstall all of your parts, placing the keg back in your kegerator.
Summing It All Up
In the end, the most important thing you can do, whichever solution you decide to use, is to clean the lines and parts thoroughly to rid and prevent all buildup of yeast, bacteria, and beer stone. Then, be sure to rinse thoroughly to eliminate all traces of any chemicals or vinegar.
You don’t want to drink beer cleaning solution or vinegar in your beer, and you certainly don’t want those solutions contributing to the production of off flavors.
Cheers!
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Sources:
- https://www.beveragecraft.com/blog/how-to-clean-kegerator-beer-lines-at-home/
- https://home.binwise.com/blog/brewery-cleaning-supplies
- https://blacktailnyc.com/can-you-clean-beer-lines-with-vinegar/
- https://www.nsf.org/blog/consumer/reliable-scientific-tips-cleaning-with-vinegar
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