Cleaning a Dirty Blow Off Tube

[BourbonDrinker]

I've got a REALLY dirty blow off tube and am trying to clean it... Any ideas? I know that a brush is no-no. I've tried rinsing (first), and oxy-clean (second), and an extended soaking (third)... Still a lot of sentiment that I can't shake loose.

[Rob Martin]

Dude - if it is that dirty, throw it away. I'm not going to name names, but awhile back there was a person that kept bringing bad beers to the club. They were told by several people that the beers were spoiled. Came down to that this person would not throw out a uncleanable blow off hose. If it is to dirty to clean easily, pitch it and get a new one.

[BourbonDrinker]

That's what I thought the answer might be. Maybe it's time too that I look for a larger fermenter... Seems Like I brew a lot of stuff that has a lot of krausen...

[Jensen]

That's what I thought the answer might be. Maybe it's time too that I look for a larger fermenter... Seems Like I brew a lot of stuff that has a lot of krausen...

If you build a carboy/keg washer like the one I did a seminar on, you have a built-in blow off hose cleaner (and all sorts of other brewery parts for that matter...) I have used the same hose for a dozen or so batches. Hook it up and run it with PBW pulsating through it's vein for ten minutes-- and she'll be whisper clean!

[cyburai]

Dude - if it is that dirty, throw it away. I'm not going to name names, but awhile back there was a person that kept bringing bad beers to the club. They were told by several people that the beers were spoiled. Came down to that this person would not throw out a uncleanable blow off hose. If it is to dirty to clean easily, pitch it and get a new one.

I'm with Rob on this. Tubing is cheap to replace and easy to get. Especially blow off tubing.

It's not worth risking your time and effort to have a beer go bad because of a tube.

[Jdl973]

I am with Rob and Sean (but Jeff has cool toys).

A batch of beer = $30-40
Price of 2 feet of tube = $2

That is simple math in my book...

I try to have 5-10 feet on hand. Stuff comes in very handy for lots of stuff

Just my $0.02

Jason.

[Jensen]

you guys change your racking hoses too every time? I certainly hope so. I go about a year on a racking hose-- that is quite a few batches... The biggest thing about blow off hoses is that you only need it for a few days. After initial blow-off-- foil, or an airlock, if you are one of those guys, is all you need. yeast do not like a lot of head pressure. The lesser they see the happier they are. Cleaning is a lot easier if you don't let the hose get all cruddy and crusty. It is this train of thought that will lead to recycling and rain barrels!

[Jensen]

Dude - if it is that dirty, throw it away. I'm not going to name names, but awhile back there was a person that kept bringing bad beers to the club. They were told by several people that the beers were spoiled. Came down to that this person would not throw out a uncleanable blow off hose. If it is to dirty to clean easily, pitch it and get a new one.

okay...

Today I got around to working on this cracked lid. It is a plastic lid for the rice wine / sanke that some use for fermeters. Basically I used held a piece of sheet metal to the lid and torched it with a propane soldering torch. It melted the crack shut. I don't think it will have a lot of structural strength and probably would crack again if the lid was cranked on hard, but with a gentle turn, I'm satisfied enough to start using it again for the primary where there is enough CO2 positive pressure being created.

Wow a lot of work for a piece of plastic that comes into contact with your wort. All I am saying is a little effort (like you put into the lid) with the blow off, and your tight ass could save even more money.

[Rob Martin]

Blow off hoses are too easy to replace. Next time you come across a spare lid, let me know.

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