IPA tasting awful through new line, recently cleaned tap

[majorvices]

I take back something I said recently about not needing to clean lines every keg and replacing lines instead. Because I am getting a really bad taste from a line I just replaced 2 kegs ago. I recently took apart all my taps, cleaned and replaced my lines but my IPA tastes just awful, especially when it has sat in the line for a night or two. But the weird thing is it does’t seem to affect a blond I have on tap. Anyone know why that would be?

Anyway, going to clean my lines tonight. Still a lot faster than bottling.

[redbeerman]

Maybe the IPA is crappy, but the blond is good. ;)  Could the hops in the IPA be reacting with something in the lines?

[majorvices]

It could be this one particular keg is going bad for some reason. The kegs back at brewery and 22 oz bottles from some batch taste great. I’ll know more after I clean the lines this afternoon when I get home

[tschmidlin]

Is the replacement line from a different batch?  Sometimes you get a bad batch of tubing and it gives a bad flavor to the beer.  That would explain “especially when it has sat in the line for a night or two”.  If it was the keg I would expect it to be uniformly bad.

[majorvices]

I cleaned the line and it tastes fine, last night anyway.

I’ve had this happen before, and it only usually happens with IPA. I was talking to a bar owner and he mentioned something about if certain IPAs sit for very long in the line he has to flush the line with 1/2 a pint before he can get it to taste right. Anyone else ever hear about this? I wonder if the hops in the line affect the line someway.

[majorvices]

@tschmidlin

Is the replacement line from a different batch?  Sometimes you get a bad batch of tubing and it gives a bad flavor to the beer.  That would explain “especially when it has sat in the line for a night or two”.  If it was the keg I would expect it to be uniformly bad.

This is the second keg I’ve run through the line and didn’t notice anything the first keg. Just replaced line 3 weeks ago. Maybe it really did just need cleaned.

[AmandaK]

@majorvices

I was talking to a bar owner and he mentioned something about if certain IPAs sit for very long in the line he has to flush the line with 1/2 a pint before he can get it to taste right. Anyone else ever hear about this? I wonder if the hops in the line affect the line someway.

I have 10’ long 1/4" lines and I don’t really like the taste of the first half pint after it sits for a day or so regardless of the beer. Munich Dunkel, APA, Maibock, Dry Stout, etc. I have the beverage lines from NB, so they’re food grade. I also clean them after every keg. I’ve just associated it with me being picky and weird, but maybe we’re on to something?

[majorvices]

Well, I usually dump a 1/4 pint if it has sat longer than a day or so but seems like some beers go fouler a lot faster sitting in the line.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

I finally broke down and ran BLC through mine, after going through this. Works as advertised for sure.

[majorvices]

I guess I just got to the point where it was easier to take taps apart and clean them and replace the line since I always have a few rolls laying around and it’s cheap. But I’ll probably go back to using line cleaner now. It’s quick and easy.

Anyone know how long the line cleaner wil last once mixed into solution?

[tschmidlin]

@majorvices

Anyone know how long the line cleaner wil last once mixed into solution?

I don’t recall reading about it on the label at all, but isn’t it supposed to be used warm?  I just mix it up fresh each time.  One of these really helps, I wish I had one:

The Micro Matic Touch: The Best Quality Beverage Dispensing Systems

[majorvices]

Yeah, I’m not spending $100 on that right now.

[tschmidlin]

@majorvices

Yeah, I’m not spending $100 on that right now.

Me neither.  Some day though

Or you could get a sanke spear welded onto a corny lid . . .

[majorvices]

I just use a submersible pump and pump into a snake keg.

[james]

St Pats sells a TC x Beer thread adapter in both male and female.  Perfect for using your existing cleaning hardware for cleaning your lines

[thirsty_monk]

@tschmidlin

@majorvices

Yeah, I’m not spending $100 on that right now.

Me neither.  Some day though

Or you could get a sanke spear welded onto a corny lid . . .

I got one of them. It does do the job. Bottle does not hold the pressure when you disconnect the coupler.

[dean_palmer]

I use 1/4" flare fittings on the ends of all my lines and that allows me to swap any adapter, corny, or sankey, or anything else. I generally use a corny keg with a bit of pressure to clean the lines. The flare fittings are cheap, and I really have never liked the pressure tanks offered to clean tap lines and they are a ripoff. When it is easy to clean your lines you’ll do it more frequently

All it takes are these parts, and you can buy them at all of the larger homebrewing suppliers.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=150

[chumley]

I generally use a corny keg with a bit of pressure to clean the lines.

I do the same. In fact, I have a 2.5 gallon corny that has had line cleaner sitting in it for over a year, once month I run it through the lines and let sit overnight, then reconnect the lines to beer and run about a 1/2 pint through and dump.  Never have any problems.