I just kegged my second batch brewed in a 30l speidel fermenter I got for Christmas. My procedure has been to cleanse and sanitize the keg and tubing used to transfer then just before transfer spray star san into and around the spigot, attach the hose and let it go. Are there any other cleaning or sanitizing steps other speidel users suggest?
That is all I have done. But prior to filling the speidel to ferment, I clean & sanitize the whole valve setup.
I have 6 Speidel 30Ls. I have 6 brand new spigots for them because I have never used them. I rack with an autosyphon.
Any particular reason?
I think it’s important to remove the valve and clean the gaskets and the area around the gaskets. Gunk can build up there overtime and that gunk is a potential a source for infection.
I point the valve down when attaching to keep dust from the air from falling in during a multi week fermentation. I spray Starsan into the valve a few minutes before draining the fermenter.
One is that if you’ve ever had a spigot fail you’ll find that one accident wipes out any convenience you ever gained. Two is that there is no way of knowing that the thing stayed sanitized during the long wait for the beer to finish. The tiniest leak, even just one drop, creates a petri dish that your beer has to flow over on its way to the keg or bottling bucket. I don’t like them, so I don’t use them.
Same here. I had a run of 4 batches many years back when I was using a bottleing bucket where all the beers just went south quick. (competition wise I went from 38/42 to 28 scores…) I finally traced it back to the spout of the bottleing bucket where beer had accumulated over time between in the pressed fit clear plastic/red plastic valve. When I finally thought to try and take it appart, I found mold and gunk in it… From that experience, I bought 4 new valves and considered them single use. Later that year (scarred for life ;D) I switched to kegging.
I for one am very anti valve… unless you can take them appart and clean them!
If your not using the spigots, how did you plug the holes in the Speidel or bottling buckets? Whatever was used I assume is sanitary and does not give any off flavors?
thanks
tom
There’s a thread on HomeBrewTalk about using the spigots from the SS Brewtech brewbuckets for the Speidels. Looks like a good alternative.
There is a screw on cap that can replace the spigot
I sometimes forget to sanitize my spigot when transferring to the keg and luckily I have not had any problems yet. I normally use a brush meant to clean my keg faucets.
This chrome replacement spigot could be a worthwhile investment:
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