| Author |
Message |
    
Roger Herpst
Member
Username: Roger456
Post Number: 159
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 04:51 pm: | 
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Just got a new CFC, and I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions for an initial cleaning regimen. For example, should I hit it extra hard with something to get it nice & fresh for its first brew?
Thanks,
Roger |
Richard Nye
Advanced Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 740
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 05:39 pm: |
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Roger, what type did you get? Garden hose variety? all copper? plate type? |
Roger Herpst
Member
Username: Roger456
Post Number: 160
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 10:03 pm: |
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I bought an all copper unit from Northern Brewer (Chillzilla). Convoluted guts, copper exoskeleton. |
Connie
Intermediate Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 406
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 01:15 am: |
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Roger, good move, you'll never regret it.
I have the MaxiChiller and best as I recall, I may have run some hot water thru it, but I was so anxious to use it I may not have even done that. |
Richard Nye
Advanced Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 742
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 12:39 pm: |
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Roger, I have the same thing. I'd circulate some warm PBW through it for about 1/2 hour, rinse, then fill it with Starsan for an overnight soak. The acidity of Starsan should make it look real pretty inside.
BTW, I circulate boiling wort through mine for the last 20 minutes of the boil to sanitize it before I chill the wort. It works great, and like Connie said, you won't regret buying it. |
Bill Freeman/ER
Junior Member
Username: Elderrat
Post Number: 75
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 01:25 pm: |
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I have two of the Maxichillers on "the perfesser". The only difference between the Maxi and the Cillzilla is that on the Maxi the fittings for in and out both point the same direction.
For a long time I used Richard's method for sanitation, but finally developed a lactic infection in several brews. I flushed it with boiling water after using a lye solution which I let stand in it for about 30 minutes. There was an amazing accumulation of crud in the wort tube. I have had no infections since.
Bill Freeman aka Elder Rat
KP Brewery - home of "the perfesser"
Birmingham, AL
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Vince Turley
Member
Username: Vince
Post Number: 189
Registered: 05-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 01:35 pm: |
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Roger-
I, too, have a similar type CCFC (from B3). I would suggest the following regime for your initial cleaning:
- Hot water rinse (basically a flush)
- Recirculate hot (165oF) PBW for 30 minutes
- Hot water rinse
- Recirculate with StarSan (2 min.)
- Hot Water rinse
On brew day, I follow the above regime, but reduce the PBW contact time to just 5 min. Then I add the following step after the StarSan recirculation:
- Drain StarSan, and cap both ends with a short piece of sanitized tubing
After chilling my wort, I give the CCFC a quick rinse with hot water, and store. The Mfg. Tech Sheet states that StarSan should not be used for an extended period on soft metal due to its acidity. I no longer store my CCFC without a final rinse of water.
Here is a link to the Five-Star website:
http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/products.asp?id=2
My CCFC is probably one of the single-best pieces of brew gear that I have ever purchased.
-Vince |
Richard Nye
Advanced Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 745
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 02:44 pm: |
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I would highly recommend recircing hot PBW through the CFC for about 10-20 minutes after each brew session to eliminate the build-up that Elderrat described. |
Roger Herpst
Member
Username: Roger456
Post Number: 161
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 05:44 pm: |
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Thanks for the advice, folks.
Unfortunately, I'm planning on using gravity to move the liquid in my system (until peer pressure convinces me to buy a pump), so recirculation is not an easy option. I will probably just fill my converted keg as far as possible with a cleaning solution, heat, and slowly run through the chiller into 5 gallon buckets so that I can wash my dusty brew gear.
Oh, and are PBW and StarSan interchangeable? How about TDC cleaner? TDC is what the LHBS carries (and what I have on the shelf), and if it is not the right stuff (it is NOT a no-rinse...), I'll have to head down to the restaurant supply at lunch...
(Message edited by roger456 on June 10, 2005) |
Steve Anderson
Member
Username: Steveinmemphis
Post Number: 152
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 07:38 pm: |
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Ditto what ElderRat said. I just rinsed mine out with hot water after a brew session when I first started using it. I had 3 brews come out with the same funky taste. In the process of cleaning all of my equipment I cleaned my Chillzilla with a long soak of PBW. Some pretty nasty stuff came out. No more funky tasting beer though.
Now I clean with PBW (or oxyclean) after each use, then sanitize, rinse and store with the ends capped.
Steve Anderson
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Hophead
Senior Member
Username: Hophead
Post Number: 1561
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 10, 2005 - 08:19 pm: |
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Ok now... No, PBW is a cleanser and StarSan is a sanitizer. TDC? Don't know what that is. THC makes you high, and TSP is a toxic cleanser (works well but use gloves, harmful to environment, etc).
I use gravity feed, and recommend your idea of running 15 gallons of warm/hot oxyclean through it, using the Vince method above (skipping the first&last water rinse).
Prost!
Ah, TDC is a cleanser from iodophor, should be fine too.
(Message edited by hophead on June 10, 2005) |
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