Draft Operations

LINE CLEANING

Things you will need:

• Cleaning Keg

• Pump (With extension cord)

• 2 Red Pump Hoses

• 4 Clear Faucet Hoses

• Manifold

• Cleaning solution (Blue = Caustic, Red = Acid)

• Draft Wrench

Preparation

1. Turn off the main regulator in the walk-in (the main gas control is the switch furthest left in the keg cooler; off is when the switch is horizontal, on is vertical).

The gas is on in this picture.

2. Based on availability or brewers’ preference, pick a serving tank trunk to run water through. Making sure that the water is off, remove the sprayer attachment from the yellow brewery hose, put the sprayer aside and attach the hose to the trunk line.

3. In the walk-in, attach the single hose end of the manifold to the serving tank line corresponding with the trunk the water hose is attached to.

4. Be sure that each line that you are cleaning is set to pour from kegs and not serving tanks (the valves that control this are on the u-bend near the floor; the valve on the left should be horizontal, and the valve on the right should be vertical).

and the fob dials should be pointing up to the red area.

Also make sure the lines are open at the valves toward the ceiling (the valve furthest right on each line being cleaned should be vertical).

This is the correct setting for cleaning.

Keep track of any lines you change from serving tank to keg, as you’ll have to switch them back when you’re done.

Step One: Rinse

1. In the walk-in, attach the remaining four manifold lines to the beer lines to be cleaned.

2. Remove the faucets corresponding to the lines you are cleaning using the keg wrench (keep in mind that the threading runs opposite on the faucets, you turn the wrench clockwise to loosen, counterclockwise to tighten).

4. Remove the first row of beer glasses from the shelf to avoid breakage. Screw the clear hoses into the faucet shanks.

5. Turn on the water to the yellow brewery hose. Watch the clear hoses, the foam and beer left in the line should come out. After that, clear water should come out of the line. If the line has a corresponding shop line pouring the same beer, run the shop line down the drain until it pours clean water.

6. Once the water is flowing clear, place the clear hose ends into the cleaning keg and allow the keg to fill to the line inside the keg closest to the top. Remove the hoses from the keg and turn off the water.

Step Two: Wash

1. Pour the entire bottle of caustic (base) beer line cleaner into the water in the cleaning keg. For the first cycle always use the blue caustic first.

2. Remove the yellow brewery hose from the trunk line and attach the corresponding pump hose to the trunk and place the other pump hose into the cleaning solution.

3. Turn on the pump (On - Auto) and adjust the red dial to ~22psi.

4. Watch the line hoses; the solution should start coming through the clear hoses with whatever has built up in the line. Once the solution is pouring clear blue (or pink, if using acid) through the line, place the ends of the line hoses back into the keg.

5. If there are corresponding shop lines, pour through the shop lines into a pitcher until the solution is clear blue (or pink). Dump the dirty solution down the drain. Once it is pouring clear blue, fill at two pitchers of solution, take downstairs and pour back into the keg. Repeat this process twice, at least.

6. Allow the cycle to run for 15 minutes, turn off the pump, take the pump hose and clear hoses out of the keg, and detach the pump hose from the trunk line.

Step Three: Rinse Again

1. Attach the yellow brewery hose to the trunk line and turn on the water.

2. While water is running through the cleaning hoses, open any shop lines you cleaned to run water through them.

3. After 5 minutes check the water to see if it’s clean. You can check with your fingers; water with cleaning solution in it will feel oily and slick and clean water does not. Or, you can use the Ph testing strips behind the bar (clean water has a Ph level between 6.5 and 7.5).

4. Once the line is pouring clean water, turn off the water hose and move to the next set of four lines, repeating the preparation and wash processes.

Acid Cleaning

1. After washing the lines with caustic and rinsing, you can do an acid wash

for a more thorough cleaning. Before doing this, there must be no caustic in the line or in the pump machine. To accomplish this, rinse the cleaning keg with the water hose and fill the keg with about a gallon of clean water. Place the end of the pump hose in the water, turn on the pump, and let the water pour into the floor grate.

2. Perform the wash and rinse cycle again with acid solution, using seven capfuls of acid into the water rather than the caustic solution.

***************DO NOT MIX ACID AND CAUSTIC**********************

It will cause a chemical reaction that will neutralize the efficacy of the cleaner and damage the tap system.

Finishing

1. After washing and rinsing, make sure the water is off, remove the cleaning hoses, and replace the faucets.

2. In the keg cooler, remove the manifold and put away. Reattach all the kegs that were removed for cleaning. Be sure to reset the valves for the lines that were previously set to serving tanks.

3. Turn the main gas back on.

4. Pour beer through every line that has been cleaned, shop lines included. It should take about two pitchers per line.

5. Wipe down all the stainless steel on the main bar faucet array, paying special attention to the faucet stems; if there is any iodine spray behind the bar, use that to discourage mold growth.

6. Put away all tools and equipment. Be sure to replace the sprayer attachment to the brewery hose and recoil it in the brewery next to the door.