Measuring PBW

[Ross]

I just got a kegging set up. I got 3 Corny kegs off craigslist. Two are very clean and one needs a good cleaning. What's the best way to clean these? Fill the keg with solution and soak? Add a gallon or two and shake?

Also, directions give quantity in ounces. I don't have a scale and I'm assuming that's not fluid ounces. How much volume does an ounce of PBW typically have?

[6thstreetbrewer]

Don't know but go buy yourself some digital scales. You'll be glad you did. They're nice for weighing specialty grains, hops, pbw, water minerals and salts, LDME etc.

[Mylo]

They're nice for weighing specialty grains, hops, pbw, water minerals and salts, LDME etc.

... crack, h, weed, coke, too!


Mylo

[6thstreetbrewer]

"You're starting to scare me!" said Doc.

[Ross]

A scale is definitely on the list of things to purchase, but I want to clean these kegs NOW. Just so everyone knows, I also emailed Five Star and they got back to me in about 30 minutes. Here's the response:

You are correct! All our powders have recommendations by weight, whereas our liquids are by volume. We find that one gently rounded teaspoon of PBW is about 1 oz by weight. If you have a small postal scale in your home office, as many do, you can verify a convenient measuring device in your home. There are 3 US Teaspoons per 1 US Tablespoon. Thus, about one-third of a tablespoon is about one ounce.

Also keep in mind that in our Five Star Homebrewer Cleaning and Sanitizing kits we pack about 2.25 oz per packet and instruct that to be added to 5 gallons of warm water. That is as low a concentration as 0.4 oz per gallon and is quite effective. In other words, for the home brewer, a little less is better than a little more to control your costs with PBW while still getting 'er done.

Cheers!

Jim Jennings
Five Star Chemicals
Commerce City, CO

[TapItGood]

For a 5 Gallon Cornelius keg fill it with the Hottest tap water and use 2 tablespoons of PBW. Let it sit for a day or two with the lid sitting inside but not closed. Rinse with cold water and sanitize. I would replace all the rubber. You should be good to go...

[BigBadBrad]

The suggested concentration for PBW is 1-2 ounces per gallon. A 1/4 cup of PBW is about 2 ounces. I usually wash several kegs at a time. I fill up the first keg with hot water and 5-7 ounces of PBW and let it soak for at least 20 minutes. I have a jumper with two feet of beverage tubing and a beverage out QD on each end that I use to push the cleaning solution into the next keg. I rinse with hot water then sanitize and push the saniztizer solution into each keg as well. It only takes five gallons of cleaning solution and 5 gallons of sanitizing solution to clean and sanitize 5-10 kegs.

[whiteManCanHop]

i do the same but i use far less. i find 2 gal of pbw solution goes a long way. i also only make 2 gal of sanitizer.