Sanitation question, ball valves in conical fermenter.

[pinbrew]

OK,,

So say you have quick connects on the outputs of your conical... and you use the racking port to pump the wort into the fermenter. OK so,,, you close the ball valve, add some yeast and let it ferment... So what about the trapped unfermented wort in the "ball" of the ball valve.. might me 2ml or so... and I leave it in primary for 14 days....

SO, when I open the ball valve to keg it,,, there will be that little bit of beer that was stuck in the ball,, Of course I could just dump the first couple of OZ...

I guess the question is,, what do you guys think about that little bit of trapped wort,, is there more chance for infection because that little bit does not ferment, if it does go bad or something it could infect the whole batch on the way out...

Just a random thought today, using my conical for the 1st time...

Over thinking it or what do you guys think..

thanks

mike

[Petedadink]

My advice. disassemble and thoroughly clean it before and after every time .
I have a 3 piece ball valve and I let it sit not knowing beer was in the ball and some stuff did grow on it. After boiling in a pressure cooker several times Im sure I killed whatever was on there but since then I never trusted it.

[pinbrew]

well my main question is,, is there an increased possibility for infection when I rack them into kegs out that same ball valve? the same ball valve I filled the fermenter with,, the same ball valve that has trapped unfermented wort in it?... just trying to prevent and tweak my routine for best possible results, ya know?,,,,


mike

[bcmaui]

I dump the first bit from the sample port to take a gravity readings at least once before racking, so what is replaced in the ball valve cavity has been fermented. Having a 3 piece valve that you can take apart and sanitize between sessions also makes sense - I recall Blichman makes those.

I imagine your concern is one of the reasons why butterfly valves are used in lieu of ball valves at the commercial breweries.

[Mylo]

You should release any liquid trapped in your balls at least once a day, and maybe twice on the weekend days when the wife takes the kids out of the house.


Mylo

[bcmaui]

You should release any liquid trapped in your balls at least once a day, and maybe twice on the weekend days when the wife takes the kids out of the house.


Mylo

I like draining the liquid before the kids even wake up on the weekends, but I'm an early riser.

[pinbrew]

You should release any liquid trapped in your balls at least once a day, and maybe twice on the weekend days when the wife takes the kids out of the house.

Mylo

Definatly would not want that stuff to spoil....

[Quin]

I'm talking out my ass because I don't have a conical, but couldn't you fill the conical through the bottom drain and rack into your cornies through the racking port?