OVHA Chat

I generaly wash my carboy as soon as it is empty and put it away.Just before I use it I wash it again.I have a method by which I test for cleanlines;

(1) Wash with strong detergent and rinse twice.
(2) Clean outside of carboy and dry with microfiber cloth.
(3) Pour 1-2 cups hot water into carboy and wait 5min.

The vapors rising from the hot water will cling to any residue on the glass no matter how small or how thin.Evan a small speck will show up.Only after passing this test will I use the jug.Now and then,I'll need to clean and test over and over because of streaks appearing around the foam line and on the neck.
What is clinginfg to my jug,and what could I use to disolve them away that would be economical? PBW(my main tough jobber)seems a bit expensive for just these little streaks.I'm tired of cussn'&fussn'&thowin' stuff around when this happens

10% bleach will kill anything.

Live or dead;if it's in there it gotsta come out.

yeah, I just meant soaking it with that, I'd think a carboy brush would strip it out pretty easily afterwards.

The way I've found to cut down on the cleaning of carboys is to pitch another beer into the just racked primary reusing part of the primary yeast. If the beer you just took out wasn't infected, no worries with the new one. I've had air lock activity within minutes for the fastest. I've only used the same carboy fermenting 2 batches before total cleaning. The neck and shoulders get pretty nasty looking from the krausen. A soak with generic oxyclean and hot water overnight, followed by a quick swish with the brush has taken care of it every time. A little warning about leaving oxyclean or pbw in glass carboys for extended times (like a month), will leave a cloudy residue that comes off easily with some white vinegar, and through rinsing procedures then to rid of the vinegar. But sparkling clean glass.

Maybe thats what makes my beer taste so good.
(I must have left over junk that is adding to my next batch)
No really..
I just fill with hot water and pbw (3 to 5 oz.), bursh, let sit for an hour or two and rinse real good.

I have used the same carboys (Glass) for 46 batches.
I just make sure they are clean (as discribed above) put a paper towel in the neck and let them set till I'm ready to use them in the next batch, where I rinse real good, then use star-san, and add my next batch.
Works for me...

Don

Well when Orval cleaned their fermenter in the 50s, they had a revolt with their customers.

I fill mine with hot water and a half scoop of Oxyclean Free. Let sit for 24 hours and a light brushing cleans it like new.