Question on kegging.

[Eoin]

Guys I want to put some beers into cornies this weekend.

Thing is, we don't have the whole setup, and it's my mates anyway. Intention is to get them kegged now and the equipment will be bought shortly.
My worry is that the cornie has a dip tube and with no gas it'll be hard for me to blow any disinfectant/cleaner through it.

Will this be an issue?

Should I take it apart and soak the dip tube seperately?
I'm worried about the possibility of infection if I don't get to blow some stuff through with a gas setup, thoughts?

[Will_D]

Open the keg, unscrew the post from the dip tube and the tube can be taken out - unless its been bent a bit and kinked (like one of mine)

You can then clean it a flush water through it.

I always clean my cornies in the garden with the hose and a fine jet of water - almost as good as a pressure washer and a lot quicker to set up!

[Eoin]

Open the keg, unscrew the post from the dip tube and the tube can be taken out - unless its been bent a bit and kinked (like one of mine)

You can then clean it a flush water through it.

I always clean my cornies in the garden with the hose and a fine jet of water - almost as good as a pressure washer and a lot quicker to set up!

Thanks Will.

[Hop Bomb]

You should defo gas the kegs once the beer is in them. I had to dump beer that went off a while back as I was similar to you. Had kegs & beer but no regulator or gas. By the time the rest of my gear arrived it was too late. You need co2 in the head space of the keg to keep the beer fresh.

[brenmurph]

or keg prime with a little sugar to get some natural co2 produced that will help shelf life by preventing oxidation

[Eoin]

You should defo gas the kegs once the beer is in them. I had to dump beer that went off a while back as I was similar to you. Had kegs & beer but no regulator or gas. By the time the rest of my gear arrived it was too late. You need co2 in the head space of the keg to keep the beer fresh.

Oh, I'll be priming the keg too.

My concern was with my inability to clean the internals of the dip tubes and that potential for infection that that presented.

[Hop Bomb]

or keg prime with a little sugar to get some natural co2 produced that will help shelf life by preventing oxidation

That'd work too. That might have saved my brew if I had the sense to do it.

[brenmurph]

 Go to plumbin shop, Get a piece of 3/4 inch copper or Stainless steel pipe a little longer than the dip tube. Ask the plumber shop for a blank on one end of the pipe.

Fill the pipe with hot water and add half a tspoon of oxy action and drop in your dip tube..... leave sit for minim 5 minutes up to overnight. It is unlikely there will be any living organism left on the inside of pipe.

You can then spray with starsan or similar. 

Another usefull idea ( if u have an airline or a co2 tank is cut up small bits of sponge and squeez into the dip tube, force them through with an airline. You can pack the sponge into the pipe with a pencil. This will ensure the pipe is clean of anything that may have survived the oxy action bath.

Oils / resins do  / can build inside pipes and siphon tubes.

I use silicone as they are like non stick surfaces compared to plastic. You are wise to be concerned about cleaning dip tube thoroughly...Its maybe the downfall of many homebrewers
hpe this helps.
bren