Cleaning your draught beer lines prevents the build up of bacteria, mold and beerstone from the line surface. You should also regularly clean soft drink dispensing systems and other applications that require the recirculation of liquids at a low pressure. Beverage line cleaning should be done on a regularly scheduled basis. Scheduled beer line cleanings with a standard beer line cleaning kit will keep your system at peak performance. Successful bar owners suggest cleaning beer lines every time you switch out a keg.

The following information explains the steps in thoroughly cleaning your draught beer lines:

Routine Draught Beer Line Cleaning

1. Drain all beer from lines
2. Rinse beer line using clean water
3. Re-circulate an alkaline cleaner solution for the period of time recommended by the chemical manufacturer.
4. Let cleaner soak in beer lines for the period of time recommended by the chemical manufacturer
5. Hand clean beer faucets every time beer lines are cleaned
6. Hand clean beer taps at least every 60 days
7. Rinse beer lines with clean rinse water
8. Test the rinse water at the beer faucet for pH of 6.5-7.5 using pH paper or pH meter
9. Fill and pack line with beer
10. Pour beer, check to make sure the beer is good with no off-aroma, no off-flavor, no excessive foam and no cleaning solution contamination.

Beverage Line Cleaning Frequency

Beverage lines and draught beer equipment must be routinely cleaned to maintain the quality of draught beer. Failure to do so results in lost sales for failure to satisfy the customer due to bad tasting beer.

Draught lines and beer equipment should be cleaned:

10.  
    • For beverage lines less than 25 feet in length a minimum of every 2 weeks
    • For beverage lines greater than 25 feet in length and all glycol cooled systems a minimum of once a week
    • Faucets should be disassembled and cleaned every time the beverage lines are cleaned
    • Beer taps should be disassembled, cleaned and lubricated a minimum of every two months