Draft Line Cleaning

[beer247]

I've got a bar with 24 handles. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to clean all of these lines in one swoop? I am familar with the cleaning protocol, but any suggestions on how to expedite this procedure would be helpful. All the beer is being run from kegs.

[Rob Creighton]

There's a couple of "depending on's" built into this but here is how I did it at one location.
1. I had a 5 gallon cleaning can located in the keg cooler onto which I attached the coupler from line #1. (If your using a motorized pump you would do this from the bar)
2. I removed all of the faucets at the bar and put them into solution prior to brush scrubbing them. I would normally take apart a couple each time and inspect them for cleanliness and wear. I'm sure that some service guys take them all apart every time but I didn't find this to be necessary.
3. I attached jumper lines onto the shank nuts (where the faucet hooks up) so the solution will go up line #1 and down #2 and up #3, etc... with the final line coming up into the bar on line #15.
4. I joined the couplers together in the cooler with cleaning jumpers on all of our sankey couplers (imports were done separately by the supplier). Note: the couplers must have a post in the center that pushes up the check ball that prevents backflow or the liquid wont go!
5. I ran the cleaning solution through the system ending up in a sink at the bar with a mid run stop (10 minutes) to allow the solution to work on the lines and then flushed.

The whole process took me about an hour and I did this once a week. The equipment included the cleaning can, nuts and barbs for the jumpers, 3/8's tubing for the jumpers, clamps and cleaning couplers. I believe the whole set-up cost me about $400.00 but was worth it in time saved and consistency in cleaning regimen. I'm sure you can get these parts from any draught equipment supplier.
Hope this helps
-Rob Creighton-

[Ron Downer]

Just found a 2003 Micro Matic catalog in my files that may help you with your line cleaning. On page 71 of the 2003 catalog is pictured a "Micro Matic Sanitizing System" which looks like it could clean at least 5-6 taps at a time. These "cleaning manifolds" can be installed in your walk-in cooler for line cleaning at any time. I can't see why it wouldn't be possible to install several of these together to get all 24 lines at once.
Micro Matic has a toll-free line: 1-866-327-4159, and a website:
www.micromatic.com/dispense service. I would contact them and tell them your problem when you request a catalog. Surely a company this specialized will be able to tell you what you need to clean 24 lines at once.
Hope this helps.