Chlorine???

[BARS]

Does chlorine or beer line cleaners that have chlorine in them have an effect on the lines or taste? Thanks

[KillianBoy]

BARS,
Not sure what your talking about but for home use the following is said about Clean Flo:

Clean Flo Powder Beer Line Cleaner Product Highlights:
Perfect for home use! Contains no chlorine to leave an off-taste.

Yes chlorine will leave a funny after taste, it can be alleviated by extra flushing with water, but most professional BLC that's made in the US is chlorine-free and is either alkaline or acid based. If you use the stuff from MM you should be good. I used a cheap BLC that came with a Haier (Chinese-made), the stuff was vile and caused serious aftertaste problems, it took about 1/4 keg get rid of the taste even after through flushing with water.
KB

[BARS]

This is the commercial section of the forum, so I'm talking about professional use in bars with long draws, not for home use. Thanks for the response though. Have you had any experience with chlorine or just going by what the label says? thanks again

[KillianBoy]

BARS,
The Clean Flo quote came from the 16 oz. can which makes it "Perfect for home use! " this is what the 25 lb pail says:

Clean Flo Powder - 25 Lb. Pail
Clean Flo Powder Beer Line Cleaner Product Highlights:
Economically packed for commercial use! Contains no chlorine to leave an off-taste.

Makes approximately 100 gallons of cleaning solution!

For use with hand pumped, pressurized, or electrical cleaners

This would probably last me 100 years, most what happened to me is by experience, my hands smelled like chlorine and was dry as a desert for a couple of days with the Haier BLC , while with the Clean Flo it was just dry, don't have the Haier BLC on hand but I think it does say it contains chlorine, will confirm when I run into it again. But I have had zero problems with the Clean Flo in regards to aftertaste.
KB

[BARS]

Thanks again for the reply!
I am not having an off taste problem right now, but I am also not using a chlorine product (that I know of) right now. I was told that many beer line cleaners have very small amounts of chlorine in them just not always mentioned and not as much as others. I was asked to try a product that has it in it because of its cleaning ability...I was just nervous about it for fear of leaving an after taste. Was also told to not let it sit in the line any longer than 2 hours (if a long soak is needed for neglected lines), so this advice made me a little nervous.

[Scott Zuhse]

Most beer line is not compatible with a chlorine based cleaners. Particularly the barrier tubing which is widely utilized today in remote systems.

[BARS]

Most beer line is not compatible with a chlorine based cleaners. Particularly the barrier tubing which is widely utilized today in remote systems.

Scott,
Can you elaborate on this? Is this not safe to use at all or can it be used a couple of times a years? thanks

[bodicharla]

Since the majority of your beer comes from your brewing water, it makes a difference in the final taste of your beer. The brewing water minerals present can affect the starch conversion of your grains.

[BARS]

Scott,
Can you elaborate on this? Is this not safe to use at all or can it be used a couple of times a years? thanks

Scott??? Are you out there???

[BARS]

Scott??? Are you out there???

Scott? Is he around here still?

[Scott Zuhse]

I'm still here. Non-plasticized Nylon utilized as inner barrier layer for tubing in remote systems is not compatible with chlorine. It will damage the layer such that the product will acquire an off taste.

There is no need to sanitize draught beer dispensing systems as there will always be some amount of bacteria present. The premise behind cleaning every two weeks is not keep the bacteria at bay so that it will not impart an undesirable flavor in the beer. Once the bacteria begins to build into a film (bio film) inside the system, it will begin to assist additional bacteria in collecting and adhering. As this film grows it excretes organisms that cause off tastes. if an attempt was made to disinfect, you would probably affect the top layer of the film where the underlying bacteria will simply continue to grow.


Therefore, cleaning a system on a scheduled two week basis with an alkaline (at least 2%) will greatly reduce the chance of the organic bio film from building. Clean the system every fifth cycle with an acid to remove any inorganic compound such as beer stone.

[BARS]

I'm still here. Non-plasticized Nylon utilized as inner barrier layer for tubing in remote systems is not compatible with chlorine. It will damage the layer such that the product will acquire an off taste.

There is no need to sanitize draught beer dispensing systems as there will always be some amount of bacteria present. The premise behind cleaning every two weeks is not keep the bacteria at bay so that it will not impart an undesirable flavor in the beer. Once the bacteria begins to build into a film (bio film) inside the system, it will begin to assist additional bacteria in collecting and adhering. As this film grows it excretes organisms that cause off tastes. if an attempt was made to disinfect, you would probably affect the top layer of the film where the underlying bacteria will simply continue to grow.


Therefore, cleaning a system on a scheduled two week basis with an alkaline (at least 2%) will greatly reduce the chance of the organic bio film from building. Clean the system every fifth cycle with an acid to remove any inorganic compound such as beer stone.

So, would you say that using this no more that 2 times a years is not ok? I don't like using it and I do clean on a two week cycle with Micro Matic chemical because it is the best that I have found, but there are times I come across lines (new to me) and mainly FOB's that have such a build up that unless I circulate for hours on end or soak the lines over night, this build up will not come off. This chlorine line cleaner, on the other hand, does get it out...but it scares be to use it because of the chlorine leaving a taste or smell or ruining the line.

I have not used it more than once on the same system and so far there are no taste or smell issues. It was given to me as a sample and was assured it will not do anything to the line as long as it is used as a regular cleaner and not let it sit in the line for a prolonged amount of time. I have used it to get the build up off and go back to the micor matic for the every 2 week cleaning and everything has stayed perfect.