disconnects, picnic tap, infection

[nathanm]

Is there a risk of getting an infection if I switch a tap from one keg to another? (I have four kegs and only two taps, for now)

Have been kegging for a little over a month now, and one thing I wonder about is what I need to do, if anything to keep from getting and infection after I disconnect my tap/hose from the keg. I wipe up the spill and spray it down with a little star san usually.

Wisdom and experience is welcome.

[Brandon]

Buy a spray bottle and keep some distilled water with Star san in it. Spray the connects on the keg and the QDs

[Bugeater]

The biggest risk for infection with the picnic taps comes from storing them at room temperature with beer still in the lines. Whenever I disconnect a picnic tap from a keg I immediately hook it up to my keg of Star San and flush it out. Every now and then I also take the tap apart and give it a good soak in PBW or oxiclean to remove any built up crud. Then I dip the pieces in some sanitizer and put it back together. Another quick flush with Star San and I'm good to go.

Wayne

[BeerPal]

I'm ashamed to admit that I have thrown out many, MANY cobra taps because I failed to clean them in a timely fashion after use.

BTW, beer doesn't really get "infected". It gets contaminated.