Is there a method and/or product that will ensure the inside of the plate chiller is clean to brewing standards?
I've recently began to suspect that slight off flavors in my beer may be caused from my plate chiller not getting thoroughly cleaned after use. Normally I flush it with scalding water then fill it with VERY hot detergent solution and let it sit for an hour. Then I flush it again thouroughly with hot water. after letting it drain I blow it out with compressed air and let it sit in the sun to try to dry any moisture inside so as to not promote mildew in the plates. I'm considering letting a blow drier run through it to make sure it gets dry on the inside. Of course I run Saniclean through it right before use.
I also use a chugger pump and clean it in the same manner. In my effort to track down the source of my off flavors, I disassembled the pump head and was surprised how much residue was inside the impeller housing after the thorough flushing / cleaning I described above. It stands to reason that there is similar gunk inside my plate chiller.
I've recently began to suspect that slight off flavors in my beer may be caused from my plate chiller not getting thoroughly cleaned after use. Normally I flush it with scalding water then fill it with VERY hot detergent solution and let it sit for an hour. Then I flush it again thouroughly with hot water. after letting it drain I blow it out with compressed air and let it sit in the sun to try to dry any moisture inside so as to not promote mildew in the plates. I'm considering letting a blow drier run through it to make sure it gets dry on the inside. Of course I run Saniclean through it right before use.
I also use a chugger pump and clean it in the same manner. In my effort to track down the source of my off flavors, I disassembled the pump head and was surprised how much residue was inside the impeller housing after the thorough flushing / cleaning I described above. It stands to reason that there is similar gunk inside my plate chiller.