Cleaning A Beer Coupler: Entire Breakdown

This article will talk about how to clean beer keg couplers and the as well as an explanation of the beer coupler itself.

This would be a great post for bartenders or beer enthusiasts to read through if they have never cleaned a beer coupler before. Well, first let me tell you what I'm going to talk about: How to clean beer tap/keg connectors correctly, and the right protocol to do so, and why beer cleaning is important.

Beer Coupler Cleaning Protocol:

The Sanke coupler, also known as a keg or beer coupler. Should be cleaned and brushed on the outside of the keg coupler every 2 weeks while cleaning beer lines and beer faucets.

A common practice is to use StarSan which is an Acidic cleaner. A half-ounce of Star San mixed with 2.5 gallons in a bucket is all you need. Dip the coupler into the acid and scrub around the outside with a brush.

This will get rid of yeast mold, and other bacteria. A quick rinse of water after the scrubbing should do the trick. Every 90 days the beer coupler should be completely broken down and cleaned thoroughly.

List of Steps to Break down a Beer Coupler:

• Unscrew the beer hex nut for the product line and air line so that the coupler is completely free from the draft beer system.
• Undo the tension pin on the Sanke. Once the tension pin is loose the handle will pull back on the coupler and should be loose and free.
• Take the probe on the coupler and pull it up. To pull this out of the sleeve of the coupler completely you'll need to take the gasket at the end of the probe off. 
• Once the probe is out taken the check ball valve retainer and check ball valve. The check ball is used so that beer flows out of the keg and not back into the keg. Also, sometimes when the coupler isn't cleaned right the check ball can get stuck in a coupler. Use a pointed piece of anything to dislodge if necessary.
• The coupler should now be completely disassembled.

How to Deep Clean A Beer Coupler 

Once the keg coupler is completely broken down. Take all the parts and put into a caustic solution and let soak for at least 15 minutes. 

After the soak take the parts and rinse thoroughly with cold water then dry the parts. Make sure to inspect the gaskets on the coupler. One at the end of the probe. The large gasket, or  bottom seal on the key of the coupler and the two gaskets inside the housing portion of the coupler. These are pivotal to the functionality of the beer coupler and need to be inspected.

Once the inspection is done, the gaskets look good. It's now time to put the coupler back together reversing the order I talked about above.

Summary 

Quick Points to Remember:

• Sanitize outside of beer coupler twice a week with 1 oz. of StarSan in 2.5 gallons of water. Scrub and clean outside of Coupler.
• Every 90 days take apart beer couplers and inspect thoroughly for any signs or wear or damage to rubber gaskets. Soak all parts of the coupler in a caustic solution for 15 minutes. Rinse and reassemble the coupler.

Staying on top of beer coupler cleaning will ensure that they work properly for the long term. Remember to use stainless steel couplers. Be proactive and stick to a cleaning schedule for the benefit of your equipment and draft beer system.