Need help to impove sanitization.

[Pumbapoindexter]

Hello I have brewed about 4 batches of homebrew and have kegged them all so far. The beers have been getting better and better each time. My huge question is what things or tricks can I do to improve my sanitization. From my wort to fermenting to the keg. I think my big problem is from cooling tell its in the carboy. What little tricks can I do to help. My goal is to have a beer in the kegerator for 6 months without changing. Or is this a unrealistic dream? Thanks for any help out there.

 

[hercher]

In order to offer suggestions, we need to know more about your sanitation and brewing processes, otherwise we are just shooting in the dark. If each of your beers have been good, you may not need to make any changes.

If your concern is strictly from the end of the boil until it is completely in the fermenter, the keys are to chill your beer down to fermentation as quickly as possible, and transfer it into the fermenter as quickly as possible. Most of us are not brewing in sterile, or even sanitary environments (I brew in the garage), so keeping your wort covered is important.

Keep in mind also, your beer is going to change over 6 months. Unless you are sterile filtering your beer, it is going to continue to age in the keg -- and usually get better over time. Otherwise, your beer remains a volatile product.

 

[Skullfingr]

In order to offer suggestions, we need to know more about your sanitation and brewing processes, otherwise we are just shooting in the dark.

That.

 

[Pumbapoindexter]

Okay thanks. So I use starsan on the carboy and all equipment that touches the wort after the boil.
Am I suppose to sanitize the boil kettle? I don't do that... Also I brew outside on my Patio at our condo and I use a wort chiller in the last 20 min of boil. I then move the kettle and wort chiller into the kitchen since I don't have water on the patio. So I chill in the kitchen, it usually take an hour to cool. I leave the lid on but it has the cut out for the wort chiller is that a problem? I have a ball valve on my kettle and I open that and transfer the wort to the fermenter after its cool. I then put oxygen in using a aquarium pump and stone. Like 30-45 min then pitch my yeast starter.

When I keg I fill the keg with starsan solution then shake up and run threw the party tap. Then I empty and purge with co2 and then fill the keg with beer.

I don't know if there is more info you need but I will tell y'all anything. I just wanna do this better. My ESB Has been in the keg for two months and I don't think it has gotten better. But it's still very drinkable. I have an American wheat beer that is in the keg for 3 weeks and it's the best beer I've ever made. Do some beers just get worse with age?

Thanks for your help.

 

[kwingert]

Sounds like you are on the right track. 1 hour to cool your wort with a chiller seems like a long time. How fast are you running the water? The water should be coming out slow and hot. I chill my wort down as far as I can with the chiller then I put the pot in an ice bath to lower it to pitching temps. This takes way less then 30 minutes.

Yeah some beers get worse with age. Typically dark beers age better then light beers. And two months in the keg isn't very long. Also, your ESB may just never get better.

 

[hercher]

I think you have it right, PUmbapoindexter. You don't need to sanitize your boil kettle because the boil itself will take care of that. I agree with kingert that you should be able to chill it down a little faster. but you have your kettle covered to minimize the chance of something floating in there. You could consider putting a filter between your aquarium pump and stone. That would be the only thing I'd change as far as your sanitation process.

One thing you are doing that does concern me: carrying a kettle filled with 200 degree wort from your patio to your kitchen. If you accidentally drop this, you will get seriously burned! You can get fittings that will allow you to connect a hose to your kitchen faucet. Could be the best $2 investment you ever made!