Racking tube - foodsafe?

pricey · Post by **pricey** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 12:09 pm

I noticed whenever anyone mentions racking tube they always include the disclaimer that it should be food grade or food safe. I bought a length of clear vinyl tube from bunnings that I've only used to rack once, and I'm assuming that the fact it is vinyl (vinyl fact sheet) is sufficient?

It has a pretty strong plastic smell but I'm hoping because the beer doesn't sit in it for extended amounts of time it won't put any off flavours into it.

Am I asking for trouble here?

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 12:29 pm

Food grade silicon hose.

Silicone hose does not crack or become porous, it maintains a very long and useful life.
- Can last up to 5 times longer than other materials
- Has a high tear strength - it is much stronger than plastic or ordinary rubber hose.
- Is resistant to ultraviolet rays
Silicone is not affected by bacteria
- The smooth continuous bore allows no place for bacteria to grow.
- If needed, silicone hose can be sterilized in boiling water
Silicone hose is efficient and easy to use
- The translucent hose allows you to see your product move through the hose
- Low compression set means no re-tightening of fittings or clamps
- Metal fittings can be easily pushed onto the hose
- Remains flexible to -55ÂºC

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 1:19 pm

The tubing I bought was from Bunnings - it's clear, but don't know whether it was vinyl or silicone. No problems at all with it though - about ten brews through it so far.

pharmaboy · Post by **pharmaboy** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 1:33 pm

Silicone might be the best, but for racking tube, you dont need the temp range that silicon has, and at $1.50 a metre (or less) for vinyl - if you forget to clean it out after racking, you can just buy a replacement next time you're at bunnies.

FWIW, I just run water through after racking, then wack it into my freezer and there it stays untill next required. I figure bacteria likes warmth and moisture - if I can take away the warmth, and freeze the moisture - it sure beats hanging around the shed and then having to sanitize for a simple rack.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 1:35 pm

pharmaboy wrote:FWIW, I just run water through after racking, then wack it into my freezer and there it stays untill next required. 7682255

You dont find that the bacteria that builds up in your freezer would be worse PB?

scblack · Post by **scblack** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 2:11 pm

pharmaboy wrote:Silicone might be the best, but for racking tube, you dont need the temp range that silicon has, and at $1.50 a metre (or less) for vinyl - if you forget to clean it out after racking, you can just buy a replacement next time you're at bunnies.

FWIW, I just run water through after racking, then wack it into my freezer and there it stays untill next required. I figure bacteria likes warmth and moisture - if I can take away the warmth, and freeze the moisture - it sure beats hanging around the shed and then having to sanitize for a simple rack.

See the thread about using ice as a method to reduce the temperature of the wort. The freezer does not kill anything, just suspends the beasties.

It won't hurt I guess if you are of course sanitising correctly before use, but the freezer DOES harbour germs.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 2:20 pm

scblack wrote:
pharmaboy wrote:Silicone might be the best, but for racking tube, you dont need the temp range that silicon has, and at $1.50 a metre (or less) for vinyl - if you forget to clean it out after racking, you can just buy a replacement next time you're at bunnies.

FWIW, I just run water through after racking, then wack it into my freezer and there it stays untill next required. I figure bacteria likes warmth and moisture - if I can take away the warmth, and freeze the moisture - it sure beats hanging around the shed and then having to sanitize for a simple rack.
but the freezer DOES harbour germs.

Thats what I thought SC

pharmaboy · Post by **pharmaboy** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 3:40 pm

JaCk_SpArRoW wrote:
pharmaboy wrote:FWIW, I just run water through after racking, then wack it into my freezer and there it stays untill next required. 7682255
You dont find that the bacteria that builds up in your freezer would be worse PB?

Well, i figure its all relative, more bacteria in the air than in the fridge, more than the freezer etc. as it happens the frezzer I use is the bottom of the kegerator so doesnt get opened and doesnt keep other foodstuffs in it (frozen bottles of water and a place to keep my utensils (half the reason just so I can find them).

While I dont doubt the concept that greeblies are in the freezer, surely they are 'suspended" in the freezer as opposed to procreating in the freezer. if the tube goes from freezer to racking, to water running through, back to freezer, so surviving greeblies should be yeast from previous brew at worst. Hanging up in the laundry or shed - chemicals, moist atmosphere, warm - what more could a bacteria family want! now sitting in a non degrading sanitising solution - definately the best - just a PITA

db · Post by db » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 9:11 pm

back to the hose bit

i use 10mm clear (pvc i *think*) hosing from bunnings. it works well for me..
my only gripe is that it doesn't stand up too well to sanitizing with iodophor or bleach after a few runs.. iodophor colours it amber & bleach turns it an opague white.. i keep a few 2m lengths handy & replace it when i feel the need

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006 9:31 pm

I use a milk tube that country folk can get from rural suppliers, they use it for feeding calves. I heat the end for a few seconds in hot water and it fits perfectly over my tap.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 8:01 am

Just some tube from the hardware store.

Be afraid of that which lives in the freezer. You don't need it to multiply, you just need a colony forming unit and they are there.

On top of it, things do live that cold, they are just very slow, see a Cannuk in Winter

Dogger

Cheeno · Post by **Cheeno** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 3:07 pm

Blank expressions and shrugs of the shoulders were all I got when I asked for food grade hose at some specialist foodie type hardware shops I enquired at. I also ended up getting some tubing at Bunnings and look at it this way: 'food grade' or 'food safe' is just a reminder of how your hose should be before you put any food through it i.e. clean and sanitised to the best of your ability.

Mewshew · Post by **Mewshew** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 3:15 pm

Yeah, I'm heading to bunnings tomorrow to pick one up.

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Friday Feb 03, 2006 8:51 am

vinly is fine, it is food safe, easy to fine and it's cheap. Just keep it away from solvents and UV.

Silicone, as sparrow said, it's indestructable, UV stable, very sterilisable (heat, gamma, 70% ethanol, etc) and biologically inert. Which, ofcourse, is why it's used medically and why it is so expensive.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Friday Feb 03, 2006 9:06 am

Rubber.Piggy wrote:vinly is fine, it is food safe, easy to fine and it's cheap. Just keep it away from solvents and UV.

Silicone, as sparrow said, it's indestructable, UV stable, very sterilisable (heat, gamma, 70% ethanol, etc) and biologically inert. Which, ofcourse, is why it's used medically and why it is so expensive.

The other reason is when transferring hot wort from mashing to the kettle its safer as the hose can handle the temps