When the season slows and you’re ready to close your bar or restaurant for a few months, your draught system needs attention. Maybe you’re shutting down a beachfront patio until spring or locking up a mountain lodge for summer. Either way, deactivating your draught system properly is critical to avoid costly problems when you reopen. As someone who’s spent years in car maintenance, I know how neglect can ruin equipment. A poorly stored draught system risks mold, corrosion, or even a full replacement. This guide walks you through draining, sanitizing, and disassembling your system to keep it safe during a seasonal shutdown.
Why Deactivating Your Draught System Correctly Is Essential
A draught system isn’t something you can just turn off and walk away from. Beer, water, or residue left inside can cause havoc over time. Mold thrives in damp lines. Corrosion attacks metal parts like faucets or keg couplers. Both can lead to health violations or a system that pours flat, funky beer when you’re back in business. Spending a day on proper deactivation saves you from headaches and protects your investment.
The process boils down to three steps: draining, sanitizing, and disassembling. Each one matters, and skipping any could spell trouble. Let’s dig into how to get this done right.
Step 1: Draining Every Drop from Your Draught System
Your first job is to get all the liquid out of the system. Even a teaspoon of beer or water left behind can foster bacteria or corrode components. Start by turning off the CO2 cylinder to depressurize the system. Open every faucet and let the beer flow out until nothing’s left. If you’ve got long lines or low points, use compressed air or a food-grade pump to push out stubborn liquid.
Once the beer’s gone, flush the lines with clean water. Run it through every faucet, coupler, and line for at least a minute to clear out sticky residue. Beer sugars love to cling to surfaces, and that’s a mold magnet. After flushing, drain the water completely. Check areas where liquid might pool, like dips in lines or keg couplers. Use compressed air again if needed to ensure the system is bone dry.
A trick I learned from car maintenance: always verify your work. Walk the entire system and look for drips or wet spots. A dry draught system is your best bet for preventing damage during storage.
Step 2: Sanitizing to Stop Mold and Bacteria
With the system drained, it’s time to sanitize. This step kills any bacteria or mold spores that could grow while your bar’s closed. A clean system also ensures your beer tastes crisp when you reopen, not like something scraped off a cellar floor.
Grab a food-safe sanitizer made for draught systems. Skip household cleaners like bleach, which can harm parts or leave residues that taint your beer. Mix the sanitizer per the instructions, usually about one ounce per gallon of water. Pump it through every line, faucet, and coupler, making sure it reaches all surfaces. Let it sit for 10 minutes to do its job.
After sanitizing, rinse thoroughly with clean water. Leftover sanitizer can mess with beer flavor, and you don’t want that on opening day. Drain the rinse water completely, just like you did before. If your system uses glycol cooling, flush and drain those lines separately to avoid contamination.
Here’s a tip from my shop days: test your rinse. Run a bit of water through a faucet and taste it. If it’s anything but neutral, rinse again. Your customers deserve beer that tastes like beer, not chemicals.
Step 3: Disassembling and Storing Your Draught System
Now that your system’s clean and dry, it’s time to take it apart and store it. Disassembling might seem like overkill, but leaving parts connected invites trouble. Moisture can hide in tight spots, causing mold or corrosion. Plus, it’s easier to spot worn parts now than when you’re rushing to reopen.
Begin by removing detachable components like faucets, couplers, and regulators. Use a wrench carefully to avoid damaging threads. Clean each part with warm water and mild detergent, then dry them with a clean towel. Don’t let any moisture linger. For fixed parts like lines or cooling systems, blow them out with compressed air to ensure they’re dry.
If your system has a glycol chiller, drain the glycol and store it in a sealed container. Label all parts clearly to make reassembly a breeze. Store everything, including the CO2 tank in a clean, dry, temperature controlled space. Avoid garages or basements where humidity or cold can damage seals or metal. Use sealed plastic bins or bags to keep dust and bugs out. Hang lines vertically to prevent kinks that could weaken them.
One thing I’ve picked up from years of wrenching: stay organized. Make a list of every part you remove and where you store it. When spring rolls around, you’ll thank yourself for not playing hide-and-seek with a missing coupler.
Additional Tips for a Worry Free Shutdown
Before you call it a day, here are a few extra steps to make sure your draught system stays in top shape. Plan for a professional cleaning before you reopen. A draught tech can catch issues like worn gaskets or hidden corrosion that you might overlook. It’s like getting a car tuned up before a road trip.
Keep a log of what you did. Jot down when you drained, sanitized, and disassembled, plus any quirks you noticed. This helps with future maintenance and shows inspectors you’re serious about upkeep.
For closures longer than three months, consider a mid-season check. Run a quick sanitizing cycle to keep mold at bay. It’s a small effort for big peace of mind. Don’t rush. Block off a full day to do this right. Skimping now could mean pouring money into repairs later.
The Bigger Picture for Your Business
Deactivating your draught system isn’t just about avoiding mold or corrosion. It’s about protecting your bar’s reputation and your wallet. Customers notice when beer tastes off, and they won’t come back. Health inspectors are even less forgiving. A single violation could delay your reopening or land you a fine.
By following these steps, you’re setting up for a smooth restart. Your draught system will be ready to pour perfect pints, and you’ll dodge the stress of last-minute fixes. It’s like winterizing a vintage car: a little care now keeps it humming for years.
Wrapping It Up
Shutting down your draught system for the season doesn’t need to be a chore. Drain it, sanitize it, and store it with care. These steps take effort, but they’re cheaper than replacing a ruined system or losing customers to bad beer. As someone who’s kept cars running for decades, I can tell you maintenance always beats repair.
If this feels like too much, call a draught system pro to help. They can walk you through it or handle the whole job. Either way, don’t put it off. Get your system ready for storage now, and you’ll be pouring cold, clean beer the moment you unlock the doors.
