Beer lines are the last three metres of a supply chain that starts at the brewery. Everything upstream can be right and a dirty line will still put a cloudy, sour pint in front of a customer.
To clean beer lines, flush the beer out with clean water, fill the lines with a dedicated line cleaner mixed to the strength on its label, and leave it in for 30 minutes, pulling fresh solution through every 10 minutes. Then rinse each tap with 10 litres of clean water and check the first beer before you serve it. In the UK, do it at least every 7 days. The full method for keg and cask lines is below, followed by the questions we get asked most.
How often should you clean beer lines?
At least every 7 days. That’s the UK trade standard: Cask Marque recommends cleaning lines every 7 days, and brewery guides such as Butcombe’s say to clean all lines at least every 7 days. Cask Marque also cites Vianet data showing a 2% uplift in beer sales where lines are cleaned every 7 days.
Some cleaners are made for a two-week cycle. Pipeline 14 is designed to be used every two weeks rather than weekly, after the system has first been cleaned with the Pipeline Bottoming Out Kit. Only stretch the interval with a product that’s made for it.
You may also see “every two weeks” quoted as the general rule. That figure is American: a Brewers Association draught quality presentation says to clean lines a minimum of every 14 days, using a warm 2% to 3% caustic solution. For a UK pub, work to 7 days unless your cleaner says otherwise.
How to clean beer lines, step by step
The method below follows Butcombe Brewery’s line cleaning guide. The dilution figures come from the labels of the cleaners we sell. Always follow the label of the product you’re using, because strengths differ between cleaners.
Before you start
- Wear goggles, gloves and an apron.
- Never clean lines while customers are in.
- Make a fresh mix of cleaner every time.
- Measure the cleaner in a dedicated, clearly labelled jug that’s used for nothing else. Never use a glass.
Keg lines
- Turn off the product gas, and connect the coupling heads to the cleaning sockets. Turn on the line cleaning ring gas pump, if you have one.
- Flush the beer out of the lines with clean water.
- Take off the sprouts and sparklers and clean them.
- Mix the cleaner at the strength on its label. For routine cleaning with Savol, that’s 50ml in 10 litres of cold water, doubled for heavily soiled lines. A Pipeline One-Shot sachet makes up 50 litres, or use two sachets for heavily soiled lines.
- Pass the solution through the top of the line primer, then pull it through to the bar.
- Leave it in for 30 minutes in total, pulling fresh solution through every 10 minutes. With a colour-change cleaner such as Pipeline Original, the solution stays purple when the line is clean and changes colour when it meets yeast, bacteria or biofilm, so you can see when a line needs more work.
- Flush the cleaner out with 10 litres of clean water per tap. Dispensing test papers confirm the rinse water is free of cleaner before you reconnect.
- Refit the sprouts and sparklers, reconnect the couplers to the correct product, and turn the product gas back on.
- Fill the line primer with product and pull beer through to the bar.
- Pour a sample and do a CATT check (clarity, aroma, temperature, taste) before you serve.
Cask lines
- Turn on the gas pumps, if fitted.
- Disconnect the lines and put them in clean water.
- Flush the beer out of the lines with clean water.
- Make up the cleaner at the correct strength and pull it through to the bar.
- Leave it in for 30 minutes in total, pulling through every 10 minutes.
- Flush the cleaner out with 10 litres of clean water per tap.
- Reconnect the lines to the correct casks and pull the beer through.
- Do a CATT check before you serve.
Two things never to do
Don’t leave cleaner in the lines overnight. And don’t leave water standing in the lines overnight either, because they can freeze.
Cleaning frequency: your questions
What happens if I don’t clean them regularly?
Bacteria, yeast, mould and beer stone build up inside the line. That produces off-flavours and cloudiness, and it degrades the beer well before anyone complains. It also affects the performance of the dispensing system itself, so the problem is not only what is in the glass.
What do I get out of a regular schedule?
Three things: the health and safety of your customers, consistent draught quality, and dispensing equipment that keeps working as it should.
Choosing and using beerline cleaner
Do I need a dedicated beerline cleaner, or will a general cleaning solution do?
Use a dedicated product. Beerline cleaners are formulated for the specific residues that build up in beer lines. A general-purpose cleaner is not, and will not reliably shift them.
How does beerline cleaner work?
Beerline cleaner generally combines detergents and disinfectants. The detergents break down organic deposits; the disinfectants kill bacteria. You need both, which is why a detergent alone is not enough.
How much beer line cleaner should I use?
Exactly what the label says, mixed fresh each time. As two examples from our range, Savol is 50ml per 10 litres of cold water for a routine clean, and one Pipeline One-Shot sachet makes 50 litres. Both suggest doubling the strength for heavily soiled lines.
How long should I leave beer line cleaner in the lines?
Thirty minutes is the usual figure. Butcombe’s guide gives a total contact time of 30 minutes with a pull-through every 10 minutes, and Savol’s label asks for at least 30 minutes. Check your own cleaner’s label, because that’s the time the formulation was tested against. Never leave it in overnight.
Is it safe for my beer and my equipment?
Yes, when used as directed. High-quality beerline cleaners are designed to be safe for both. The qualifier matters: follow the stated procedure, because the safety margin assumes you are doing so. Rinse until the test paper shows no cleaner left before beer goes back on.
Can I use it for other cleaning jobs around the bar?
No. It is formulated for beer lines. It shares some properties with general cleaning solutions, but use it only for its intended purpose.
What is the difference between liquid and powder?
They do the same job. Liquid arrives pre-dissolved, while powder has to be mixed with water first. The mixing is where the risk sits: quantity, consistency and handling all have to be right, so powder rewards care and a steady routine.
Does it work on both short-draw and long-draw systems?
Some products cover both, but not all of them do. Check the specification against your own setup rather than assuming.
Doing it yourself
Should I clean my own lines, or bring in a professional?
Both are legitimate. The decision usually comes down to the size of the site, how complex the dispensing system is, your budget, and preference. A single bar with a short run is a different proposition from a multi-floor venue with long draws.
Whichever you choose, follow the guidelines from your cleaner’s manufacturer.
What safety equipment do I need if I do it myself?
The chemicals in beerline cleaners are harsh. Use personal protective equipment:
- Goggles, rather than glasses.
- Gloves.
- An apron.
- A mask if there’s any risk of breathing in spray.
Remove any contaminated clothing immediately.
Beyond the lines
Clean lines are one half of a clean bar. The other is glassware: a wet or dirty glass will flatten a well-kept pint just as fast as a dirty line will sour it. Our guide to cleaning a glass washer covers the daily routine, and if you are costing that side of the operation, see how much commercial glasswasher rental costs in the UK.
And if you are weighing whether to own your bar equipment at all, our guide to renting versus buying commercial catering equipment works through the five-year cost of both.
Sources: Butcombe Brewery, Line cleaning guide (keg and cask procedures, retrieved 24 October 2026). Cask Marque, Time for a beer spring clean? (2018). Brewers Association (US), Draught System Cleaning: line cleaning best practices (Draught Beer Quality presentation, 2018). Product labels for Savol Beerline Cleaner, Pipeline One-Shot, Pipeline Original, Pipeline 14 and Dispensing Test Papers.
