Post
by Jocky » Wed Oct 26, 2022 5:01 pm
Yes there would be PTFE tape on the threads of the disconnects, but you shouldn't need to undo those to do a brew day clean.
I'm pretty certain the issue you have is that a dribble of wort is getting trapped in the thermometer end of the T piece. It's a little nook that isn't in the path of flow of the liquid, so difficult to clean without quite a long recirculation of cleaner. A little dribble of sugary wort every brew day for two years will grow a lot as you've seen.
However, if you have the thermometer on a disconnect then you can remove it after each brew and clean out any remaining wort, stopping it from starting to grow in the first place. You could even leave it disconnected between brew days to allow it to dry.
I disassemble the ball valves on my kettle and fermenter after every use because they too trap a little dribble of wort and end up mouldy. However the disconnects attached to them (with PTFE thread) only get taken off every few years, and when I have there's never been anything growing in them.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
