Quick Tip: Sanitize the Boil Kettle Valve

Many boil kettles now come with a ball valve attached to them to drain the wort after it has been boiled and cooled. It is common practice to assume that hot wort will sanitize this valve during the boil. This may be true on one side of the valve -- the side touching hot wort. However, the other side of the valve that is open to the air does not get hot enough to get sanitized during the boil. This is a common source of infections as the wort is drained through the valve.

It is best to sanitize this valve before the boil takes place. I do this by removing the valve, soaking the it in sanitizer, reattaching it, and covering it with sanitized tin foil until it is time to use it. Others do it by removing it and boiling it in water for 20 minutes. Whatever way you do it, make sure any nasty bugs inhabiting it are dead before you use it.