How to Clean and Prepare Your Jockey Box

Extend the life of your jockey box and improve its performance with these helpful tips from Rapids.

Prior to Use

Cleaning prior to use is just as important as cleaning afterwards. A quick clean with a flush-out hose removes any sediment that has managed to build up since the last time you used it, and ensures the first beer you pour comes out tasting great!

After Usage

If you aren’t able to immediately do a full clean (due to travel or other factors), a quick flush out with cool water is recommended.  This will help to prevent mold and bacteria growth before your final clean.

Size Matters

When it comes time to do a full clean of your jockey box, the size of your box impacts the type cleaning kit you need. For cleaning solutions, Rapids recommends BLC1 or an equivalent beer line cleaner.

If you have a smaller jockey box (dispenses one product or has a coil less than or equal to 50’), a cleaning kit with a metal pump will do the job. This easy-to-use kit includes a jar, compound, faucet wrench, and brush, and is designed to push cleaning fluid through both cold plate and coil coolers without issue.

If you have a jockey box where you are serving more than one product or the coil is greater than 50’, a more heavy-duty solution is required. Our beer expert suggests a 5-liter European style cleaning bottle - all you have to do is fill it with cleaning solution, hook it up as if it were a beer keg, and flush out your tubes!

Replacement Parts

Keep your jockey box working like new by stocking some of the parts that most frequently need replacing.

Grommets – As these age, the friction fit on your stainless lines in the coil coolers can begin to deteriorate, resulting in lines that pull right out of the shanks!

CB134 – 1/4” grommet for dispensing shank

Connectors and Shanks – If these aren’t replaced when the chrome plating begins to wear off, the exposed brass may give your beer a metallic flavor!

3T444 – ¼” ID shank for cold plate coolers

5T200 – ¼” barb for cold plate coolers

3T262 – Connector with nipple for cold plate coolers

219A – Connector without nipple for coil coolers

RF58 – ¼” ID shank for coil coolers