Dead Keg?

[Kieren]

Hi all,

I have noticed for a while now that my boiling keg has being getting browner and browner on the bottom and sides (is this pitting?), and while a give it a quick wipe out before each brew, I thought I would try it a good scrub with a "non-scratch" scourer and for after an hour it was still evident (see pic). I have in the past (before realising my error) used steel wool to clean it out, probably scratching the surfaces.



My questions:-

If this is "pitting" or rusting the steel, will it be effecting my brews?
If so, is it fixable? Is there a way to mechanically sand it back and then treat the surface to stop it happening? Or should I look at getting a new pot?
And what do other people do to clean and treat their stainless steel pots?

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers
KV

 

[Coodgee]

mate that **** comes off if you scrub it with a green scourer. It's stainless steel so it's not going to scratch. you scrub your SS fry pans etc with a scourer right? If it's stuck on tight, use some sugar soap. and maybe boil some water in it for a while. it will come off, but it takes alot of elbow grease. it's just hop/malt scum.

 

[bigfridge]

Hi all,

I have noticed for a while now that my boiling keg has being getting browner and browner on the bottom and sides (is this pitting?), and while a give it a quick wipe out before each brew, I thought I would try it a good scrub with a "non-scratch" scourer and for after an hour it was still evident (see pic). I have in the past (before realising my error) used steel wool to clean it out, probably scratching the surfaces.

View attachment 9075

My questions:-

If this is "pitting" or rusting the steel, will it be effecting my brews?
If so, is it fixable? Is there a way to mechanically sand it back and then treat the surface to stop it happening? Or should I look at getting a new pot?
And what do other people do to clean and treat their stainless steel pots?

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers
KV

Hi KV,

You can't scratch Stainless steel (either with steel wool or a green scrubbie) - the steel wool is bad though as it will embed particles of steel in the surface which will rust.

From your picture it looks like Beerstone. This is normal and is easily cleaned using a acid based cleaner.

So, no need to worry,

David

 

[Kieren]

OK, Cheers.

Was worried about sourcing another pot. I just need to scrub harder i suppose. The one part I hate about brewing beer is the cleaning up

KV

 

[Keifer]

got a angle grinder mate? go the grinder plus a paint stripper

 

[Darren]

Kieren,

A good soak (2 days) with a strong mix of "napisan" will take that beerstone off easy as.

cheers

Darren

 

[aspro]

Gday

Be carefull not to scratch it because it will rust!

Beer kegs have a high amount of steel in them, the reason for this is they are a pressure vessel and if they were made from just stainless and you over loaded them they would shatter but with the steel they just split.

Do not use an angle grinder on it even a wire brush attachment is not good

Cheers Aspro

 

[goatherder]

I removed mine with a stainless wire brush. It took a bit of effort but came up a treat.

 

[Darren]

Two days in napisan and it will come off with a dish cloth. Done it a number of times.

 

[Doc]

It is called beerstone.
I give a cleanout with a green scrubby after each boil that keeps it looking good.
If I do get buildup, hot tap water and a caustic solution (ESB Keg and Beer Line Cleaner) loosens it up and lets it wipe straight off.

Beers,
Doc

Oops. A reread and I see Bigfridge already identified it as beerstone also.

 

[Borret]

Beer kegs have a high amount of steel in them, the reason for this is they are a pressure vessel and if they were made from just stainless and you over loaded them they would shatter but with the steel they just split.

:blink:

Oh...... so your saying they're made from 'Stainless Steel' then.......

:wacko:

 

[Darren]

If I do get buildup, hot tap water and a caustic solution (ESB Keg and Beer Line Cleaner) loosens it up and lets it wipe straight off.

Beers,
Doc

Oops. A reread and I see Bigfridge already identified it as beerstone also.

Doc,

no need for fancy stuff, sodium percarbonate (napisan) does the trick.


cheers

Darren

 

[aspro]

Beer kegs have a high amount of steel in them, the reason for this is they are a pressure vessel and if they were made from just stainless and you over loaded them they would shatter but with the steel they just split.

:blink:

Oh...... so your saying they're made from 'Stainless Steel' then.......

:wacko:

NO
what im saying is that beer kegs have alot more steel in them than other stainless products so if you damage the surface they will rust, because alot of people think that they are bullet proof.

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Pink Powder( from your local hbs) works without any elbow grease !
Soak and rinse out only!
No more beerstone.............


A mate of mine never bothers with beerstone.
He says 'its just like a good Wok mate, you dont scrub the crap out of a Wok do you ?' :blink:
He makes better beer than me :angry:

 

[Batz]

You guys clean your kettle?
That stuff makes em looks used,clean it and you have a,namby pamby,girls blouse,tea cosy,nancy boy,la la kettle !!

Batz

With a used kettle

 

[sluggerdog]

I'm with batz, I have never even thought of cleaning the bottom of my keg before, looks just like above. Shows I have been brewin up a storm.

 

[Darren]

I was concerned as to what flavours were being stored in the beer stone. Only do it once in a while.

cheers

Darren

 

[bigfridge]

Beer kegs have a high amount of steel in them, the reason for this is they are a pressure vessel and if they were made from just stainless and you over loaded them they would shatter but with the steel they just split.

NO

what im saying is that beer kegs have alot more steel in them than other stainless products so if you damage the surface they will rust, because alot of people think that they are bullet proof.

Mate, you sound a bit confused here.

Steel is an alloy of iron with a small amount of carbon.

Stainless steel is steel that has Nickel and Chrome added which forms a tough oxide layer that prevents the iron from rusting. Embed iron in your stainless steel surface and it will start to rust allowing the underlying metal to also rust.

HTH,

David

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Darren,
Lurking deep inside beer stone................................Botulism

 

[Darren]

Funny but no, just flavour worries.

Nothing like a good clean-up every now and then. Only takes a few scoops of napisan to get it gleaming again.

cheers

Darren