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Ok, just got home from camping and rinsed out my 3 minis that I've had issues with my beers while away. I've filled them up with tap water and added 3 spoons of percarb to each for an overnight soak as done in the past.

I got my 4th mini out of shed and borrowed a friends inspection camera and the images are similar to bradsbrew. Spot weld where handles are each with say 1-2 mm rust spot at each weld. I wiped my finger around the inside and didn't get any black stuff from this keg but will get some rice tommoz and do rice test on all 4 kegs. Will also run the camera around the inside of these kegs when I empty them tommoz.

I'm then thinking of buying some diggers crystals the same as Batz put up and doing what brad did and soak them with it, then rinse well with really hot water and leave to air dry for a day, then maybe fill 2 of the worst metallic ones I've had and try them in a couple of weeks. Hopefully not to waste another carton equilivant of beer.

Prob all we can do ATM and see how time goes.

No idea on all this metal chemistry but is this aoxcylic crystals etc supposed to clean the rust off and then prevent further rust with the term passivation? That's been mentioned.

If this works then I'd be happy, if not then I'll be chasing a refund/exchange ,I will be calling ATHB to see what they say tomm before going down this pathway.

Any others have more ideas or any of the retailers following this thread have any reports back from the manufacturers?

Cheers
 
I ordered two 5L kegs from Beerkat on back order in mid March. I recieved them last Tuesday and washed with warm water and dishwashing liquid followed by a Starsan rinse. Filled one from a 19l keg of mid strength ale on Wednesday to have a little play. Reg seems good and beer was fine Wednesday night, by Friday it had developed a slight metallic taste and by tonight it was completely undrinkable.

I will tip the rest of the keg tonight and give it a proper soak in sodium perc and refill when I get back from work on Friday.

Please ad me to the PM with the spreadsheet.

Cheers,
Pete
 
Hey Gentlemen,

Just a quick update regarding Metalic taste in kegs.

I have organised XRF materials recognition testing for random stock kegs across our range, I have also requested a couple of tainted kegs back for destructive testing.

XRF reading will determine the exact materials being used in the manufacture of the kegs, once we are confident in our materials this should help us determine a way forward with Passivation or Electro cleaning the kegs. I have sourced a Perth based company who we will work closely with to identify whats happening with the metallic taste coming from this batch of kegs.

Basic discussion are pointing to potential passivation or electro cleaning issues. I will be getting a couple of kegs from the March batch re passivated and electropolished. I will then conduct a test on all three kegs, as packed, passivated and electropolished.

I hope to have some results to show early next week.

I have been away working for a couple of week. During this period, I have had a saison and American IPA sitting in a range of kegs and growlers. These have been kegged now for several weeks. I poured sample glasses from all of these kegs over the weekend and found none of the detailed issues. These kegs I have been using for several months now and have not seen this problem here. We are s
till on the side of batch issue from supplier.

I will transfer a 5 ltr batch to current stock keg and sample over the next week to see if I can get the metallic results.

Our Chinese supplier has sent a test keg for review.

We hope this helps, we will overcome this frustrating problem to help ensure we all have an awesome robust legging system.

We appreciate everyone's patents and hope to have a resolution soon.

Cheers

Graham Boyd
 
Great info, I'll hold off on doing anything more than my perc rinse...

Cheers
 
Beerkat Pty Ltd said:
My man..

anecdotal,

I emptied my 4lt ones, one of them smelled a bit weird... then I realized it had my 'suspicious stout' in it.. no feedback other that it didnt taste any weirder that the fucked up shit I put in it...

neither of them displayed any issues, I'm tryin really hard to finish my Imperial Cider and the RIS from my other 'in use mini's' so I can see if anything is amiss.. got help me though, they are both half full... but I havnt noticed any ill...

I'll keep pushing at it though... for the team..
 
Extract:

The good news is they all match 304 18/8 stainless steel. I was concerned with some of the magnetic ones so payed additional attention to those. The results make me feel a little more comfortable now. I will attach some photos of the scan results of 3 kegs and a growler. All other unassociated products checked out well, so happy with these results.

Using a WiFi HD720p Endoscope camera, Ive looked at the weld quality inside several kegs and growlers, these all check out really well, the welds look clean, the spots you see are from toe handle spot welds these are normal weld marks no cause for concern with these.

XRF MRP Results.001.jpeg


5 ltr Endoscope.001.jpeg
 
Yeah, the vertical weld on mine is similar to Liam_snorkel, only probably a bit worse.
 
My 6 kegs have those same spot weld marks where the handles are attached
BUT then again those same dark spots are in all 4 of my Aginox oil drum fermenters where the handles are attached and they don't give me any trouble
 
Mine have fairly similar looking welds too, I did spot a couple of dents on the inside of the metal but hard to tell if there's an issue at the moment. Few other minor spots too but my cornies get these too.

90 minutes in hot perc solution, it lightly bubbled the WHOLE time but the solution came out of the kegs as clear as it went in.
 
damoninja said:
Mine have fairly similar looking welds too, I did spot a couple of dents on the inside of the metal but hard to tell if there's an issue at the moment. Few other minor spots too but my cornies get these too.

90 minutes in hot perc solution, it lightly bubbled the WHOLE time but the solution came out of the kegs as clear as it went in.
I don't have any emptys at the moment, have had the rust/metallic odour/flavor and used EDTA, within 1/2hr the odd flavour has gone and the beer is ok. Will have to see if the EDTA treated kegs stay clear, in any case have an EDTA solution ready for rinsing any suspect or all kegs.
 

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