Metal beer

[Old Fart At Play]

I was going to brew today but now I'm gonna leave it until the weekend until I've got more time. I think the bottom part with the dump valve etc will be the hardest to clean. Might soak it in some purple stuff

Once I've cleaned it again I will brew my other recipe and if it happens again it must be the malt. I am starting to suspect the bottom tap bit as the culprit though at the moment. Not sure how I'm going to get inside it, apart from soaking it like I did last time.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on. Cheers

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Will do. Thank you.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Just watched the David Heath video on GF30. In it he specifically says that you must clean thoroughly before first use to avoid metallic taste. I know you cleaned it, but perhaps it needed a super-super-clean?

Seems like too much of a coincidence to ignore.

Which one did you watch please? I've just watched one to try and find where he says about metallic taste but the one I watched doesn't have it, unless I missed it?

 

[Twostage]

I feel the pain.

I'd have a taste of the malt to be on the safe side.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thanks TwoStage. It certainly is very disappointing after all the effort and money spent.

Probably something I did though (or knackered malt) so I'll try again.

 

[Clint]

If your malt was in sealed bags it should be fine.
I've never had the metallic issue but once thought a fermenting brew was off but it was the "burning,acrid" blast of Co2 I got a nose full of when smelling it!
I'm also thinking that I doubt you failed to clean your kit properly as you're not a novice brewer or someone that would not take time on the finer points.
Tell you what....you and your chap get yourselves down to Brew York Sunday at about 12 I'll get you a beer to cheer you up!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Aw thanks Clint you're lovely!

I will ask Jim if he wants to go but he'll probably refuse as he hates socialising and is terrified of it, especially if he doesn't know the people.

I'll let you know. If we do come I'll have my hair like my profile picture so you know it's me - I'm the one with the fat ass

 

[Clint]

Ok no worries. I'll be with the bloke who is 6'6"...

 

[MashBag]

You are tasting the mild steel so the chromium coating has broken down somewhere. Check it out and see if there are any poor welds or pit marks. If nothing looks untoward you will just need to passivate the vessel. The acid and air will fix it.

Yup. Passivation and I reckon neither of those cleaners properly got rid on the engineering oils.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Damn it. It worked ok on the G40 though. Going to pre-clean it now and then again later.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I think it's my fault guys. Just opened it to clean it and the krausen line is black and smells of metal. I'll be dumping this beer for sure. Is that mould too?

To save anyone else having this problem make sure you clean it half a dozen times!

This won't be happening to me again!!! Never had this problem with the other stainless steel fermenter I have.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

This is utterly embarrassing and ridiculous but I never thought anything like this would happen. It's had the same clean as all my other stuff gets. Lesson definitely learned!

Hopefully my mistake will help someone.

 

[JockyBrewer]

I've had the same thing when I got my first Grainfather conical a few years ago.

It's swarf (tiny metal shavings) and oil left over from the manufacturing process. You get it on any bit of stainless steel equipment when new - fermenters, kegs, all in ones etc. I assume PBW isn't very good with breaking down oil, it's better working on protein/starch/sugar type materials you get from brewing.

I didn't keep that conical, but when I got another one last year the cheapest option I found was to first clean with good old washing up liquid. Squirt lots of it on and give it a good rub with a damp sponge, rinse it off... and then do it again. Then wash with PBW.

Despite that after several uses of the fermenter I still get a little bit of the grey muck at the top of the krausen line, but no metallic taste.

Supposedly the best option is to use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP). You can buy it for a few quid on ebay and I think around 5-10g/l of water will do the business. I've not used it myself, but I'm going to get some to clean my fermenter anyway.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thank you so much JB, will do exactly that.

The thought of washing-up liquid actually ran through my head, but I talked myself out of it lol. My dad used to call it grease killer

Would you use the soft side of the sponge or the rougher side? I have white ones which aren't as scratchy, but I wouldn't use the green coarser ones.

How do I get inside the tap bit properly?

 

[Rwilts]

This is utterly embarrassing and ridiculous but I never thought anything like this would happen. It's had the same clean as all my other stuff gets. Lesson definitely learned!

Hopefully my mistake will help someone.

Great lesson for everyone, wouldn't be embarrassed though, you took your normal tested steps to prep

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thanks Rwilts, that makes me feel better.

 

[MashBag]

Caustic TFR will sort it.
Rinse and then a citric acid soak.

Is you are still unsure boil after that, and make your usual cuppa with it...and taste/drink it.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

Which one did you watch please? I've just watched one to try and find where he says about metallic taste but the one I watched doesn't have it, unless I missed it?

It was the one where he compares it with the SS Brewtech fermenter. Fairly early on, maybe about a minute in, soon after the amazement at the number of parts to the brewtech!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thank you.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

I think it's my fault guys. Just opened it to clean it and the krausen line is black and smells of metal. I'll be dumping this beer for sure. Is that mould too?

To save anyone else having this problem make sure you clean it half a dozen times!

This won't be happening to me again!!! Never had this problem with the other stainless steel fermenter I have.

View attachment 92474View attachment 92475

ah! Worth knowing. Ta