Thanks! Another tip for mouldy bits etc. Paint directly with cheap bleach,wash or wipe away later/next day with multi surface wipes. One of my lazy hacks is to use the flash speed mop to clean the bathroom tiles...don't tell her though!
Metal beer
- Thread starter Tess Tickle's Brewery
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I wouldn't blame yourself too much, the manufacturers should be held into account as well. The process of finished products made of stainless steel is degreasing before any pickling or in this case passivating the unit. So they didn't passivate it either.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.
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The best thing to come out of this is to let others know not to be complacent and take things for granted when buying stainless SVBs and fermenters.
If you passivate it yourself let it air dry first. Don't rinse off with tap water use rainwater.
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Told you it was the yeast.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.
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Hi Tess,
Sorry to hear that your first batch fermented in the GF 30 is spoilt.
I have a GF30 and really like it and have used it for over 50 brews without any problems.
I can't remember how I first cleaned it; I have been a long time VWP user for glass and plastic but bought Kegland Stellarclean PBW when I changed to stainless steel. I probably filled the GF30 with water >50 deg C and dissolved the appropriate amount Stellarclean in it, momentarily opened the bottom tap and dump valve to fill them with cleaner and left to stand for a while.
Thoroughly rinsing with water after draining, I also gently use kitchen scouring pad green or white to remove any stubborn deposits.
My current cleaning regime after use is to thoroughly rinse with cold water, scrubbing off stubborn yeast deposits from the surface line.
I then pump from my brewzilla approx 30 litres of water 50 - 60 deg C and dissolve in 150g of Sodium Percarbonate, fit the lid and airlock and just leave it until the next brew.
Brew day I drain the GF30, while the boil is in progress, thoroughly rinse with cold water, add the cooled wort and pitch the yeast.
Stick with it it is a great piece of kit.
Haydn
Sorry to hear that your first batch fermented in the GF 30 is spoilt.
I have a GF30 and really like it and have used it for over 50 brews without any problems.
I can't remember how I first cleaned it; I have been a long time VWP user for glass and plastic but bought Kegland Stellarclean PBW when I changed to stainless steel. I probably filled the GF30 with water >50 deg C and dissolved the appropriate amount Stellarclean in it, momentarily opened the bottom tap and dump valve to fill them with cleaner and left to stand for a while.
Thoroughly rinsing with water after draining, I also gently use kitchen scouring pad green or white to remove any stubborn deposits.
My current cleaning regime after use is to thoroughly rinse with cold water, scrubbing off stubborn yeast deposits from the surface line.
I then pump from my brewzilla approx 30 litres of water 50 - 60 deg C and dissolve in 150g of Sodium Percarbonate, fit the lid and airlock and just leave it until the next brew.
Brew day I drain the GF30, while the boil is in progress, thoroughly rinse with cold water, add the cooled wort and pitch the yeast.
Stick with it it is a great piece of kit.
Haydn
You would have thought that with amount that GF charge for them, that they would put them through an industrial cleaning process ! They should be fit for purpose straight out the box.
Rule of Thumb:
Always clean immediately before use.
Always clean immediately before use.
Agreed, but Tess did clean before use !!
If you buy a brand new product , it should only require a normal homebrew clean !
Hopefully it's ok now I've used the grease away. Seems to have done the trick, but we'll see on Saturday when I do my next one lol 
No criticism intended, Tess knows what she is doing, just bad luck.
I've had this happen to me twice with Grainfather fermenters. I've never seen this amount of crud come off of any other bit of homebrew stainless steel I've had, including fermenters.
I was planning on getting another one in due course, but it certainly is making me think twice now.
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The biggest problem is that stainless steel is a very generic term that covers many metal alloys. I have see stainless rust. Some stain some not. Price makes a difference. With knifes in its a big subject some alloys will sharpen well, others not so.
I wouldn't let that put you off. The crud cleans off. Use it a few times first and then see how you feel about it.
As I've said elsewhere, the tap annoys me, but I will give it a few more goes because the integral heating/cooling is unparalleled (I have the little GC2 glycol chiller). Anything else would cost me at least £500 to get to the same functionality and I'd have a fermenter with a messy cooling coil in it.
kenstel
Well-Known Member
I feel for you Tess, it must be annoying and frustrating wondering what had gone wrong, making you doubt yourself, as well as a waste of time and materials.
IMHO, its shoddy manufacturing. It is, after all, a product sold to the general public and unless described as needing specific preparation before use, you're entitled to believe that after a quick wash to remove dust etc, it's ready for use.
It's not as if it was being sold direct to a business that might reasonably be expected to have knowledge of potential problems and their own hygiene procedures.
If you buy a saucepan, (or a kitchen knife) , would you expect to have to degrease it and passivate? No. You'd unwrap it, give it a quick wash, put it on the cooker and chuck your spuds in. Anything less and it's not fit for purpose. Same with your GF. It wasn't described as needing special cleaning or preparation so you should simply be able to give it a quick wash and put it to use.
I'd complain to the maker or importer because something has obviously gone wrong in the factory.
Sadly, so much stuff is being subcontracted to China where the manufacturing standards can be very variable and the adherence to contractal requirements is sometimes 'discretionary' that these things happen, especially when the brand owner chooses to have things shipped to distributors rather back to their own offices for sampling inspection.
As I said, just shoddy. I suspect virtually every buyer would give it a simple wash and start brewing.
IMHO, its shoddy manufacturing. It is, after all, a product sold to the general public and unless described as needing specific preparation before use, you're entitled to believe that after a quick wash to remove dust etc, it's ready for use.
It's not as if it was being sold direct to a business that might reasonably be expected to have knowledge of potential problems and their own hygiene procedures.
If you buy a saucepan, (or a kitchen knife) , would you expect to have to degrease it and passivate? No. You'd unwrap it, give it a quick wash, put it on the cooker and chuck your spuds in. Anything less and it's not fit for purpose. Same with your GF. It wasn't described as needing special cleaning or preparation so you should simply be able to give it a quick wash and put it to use.
I'd complain to the maker or importer because something has obviously gone wrong in the factory.
Sadly, so much stuff is being subcontracted to China where the manufacturing standards can be very variable and the adherence to contractal requirements is sometimes 'discretionary' that these things happen, especially when the brand owner chooses to have things shipped to distributors rather back to their own offices for sampling inspection.
As I said, just shoddy. I suspect virtually every buyer would give it a simple wash and start brewing.
I agree they should make it known that more than a quick wash is needed.
The PBW clean that I did is not a quick wash I wouldn't say, when you count the soaking time and scrubbing. I have enough brewing experience to know when things are clean and sanitary enough. This product is a different ball game though. The oily stuff must've been super thick.
None of my kegs or the G40 had these issues so for that particular product it might be an idea for them to make the extent of the cleaning that's needed plainer.
Nevertheless I will keep going with it and I haven't fallen out with the product, just learned that things like this need more time and specialist products. It's all a learning curve and you never stop learning.
The PBW clean that I did is not a quick wash I wouldn't say, when you count the soaking time and scrubbing. I have enough brewing experience to know when things are clean and sanitary enough. This product is a different ball game though. The oily stuff must've been super thick.
None of my kegs or the G40 had these issues so for that particular product it might be an idea for them to make the extent of the cleaning that's needed plainer.
Nevertheless I will keep going with it and I haven't fallen out with the product, just learned that things like this need more time and specialist products. It's all a learning curve and you never stop learning.
