White stuff on my SS FV

[guypettigrew]

I'm now using a stainless steel fermenter. A definite improvement over the old plastic bucket.

After cleaning it out white powdery stuff appears on the inside when it dries out.

I can see it and feel it when I rub my fingers over it. It's very slightly gritty.

Before using the FV I wipe the white stuff off with damp kitchen towel then spray with Starsan.

Anyone know what this is. And is it a problem, please?

Thanks.

Guy

[lord groan]

I'd guess from your description either;
1. limescale - is your neck of the woods a very hard water area? If it is limescale it's not a problem as such, no health and safety issues in other words but such hard water might affect the final flavour of your beers. or
2. Residue of the cleaning agent, what do you use to clean the fermenter? If its this then I'd rinse a lot more before letting it dry,

[bevan100]

Hi i had the same problem on my new conical i have done 3 beers in it without a problem
cleaned the yeast off with just water and noticed the white powder when it dried on the last brew
it required a damp cloth and serious rubbing to remove it.
I assumed it was residue from that particular recipe.
steve

[guypettigrew]

Thanks for the replies.

Lord Groan;- The fermenter is cleaned off with cold water after use and no other cleaning agent. I try to dry it as best I can with kitchen towel, but can't get it completely dry.

Our water is moderately hard, but this problem doesn't happen with my stainless steel boiler, which I clean in exactly the same way.

bevan100--is your fermenter a SS Brewtech one?

My FV is a Brewtech 7 gallon Chronical, the boiler is a Buffalo.

Is this a peculiarity of the stainless steel used by Brewtech to make their fermenters?

Guy

[Coffeeuk]

I've just looked at my chronical and have the exact same white residue on the outside. It's not the hardness of the water, as it's super soft around here.

[Hanglow]

beer stone perhaps?
http://www.birkocorp.com/brewery/white- ... g-methods/

[bevan100]

Hi guy its a 7 gallon chronical i think all three of us purchased them in nov/dec 2014

[guypettigrew]

It would be good to know if other people with stainless steel fermenters have this same issue or if it's only with the SS Brewtech ones.

I'm going to give mine a good wipe round today with some sodium percarbonate solution in advance of a brewday tomorrow.

Guy

[SiHoltye]

Bet it's beerstone. I had the same, like an echo of where the fermenting beer was.

I found NipacB and now it's a thing of the past

[simple one]

Yes it's beerstone. You get it in the white buckets too, however you can't see it which makes removal hard, and you have to rely on touch to find it.

Problems arise when it gets too thick and creates nooks and crannies for bugs to escape certain sanitisers. My work round is to sanitise with a final soak of boiled water, bit over kill maybe, and doesn't break the beerstone off.
It can also make nucleation sites for yeast to multiply and cause a thin layer of yeast to stick to the sides of the FV. Which can be knocked off and add extra yeast in to solution when you least want it i.e. kegging bright (exactly the opposite of what you're trying to achieve with a conical).

It's hard to remove, I use one of those no scratch scrubbies or a fingernail! I believe the breweries use caustic (or was it paracetic) and they use it hot which is very dangerous, but very effective.

[Jocky]

I would imagine that soaking in a warm (50c) citric acid solution for 10 minutes will break it down to the point that it can be wiped off with a sponge.

[Doingatun]

I get beer stone all the time in my FV's and kegs, due to my mains water and treatment, never had until I started water treatment, never get it with Lagers only Ales. Shift it with Commercial Beer Stone Remove, it's a mix of acids