cleaning copper pipe

red123 · Sep 22, 2010

Let me start by saying I'm a rookie at this stuff, but I'm having a blast brewing my own beer! I'm in the process of building a mash tun, and I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions on the proper way to initially clean copper before the first mash?

Sorry if this has already been covered!

GilaMinumBeer · Sep 22, 2010

Clean how/what?

For general sanitation and alkaline wash is best. PBW or Oxyclean Free are the most popular.

For oxidation (blackening) you gotta go with some acid. Acetic is best but a hot solution of distilled white vinegar gets you there (because of the aecetic acid content).

BioBrew · Jan 20, 2012

I just built a mash tun out of an igloo and copper tube. For the cleaning and sanitation, would soaking it in my no rinse solution be ok, or perhaps simply boiling it in some water before mashing?

diS · Jan 20, 2012

For copper, acid is the way to start.

Chrisl77 · Jan 20, 2012

If you soldered it run hot water through it to remove any flux residue.

Jdaught · Jan 20, 2012

I use vinegar. No problems so far.

JRems · Jan 21, 2012

A 20 min bath in star San will get it clean and shiny.

weirdboy · Jan 21, 2012

BioBrew said:
I just built a mash tun out of an igloo and copper tube. For the cleaning and sanitation, would soaking it in my no rinse solution be ok, or perhaps simply boiling it in some water before mashing?

You mean first-use cleaning and sanitation, or cleaning/sanitation for every brew?

After I mash in mine, I just rinse my cooler out and scrub it a bit with a sponge to get any stuck bits of grain or wort, and then do a quick final rinse. There is no need to sanitize your mash tun.

Yambor44 · Jan 28, 2012

Jdaught said:
I use vinegar. No problems so far.

I am wanting to soak my copper IC in a 5 gallon bucket with vinegar. What ratio do you use?

BargainFittings · Jan 28, 2012

Here is a good reference for cleaning and sanitation.

How to brew by John Palmer
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter2-2.html

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter2-2-1.html

cleaning copper pipe

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