Is passivating a new conical necessary?

[Hanso]

I recently purchased a new stout conical and it comes with instructions saying to passivate prior to the first use. It actually has the word FIRST in caps. Equipment buffs, lend a hand. Are they just covering their butts here? Is it really critical? Could I do a good cleaning and normal sanitizer treatment and do the passivating step after the first use?

 

[dutchoven]

Probably not a bad idea, especially for the welds. A little Bar Keepers Friend and a blue or green scrubby should be fine.

 

[stevehaun]

If the conical is polished as shiney as the website pics show, I would not use a scrubby. I would do a hot citric acid soak.

 

[Hanso]

Yea it is super shiny inside, high quality. Good point about the welds, although those are also really good.

 

[stockstinks]

I recently purchased a new stout conical and it comes with instructions saying to passivate prior to the first use. It actually has the word FIRST in caps. Equipment buffs, lend a hand. Are they just covering their butts here? Is it really critical? Could I do a good cleaning and normal sanitizer treatment and do the passivating step after the first use?

I have the same conical.
I sure wish I read the directions. I cleaned mine really well with Dawn and then PBW.

My 15 gallons of beer tastes like metallic! Down the drain it went!!!

 

[IvanTheTerribrew]

Yeah most things fabricated should get a good cleaning before first use. The manufacturing company has the job of making it and have it look nice, not necessarily ready to go out of the box. When I got my SS brew bucket and cleaned it with BKF, seeing the color of the solution afterwards makes me really glad I did it.


- ISM NRP

 

[daksin]

Most large conicals used in professional breweries need to be passivated first, but I wouldn't expect one made for homebrew use would need to be. You should definitely contact the manufacturer to find out first. If it needs to be passivated, they will provide you with the best way to do it.