Hard water, what removes this crap?

[yewtah-brewha]

I purchased a used ball lock corny keg for 20.00. The down fall was it needs a big azz cleaning. It has hard water on the lower 10 inches of wall and floor.

I soaked it in cipton for 24 hours and that did break up some of the lighter stuff up further , but the problem I explained above still exists, Should I strengthen the cipton and let it go for a week? what to do? Thanks

 

[GotPushrods]

I purchased a used ball lock corny keg for 20.00. The down fall was it needs a big azz cleaning. It has hard water on the lower 10 inches of wall and floor.

I soaked it in cipton for 24 hours and that did break up some of the lighter stuff up further , but the problem I explained above still exists, Should I strengthen the cipton and let it go for a week? what to do? Thanks

Are you sure it was just water in there? Could it be beer stone? Acid will work for either, but there are some different alternatives for beer stone.

A soak in Star-San would be a good start.

 

[TopherM]

The residual from hard water is lime scale. Lime is almost pure alkaline. Anything highly acidic will clean it up.

Soak in a strong solution of StarSan.
Soak in a strong solution of cider vinegar.
A bottle of LimeAway from Home Depot will make short work of it.

 

[lebucheron]

Clr?

 

[yewtah-brewha]

Are you sure it was just water in there? Could it be beer stone? Acid will work for either, but there are some different alternatives for beer stone.

A soak in Star-San would be a good start.

The guy did tell me that he was on a private well system and his water was very hard, so I am assuming its hard water. I'll probly try lime away it I cant get my Cipton to do the trick.

 

[casonso1]

I'd say try vinegar, i use it to get hard water deposits off stuff pretty often.

 

[Channel66]

I'd say try vinegar, i use it to get hard water deposits off stuff pretty often.

+1

Wouldn't use lime away seems silly to me

 

[yewtah-brewha]

I'd say try vinegar, i use it to get hard water deposits off stuff pretty often.

I will try the vinegar, what is the ratio you use? I was think ing 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water?

 

[GotPushrods]

I'm still curious why there is a higher probability it was water in the keg and not beer. If this is a thick layer of beer stone, you will be disappointed. You will need an oxidizing acid such as nitric acid to make much progress.

 

[helibrewer]

I think beer stone is more prevalent in boil kettles, I've never experienced it in a keg.

 

[GotPushrods]

I think beer stone is more prevalent in boil kettles, I've never experienced it in a keg.

Me either... I'm just envisioning a keg sitting in a field for 20 years with a few gallons of beer in it. I've never seen it but I believe it can precipitate anywhere given time. Hopefully it was just somebody soaking and forgetting, 20 bucks is a steal these days.

 

[yewtah-brewha]

I Soaked it overnight in cipton and that worked a little bit(removed 20%), today I sprayed some lime-away in there left for 5 minutes came back rinsed it and that has done the best job so far. (removed 50%). I am impressed with the lime-away. Im going to soak it for an hour or so. the hardest part is the sides where it curves. Im only using 1/3 cup of limeaway and I have to keep shakeing the keg every 5 minutes.