Holy S**t! Bar Keepers Friend

[IDMaynard]

I haven't found a solution for beerstone yet. Beerstone remover doesn't work. LLC doesn't work. Star San doesn't work. Citric acid certainly doesn't work.

Here is a great article for beerstone, you will still have to scrub, but it works, I have used it to remove it from the chiller coils on my Spike Conical Fermentors.
https://www.birkocorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Birko_Removing_Beerstone_Article.pdf

 

[cubalz]

What took you so long? BKF has been a staple in my brew room for as long as I can remember. My Spike kettles have seen more action over the years than a $5 whore on nickel night and they still look new on the inside thanks to BKF.

 

[CleanEmUpIves]

Maybe charge 10 cents more and actually include a damn lid for the can!

Reminds me of the old can of Comet cleaner. I thinks it's even cheaper... like $0.98...

 

[CleanEmUpIves]

What took you so long? BKF has been a staple in my brew room for as long as I can remember. My Spike kettles have seen more action over the years than a $5 whore on nickel night and they still look new on the inside thanks to BKF.

Asked myself the same thing. Guess you don't know till ya try!

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Reminds me of the old can of Comet cleaner. I thinks it's even cheaper... like $0.98...

Don't use the bleach variety on stainless steel. You can use the non-bleach one.

 

[CleanEmUpIves]

Don't use the bleach variety on stainless steel. You can use the non-bleach one.

Mostly I just plain don't use it.

 

[sibelman]

I haven't found a solution for beerstone yet. Beerstone remover doesn't work. LLC doesn't work. Star San doesn't work. Citric acid certainly doesn't work.

I'm sorry my suggestion was an epic failure for you. Citric acid sure works wonders on the "stone" that accumulates on the element in my electric kettle, which PBW doesn't get. But my water is quite low in minerals, so maybe I don't experience true beer stone.

 

[wepeeler]

I'm sorry my suggestion was an epic failure for you. Citric acid sure works wonders on the "stone" that accumulates on the element in my electric kettle, which PBW doesn't get. But my water is quite low in minerals, so maybe I don't experience true beer stone.

I appreciate the help! I might try a higher concentration, since I have a bunch leftover. The stone on my coils is ridiculously stubborn, plus it's built up on spots that I cannot get to to scrub. Super annoying. And of course the company doesn't sell replacement coils. You have to buy the whole cooling system again. So dumb...

 

[sibelman]

fwiw, I see that one can buy oxalic acid on Ebay. I'd proceed with caution with that or nitric acid - both more hazardous to skin (and steel, I suppose) than citric.

 

[seatazzz]

BKF is the ONLY thing that gets rid of the brown gunk that accumulates in my BK, leaving a beautiful shiny surface. Started using it in my stainless steel kitchen sink, and am amazed at the results. Also works great to get stains off my really old formica countertops.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, it also brightens boat fittings

 

[bobtheUKbrewer2]

for UK viewers kettle stone is scale

 

[Dancy]

Maybe charge 10 cents more and actually include a damn lid for the can!

I use the liquid version with a snap cap. Consistency of Soft Soap Bleach.

 

[brrman]

Great for glass stovetops also. And on any copper cookware

 

[wepeeler]

So, figured I'd update this: 1oz Star San in 1 Gal water. I soaked my Beerstone coated SS coils for about 2 hours and most of it wiped right off without any scrubbing. There were a few stubborn spots that were hard to reach, so I let it soak overnight and that wiped right off as well. Magic!

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

So, figured I'd update this: 1oz Star San in 1 Gal water. I soaked my Beerstone coated SS coils for about 2 hours and most of it wiped right off without any scrubbing. There were a few stubborn spots that were hard to reach, so I let it soak overnight and that wiped right off as well. Magic!

Oxalic acid (an ingredient in BarKeeper's friend) works really well for beer stone. Fairly cheap too.

 

[wepeeler]

Oxalic acid (an ingredient in BarKeeper's friend) works really well for beer stone. Fairly cheap too.

I had zero luck with it. That's why I posted that Star San works like magic.

 

[DuncB]

Does magic really work or is it an illusion ?

 

[wepeeler]

Does magic really work or is it an illusion ?

I believe. In Star San.

 

[IslandLizard]

Oxalic acid (an ingredient in BarKeeper's friend) works really well for beer stone. Fairly cheap too.

Sorry, that's not cheap in my book at $39.95 for 3 pounds ($13.32 / lb).
This offering is quite a bit cheaper at $22.80 and you'll get 5 pounds ($4.56 / lb).

 

[DuncB]

Sorry, that's not cheap in my book at $39.95 for 3 pounds ($13.32 / lb).
This offering is quite a bit cheaper at $22.80 and you'll get 5 pounds ($4.56 / lb).

also good for treating Verroa in bee hives

 

[sibelman]

not cheap

Even with some lumber and synthetic deck board cleaning tasks alongside brewery use, I'm still on my first can of BKF after more than 5 years, so it's not even a rounding error in my budget. But when it gets low I might go with @IslandLizard 's suggestion.

 

[IslandLizard]

But when it gets low I might go with @IslandLizard 's suggestion.

There's more in BKF than just Oxalic Acid, it contains a fine scouring powder too, such as in Comet.

BKF is fairly cheap too, and comes in larger cans.

Another thing...
Although Amazon is good for referencing products, it frequently does not have the best pricing. That "free shipping" can be quite deceiving, you really need to watch out, and be somewhat price-aware. When you've found a suitable product, do a general search on that item, then sort by price, low to high, to get the lay of the land.

 

[sibelman]

a fine scouring powder too

I wonder if it might be best to have both BKF (where scrubbing is truly needed) and straight oxalic acid for cleaning and brightening without abrasion.

 

[IslandLizard]

I wonder if it might be best to have both BKF (where scrubbing is truly needed) and straight oxalic acid for cleaning and brightening without abrasion.

You're onto something!

 

[sibelman]

You're onto something!

Pretty soon the chemical part of my brewing supplies may start to get as crowded as my spice cabinet!

 

[day_trippr]

Straight citric would do as much...

Cheers!

 

[sibelman]

Straight citric would do as much...

Cheers!

Got some of that. But would it clean deck boards as well as oxalic?

 

[day_trippr]

Lol! That I do not know

 

[DuncB]

Doesn't hypochlorite work on deck boards?