Metallic and bitter taste - SS Brew Bucket, Star San and oxydation

[SpeedYellow]

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I know you mentioned oxyclean, starsan, and but as someone else mentioned, TSP sounds like what is really needed to clean it initially.
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No no no!!! Barkeepers Friend needs to be used initially, and SS Brewtech really should revise those instructions. (and the powder version, not that lame liquid). This seems to be one of those cases where chemical cleaning simply isn't sufficient. I'd be willing to bet that you could still wipe off some nasty black stuff after an initial TSP soak. Wiping out with BKF takes what, 1 minute? So simple.

Honestly, there's just no reason to ever waste the water and chemicals to fill this up for cleaning. BKF the first time, then just a sponge and soap ever after. Quicker, easier, cheaper, and more "green."

 

[normonster]

My two were clean upon receipt. Sanitized and put into use immediately.

 

[PGEduardo]

Please taste the wort/beer at each step.

Does the unfermented wort taste bitter/harsh?

Does the fermented beer in the fermentor taste bitter/harsh?

Does the non-carbonated beer from the keg (just after kegging) taste bitter/harsh?

Does the full-carbonated beer taste bitter/harsh?

Once you go through all these people will be able to focus on your problem...

 

[jlash630]

To revive an old thread, I was tasting my Hefe during fermentation (in a new brewbucket) and it was fine. As soon as I racked to a keg I saw the black karusen line and after carbing I get a strong metallic flavor. When I did the initial clean on the bucket, I did a strong one wash and starsan.. after cleaning up from fermentation I noticed some grey still on the towell. I went and bought some TSP and did two washes and the strong starsan passivation last night. I'm not getting anyore grey on the towell.. is the metallic taste a direct result of the machine oil and in passivated stainless? I have this beer carbed pretty high since it's a German style Hefe.. I read it could also be caused by the carbonic acid..

 

[grassfeeder]

To revive an old thread, I was tasting my Hefe during fermentation (in a new brewbucket) and it was fine. As soon as I racked to a keg I saw the black karusen line and after carbing I get a strong metallic flavor. When I did the initial clean on the bucket, I did a strong one wash and starsan.. after cleaning up from fermentation I noticed some grey still on the towell. I went and bought some TSP and did two washes and the strong starsan passivation last night. I'm not getting anyore grey on the towell.. is the metallic taste a direct result of the machine oil and in passivated stainless? I have this beer carbed pretty high since it's a German style Hefe.. I read it could also be caused by the carbonic acid..

I believe its from lack of adequate cleaning initially. some of these nice shiny things we get are dirty as hell even when they "look" clean.

 

[RPh_Guy]

The black color and metallic taste are from the stainless not being clean. It is really difficult to get it clean initially.

The good news is that it tends to be fine after the first batch that goes through it.

starsan passivation

FYI Star San does not passivate.

 

[jlash630]

Then what is the reasoning for the 1oz to 1 gallon starsan step for? And yeah, it was definitely cleaner the second batch..

 

[RPh_Guy]

Then what is the reasoning for the 1oz to 1 gallon starsan step for?

It may be helpful for cleaning. Acids are rather good at removing inorganic residue.

I don't know why there's no much misinformation about passivation on the web. It's very simple: only citric acid and nitric acid are known to passivate.