Stains/corrosion on SS Brewbucket

[foles]

Hi, a while back I left my brewbucket out in the rain with water almost to the top. Lid was on, airlock hole open and lid not secured. I returned to find widespread stains/corrosion on the inside of the lid and the walls of the bucket above the water surface. Photo attached. It wont come off with sodium percarb, starsan, etc.

I clean and sanitise it as usual, but lately I have a strange masking off flavour I cannot identify which roughly correlates with when this happened (but I cannot be sure). I dont have another fermenter handy, but will ferment in a corny to see if I can eliminate the issue.

Can someone identify the corrosion, and if it can be repaired/removed. Also, can it harbour nasties despite cleaning and sanitation over the top ?

Cheers

 

[LeeH]

Barkeepers friend will clean it off, use the powder on a damp microfibre cloth. Leave it it dry for a day with the residues still on the rinse off.

 

[brew703]

I have the exact same issue. I never worried about it. Not sure what causes it. Maybe cheaper grade stainless?
Anyway I'll give BKF a try this weekend.

 

[foles]

Barkeepers friend will clean it off, use the powder on a damp microfibre cloth. Leave it it dry for a day with the residues still on the rinse off.

Thanks will try that. Any thoughts on what it actually is though? And can it harbour bacteria?

 

[foles]

Furthermore, I'm wondering if my mash basket is rusting. It's always had brown welds but now they are not as shiny. I'm trying to pinpoint the source of the off flavour, perhaps this is it. Thoughts ?

 

[LeeH]

That is just heat from the welds that should have been cleaned up.

Again, use BKF but with a green scotch brite pad.

A stainless wire wheel or brush will also work.

 

[foles]

Yep the burn marks came right off with BKF. Also cleaned up the welds although still some bronze coloiring. I can't believe I had been letting that brown gunk leach into my mash. Also did a citric acid passivation to be sure.