Unexpected Krausen Reaction to Stainless Brew Bucket, Infected? Any thoughts?

[hunter306]

Hey Guys,

First time brewing into my Stainless Brew Bucket and I had a kinda odd reaction that I wanted feedback on. The Brew Bucket was rinsed thoroughly with one-step, then sanitized with Star San solution for about 30 minutes prior to pitching.

Fermentation took 10 days (initial) and then I dry hopped for 7 days. When I pulled open the ferm tonight, I had weird black corrosion on under the normal looking Krausen on the lid and very edges of the upper wall (Where I assume the krausen likely dried a bit). Any thoughts? After scrubbing with PBW and vinyl brush (vigorous cleaning), it looks like my Vessle still has a black/grayish discoloration where the issue was. Did I fail to properly passivate the steel? Did I have something else going on?

Full disclosure, I split a 10gal batch into two ferms. This SS Brew Bucket, and a glass big-mouth bubbler. I had no black in the big-mouth at all, which was cleaned and sanitized the same time/same way as the stainless.

No furry bits on the wort or krausen to indicate mold, no other weird flavors in the beer that I can tell (drank a bit uncarbed, I'm still alive).

Take a look and give me your thoughts. It's carbing now, but I'm still baffled. This is my first time using a SS fermenter.

WORT/BEER When I Opened:

After cleaning and scrubbing with PBW, Black/Gray Corrosion:

 

[IL1kebeer]

Doesn't look infected at all.

Not sure what's up with the stuff happening to the steel though.

 

[RoughandReadyRanch]

Looks good to me

 

[aslander]

Yeah I don't think that's an infection at all. Whatever it is, I have no clue.

 

[Hello]

The little dots look like what I get on my SS pots and pans. Something about calcium. But I am unsure. I do believe you don't have an infection, if that helps. Have you e-mailed the manufacturer of the bucket to ask if that is normal?

 

[hunter306]

We do have very hard water which I don't spend too much effort adjusting.

As long as the beer is fine, I can live with discolored steel on the lid. I may have another pass at it wit a vinyl scrub pad and then re-passivate the whole thing.

Interesting that it only happened after I dry hopped (didn't notice it before). I wonder if the layer of air sitting in the top after I removed the lid for hops caused the reaction.

 

[Hello]

Maybe. I would try and ask the manufacturer though. Also, barkeeper's friend is my good friend.

 

[eastoak]

i saw the same black stain in my stainless brew bucket after the first fermentation. whatever the reaction between the krausen and the steel it seems to have faded now.

 

[DSorenson]

I think you might be looking at how beer stone forms. No problems there. Send some to me so I can test it for poison...

 

[hunter306]

Just wanted to follow-up and say the beer turned out great. Thanks for all the input.

Carbed up for a week at 12psi and it's excellent.

 

[JackRussel]

It's probably tooling oil or polishing compound. You should also passivate with Starsan. Look at the cleaning and care section on their website http://www.ssbrewtech.com/products/brewbucket