Cleaning craft beer kit fermenting vessel

[Classic Brewing Co]

6 minutes ago, Spursman said:

For the fv I fill water, add 1 cup unscented bleach. Stir in then add 1/2 cup white vinegar. Stir again. Leave for a few hours. Drain then rinse at least 3 times using garden hose to blast the interior and remembering to run some through the tap each time.

Works for me.

Mate if you are happy with that & you detect no off tastes in your beer that's up to you.

However I would only be repeating myself if I commented because it is just up this page that the topic was covered by other brewers & myself.

 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

18 minutes ago, Spursman said:

For the fv I fill water, add 1 cup unscented bleach. Stir in then add 1/2 cup white vinegar. Stir again. Leave for a few hours. Drain then rinse at least 3 times using garden hose to blast the interior and remembering to run some through the tap each time.

Works for me.

Just on this. For a normal clean I usually use 100% sodium percarbonate soak and clean. When I have doubts on a fermenter and want to be 100% sure I kill everything then I use the same method above. 30ml bleach and fill up the fermenter with water then drop the ph with 30ml white vinegar. From my research dropping the ph turns bleach into a super killer and will literally kill everything known to man. It can also kill humans especially if you mix bleach and vinegar undiluted. Chlorine gas gets produced like the Germans used on the western front in WW1. Even diluted make sure you do this method outside. It's super effective but dangerous if you don't do it properly. Just my 10 cents.

[Korbo]

On 10/4/2022 at 12:25 PM, stevo1957 said:

How do I get the ring off the fermenting vessel?

Have tried hot water and some mild dish soap but it won't budge. It's sticks like glue.

I don't understand why it is so hard, The Cooper's FV's are quite slippery and easy to rub the krausen ring off with my fingers as I rinse with cold water. Then soak in bleach on the day before next brew. 

On 10/4/2022 at 4:10 PM, jennyss said:

Hi @stevo1957,

I've got a Coopers fermenting vessel, with a lift off, not screw on lid. What has been working for me is rinsing the FV straight after emptying the sediment on the cactus, as @oldblokedoes. I've got a special sponge I don't use for anything else. I leave the FV to dry and pack away. Never had a problem with the krausen , or getting the sediment out.  Then I use White King bleach (unscented) to sanitise the FV and all the gear just before starting my next brew, and rinse like mad.

Exactly, usually the best methods are the ones that are recommended by the company that sells the product.

[Aussiekraut]

13 minutes ago, Korbo said:

I don't understand why it is so hard, The Cooper's FV's are quite slippery and easy to rub the krausen ring off with my fingers as I rinse with cold water. Then soak in bleach on the day before next brew. 

Exactly, usually the best methods are the ones that are recommended by the company that sells the product.

The best method is the one that requires the least effort for the best results and the least possible side effects. Coopers tries to make it as easy as possible, thus recommending using bleach as it is readily available without having to go out of your way. But Coopers also recommends fermenting their kits at temperatures up to 26-27C. That's a temperature range you do not want to ferment your beer. At least not if you want good beer. But since not everybody has the option to ferment in a temperature-controlled environment, they give you a range suitable for most people. There are many ways to Rome. Some faster, some more comfortable, some arrive in the glitzy district, others in houseo heaven. 

At the end of the day, it is up to the brewer how they do things but I know that my beers wouldn't be what they are today, had I not listened to the brewers here in the forum. 

[Oldbloke]

I'd the "high tide" mark is allowed to dry out it will set fairly hard.

The answer is to soak it for a few hours.  With nappy San or soapy water. White King is good too.

[jennyss]

Hi @stevo1957, I was smug as a bug earlier; never having had any trouble squirting the sediment out of my FV with a hose, then giving the FV a wipe. I've just bottled 23l of Coopers Draught. For the first time I had left the Krausen Kollar off, being sure the krausen wouldn't be very high. But... the ring of muck was dried good and hard! I had to give it a soak and then rub hard with a soft cloth. Next brew the Krausen Kollar is going back on!

[Classic Brewing Co]

51 minutes ago, jennyss said:

Hi @stevo1957, I was smug as a bug earlier; never having had any trouble squirting the sediment out of my FV with a hose, then giving the FV a wipe. I've just bottled 23l of Coopers Draught. For the first time I had left the Krausen Kollar off, being sure the krausen wouldn't be very high. But... the ring of muck was dried good and hard! I had to give it a soak and then rub hard with a soft cloth. Next brew the Krausen Kollar is going back on!

https://www.mckenziesfoods.com.au/bi-carb-soda/

Edited October 22, 2022 by Classic Brewing Co