Copper cleaners/polishers

[IBBrewin]

Please let me know your secrets for getting (and keeping) copper tanks cleaned and polished. What products are being used and how are they being applied?

Thanks,
Matt Mac

[brenhambrewery]

copper polish for brewhouse

Hey there,

The absolute best copper polish is not a store bought product.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket halfway with water, about 2 - 2.5 gallons. Add .25 to .3 litres of acid, lactic or phos. Do not use nitric, it will eat your copper up. Then add one litre thick yeast slurry.

With gloved hands, smear "yeast smegma" all over a small amount of copper surface, maybe a quarter of the copper dome, then rinse with water. Dont let it sit to long. Repeat if nec'y. Do this to all copper surfaces.

James Hudec
Brewmaster, the Brenham Brewery

[dick murton]

Hooray!! I didn't wany to answer this query with a similar response because of the safety risks if you are not careful. We used to use concentrated sulphuric acid and yeast ( I have never tried phosphoric or lactic, but I can't believe it doesn't work as well) - with far better results than any commercial cleaning materials, and a damned sight cheaper.

If you use conc sulphuric be very aware that adding it to yeast slurry, it needs care - it produces a lot of heat, so much it may spit (we didn't dilute it). Whatever you do don't do it the other way round. We used brushes to spread it on rather than gloved hands, but anything that spreads it evenly and is non metallic will do. The first time you use the copper of course it will turn a lovely rich hue.

I have heard of people using unhopped wort to act as a lacquer - but have never tried it. Apparently it works pretty well for a week and can then be washed off and re-treated with acid and wort .

The problem with any commercial lacquer / varnish is that eventually it flakes (especially if you spill caustic on it) and looks worse than slightly discoloured oxididised copper.

Have fun

[brenhambrewery]

spitting

Hey Guys,

About spitting, be careful to add the acid to the water, mix completly and then add the yeast.

James