Cleaning scorch out of a converted keg

[pope]

I've done a lot of searching and haven't found anything that seems to address this unique problem, but I could always have overlooked something. I scorched my keg badly on a gas burner (loaded it with strained on-the-grain mash and let it sit overnight, a morning shake wasn't enough to get sediment off the bottom, apparently), and have been trying to get it clean. The baked-on crud is in a ring about 4" across, with a 4" diameter clean spot in the middle (my burner has no flame in the middle of the manifold). If I had to guess I'd say it's about 1/8" thick.

My two ports are 1.5" on the side near the bottom (for electric element), and the 2" standard opening at the top. My arms and the arms of my loved ones are all too big to fit in the small holes, so I've been soaking it with sodium hydroxide solution to break up the crud. But I still have to get at it somehow with some pressure to release it from the floor of the keg. I have a nylon-bristle carboy brush that isn't cutting it. I haven't tried a pressure washer yet (after thoroughly removing the NaOH solution, of course) but I don't really have access to one. Last resort is having a 4" triclamp 'manway' added to the side just so I can salvage the vessel.

Thoughts, or anecdotes from someone who's had a similar experience?

[rad14701]

Water and stones, lava rock, or stainless steel chain sloshed about usually works...

[goose eye]

It bein ss cook it out

So I'm tole

[NZChris]

Cut a hole in it large enough to fit an angle grinder through and fit a Tri Clamp and sightglass in the hole when you're done.

[frunobulax]

An overnight soak with PBW would probably do it. There is a recipe for home made PBW, which people say works great. It's a 7-3 ratio of Oxyclean-7. And TSP-3 (Trisodium Phosphate)
The trick with PBW is to get the solution to 150 degrees, and use it at about 1 tbsp per gallon of water.

[Fart Vader]

Water and stones, lava rock, or stainless steel chain sloshed about usually works...

What Rad said, then put the keg in the car and drive around with it for a couple days.

[Andy Capp]

Nothing cleans stainless better than stainless scrubbies. Wire a couple up on the end of a broom stick with a bit of detergent and elbow grease.

[hellbilly007]

If you're adamant about a pressure wash, but don't want to buy one take it to a car wash bay. I'd definitely sanitize it when you're done though.

[MichiganCornhusker]

It bein ss cook it out

+1
Been there, done that. Goose knows best.

[pope]

Cook it out... boiled with water or dry until it stops smoking?

The lye soak removed most of the gunk with a little encouragement from regular garden hose pressure and a nozzle. May try a few different things including a second soak, but I did get a stainless scrubby in there and used a piece of pipe to work it in circles for a while, getting close to clean.

[MichiganCornhusker]

Cook it out... boiled with water or dry until it stops smoking?

Fire, no water. It will cook right off the metal. Worked well for me.

[rubber duck]

it should just boil off, just put a gallon of water in and boil it. then scrape it with a coat hanger. anything left wont make a big difference unless you really made a mess. repeat it a couple of time if you need to.