After a run I rinse out everything & let it dry before putting it up, then a quick rinse before putting it back in service. While tearing down & rinsing yesterday, I noticed what looked like "half melted" solder about 2 inches up the column. Scratched a bit out with a straw & finished up. After rinsing, it was gone.
I checked the MSDS on my solder & its 415* + melting point. Which shouldnt matter since I have thrown way more heat to this than I currently am. I dont think it had anything to do with the short keg which got vinegar & alcohol cleaning runs plus quite a few rinses before putting anything in it. The stripping run before the one above, turned out great. Quick rinse & refilled for the second strip. The beer was on the "dirty" side but nothing worse than I have run before.
I left the straw out to look at again today & it seems like an oily funk that picked up some silver & copper coloring. I did get more than normal in the coffee filters but I figured it was the beer. Smells & tastes through out the run all seemed fine.
Maybe Im just overthinking or looking to hard at the small details.
It looks like it could be oils from the beer run. Or, it could be flux from an improperly cleaned joint...but I seriously doubt that. I actually think it is crud from your run. And a good place for the crud is anywhere but in your collection cup.
So, I’d say you’re doing things correctly. You don’t need more stuff to worry about.
ss
Remember those brown particles from your strip run? Those looked like oils from the grains.
That stuff on the straw is the same thing, it can look just like chrome on the inside of a column.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me...
still_stirrin wrote:It’s not solder. That’s for sure.
It looks like it could be oils from the beer run. Or, it could be flux from an improperly cleaned joint...but I seriously doubt that. I actually think it is crud from your run. And a good place for the crud is anywhere but in your collection cup.
So, I’d say you’re doing things correctly. You don’t need more stuff to worry about.
ss
I knew it wasnt solder since the temps werent close to melting point. Flux, I dont think thats possible with as much as Ive run through it and rinsed it. The very first vinegar run cheif'd for a solid 45 minutes before I thought about testing the condenser.
MichiganCornhusker wrote:Remember those brown particles from your strip run? Those looked like oils from the grains.
That stuff on the straw is the same thing, it can look just like chrome on the inside of a column.
It was silver/copper colored on the straw & counter top. Kind of pasty feeling, easy to smear.
After thinking about it more, I was probably just freaking out about nothing from being tired. I would have to look at my notes but it could easily be the buckets with fresh corn.
jog666 wrote:The beer was on the "dirty" side but nothing worse than I have run before.
You will get the "dirty" low wine (oil from the grains, some water/liquid from the wash/mash) by stripping hard and fast.. there is a narrow line between stripping speed (power usage) where you get dirty low wine and reasonably clean low wine.. so you may to strip a little slower and see the difference..
Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
jog666 wrote:The beer was on the "dirty" side but nothing worse than I have run before.
You will get the "dirty" low wine (oil from the grains, some water/liquid from the wash/mash) by stripping hard and fast.. there is a narrow line between stripping speed (power usage) where you get dirty low wine and reasonably clean low wine.. so you may to strip a little slower and see the difference..
Mars
The strip before this run was a bit slower but like I said before, I have run way harder & faster yet still come out good. I did notice on both strips, I didnt get any cloudy jars like one a couple weeks ago that was run fast. Maybe the yeast partied to hard the night before & shit all in the beer?
I’ve gotten this a few times around the base of the inside of my column on my pot still. It has always after running a batch of beer a local brewery didn’t finish when they weren’t happy with the SG of a test batch (meaning it didn’t get the hop addition or the wort boil).
