burnt rye flour to the bottom of my copper still

[firsttimer]

Unfortunately, upon cleaning my alembic pot still with rye flour and water (following the recipe of the vendor), it started to smell bad and upon cooling and checking the pot, the flour layer had sunk to the bottom and burnt. Badly. I only had it on the heat for 5mins, brought to the boil and kept there, so what gives?

Perhaps the still is not robust enough for my gas burner, which admittedly does crank out a lot of heat..

All parts of the still stink of burnt mess, even after dousing wotu vinegar then warm water. It’s like the smell
will never leave.

Any ideas on how to remove the blackened mess, and how to get the still back to something worthy of the ferment waiting?

Thanks for reading!

[CopperFiend]

If you can get your arm in, I'd recommend a good wire brushing and then either scotchbrite or sandpaper depending on what you have until the black stuff is gone. Then mix a 50:50 vinegar to water mix and run that through your still without the water to the condenser on, let the steam hit everything. Then run a little alcohol through it in the same way.

[Setsumi]

First time i hear of rye flour and water to clean a still. Protcol on HD is vinegar and a sacrificial ethonol run. Rye flour or any other flour to seal joints. Cleaning a scorched still takes alot of elbow grease. Good luck.

[CopperFiend]

Yeah, the rye flour clean thing is very random. Do you have the instructions to show?

[WhiskeyRebellion]

to clean the bottom of my pot after a scorch i heated a mix of 50/50 white vinegar and water in the pot, then dumped it out nd immediately put baking soda in it. the baking soda started to fizz and I scrubbed it with a scotch pad. the scorch marks came right up.

[Jstroke]

Glad it all worked out. Pretty slick using the chemical reaction

[still_stirrin]

Unfortunately, upon cleaning my alembic pot still with rye flour and water (following the recipe of the vendor), it started to smell bad and upon cooling and checking the pot, the flour layer had sunk to the bottom and burnt. Badly. I only had it on the heat for 5mins, brought to the boil and kept there, so what gives?

Perhaps the still is not robust enough for my gas burner, which admittedly does crank out a lot of heat..

All parts of the still stink of burnt mess, even after dousing wotu vinegar then warm water. It’s like the smell
will never leave.

Any ideas on how to remove the blackened mess, and how to get the still back to something worthy of the ferment waiting?

If you watch the “comedy show” on the Discovery channel, those yahoos often use rye flour and water to make a paste … to glue leaks shut on their still! The paste will harden into a cement-like crust nearly impossible to chip off. That’s what you’re using in your alembic? Brilliant!

An “organic scorch”, the kind you get from rye flour and water burned to the bottom of your copper pot can be cleaned with sodium hydroxide (lye). But, be careful as it is very caustic and will burn your skin badly. The solution will break down the organic material so you can rinse it out. Sodium hydroxide is the active ingredient in drain cleaner. And it works best at hot water temperatures. But always handle with care.
ss

[TwoSheds]

I wouldn't use a wire brush on copper unless the brush was also copper. A steel brush would be too rough.

I would consider PBW or OxyClean (unscented) as they seem to have a good ability to break up stuff like this.

My alembic from copper-alembic.com also had the rye cleaning method:

https://www.copper-alembic.com/en/page/ ... aintenance

I'm not sure the logic here, but I did a vinegar/sacrificial run myself.

And maybe consider a burner plate between your still and burner?

[jonnys_spirit]

The rye treatment is an historical protocol to seal any seams that were perhaps only riveted. I didn't use it on my alembic because it seals well without it. I do use a roll of evoo infused flour dough around the onion head and rotating split top column joints.

Cheers!
-j

[TwoSheds]

I do use a roll of evoo infused flour dough around the onion head and rotating split top column joints.

Why the olive oil? And have you ever considered adding a little salt to so you have a nice snack afterward? (Yes, I am seriously considering this...)

[still_stirrin]

I wouldn't use a wire brush on copper unless the brush was also copper. A steel brush would be too rough. <— Good info.

I would consider PBW —> https://fivestarchemicals.com/pbw-cleaner-1bs <— a non-caustic cleaner that works well.

or OxyClean (unscented) <— Hydrogen peroxide, a good cleaner but probably not strong enough to clean the baked on organic cake.

as they seem to have a good ability to break up stuff like this…

I’ve used caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and PBW to clean in the brewpub I used to brew at. The caustic did a fantastic job at cleaning otherwise impossible to clean organic matter. The PBW was safer to handle, but still could irritate your skin. Both chemicals work best at 150-180*F working temperatures tho, so handle with care.
ss

[jonnys_spirit]

I do use a roll of evoo infused flour dough around the onion head and rotating split top column joints.

Why the olive oil? And have you ever considered adding a little salt to so you have a nice snack afterward? (Yes, I am seriously considering this...)

It just makes a nice dough. I do salt it a little and it doesn't get as hard through the run so easy to clean up.

Cheers!
-j

[The Baker]

flour dough

Why the olive oil? And have you ever considered adding a little salt

Salt assists in developing the gluten in flour dough. Makes it stretchy if given some work.

Some olive oil makes it softer and more malleable. Easier to place where you want it, push it into place.

Geoff

[still_stirrin]

Hey, this thread is about cleaning a burned-on scorch, not how to make rye bread. Let’s help the OP by bringing it back on topic, OK?

[firsttimer]

I think I’d appreciate the rye bread recipe more if my garage and hair and clothes didn’t stink of burnt rye! Thanks guys, great info here.

I left it with a layer of vinegar to soak overnight and a lot has come off this morning. I’ll be trying a wee bit of sandpaper and some pbw as well.

For anyone interested, the rye flour cleaning instructions I followed were here: https://www.alembics.co.nz/how-to-guides/#look-after

I wonder if they don’t use gas so much, rather a gentle element and perhaps this wasn’t tested on a big gas burner at all.

Anyway, can only get better from here

[NZChris]

Assuming you bought it from them, you should contact them, tell them what happened and ask them for advice.

I've got a second hand one, probably originally bought from them. I've never used any of the advice they give on that page

[Stonecutter]

I think I’d appreciate the rye bread recipe more if my garage and hair and clothes didn’t stink of burnt rye! Thanks guys, great info here.

I left it with a layer of vinegar to soak overnight and a lot has come off this morning. I’ll be trying a wee bit of sandpaper and some pbw as well.

For anyone interested, the rye flour cleaning instructions I followed were here: https://www.alembics.co.nz/how-to-guides/#look-after

I wonder if they don’t use gas so much, rather a gentle element and perhaps this wasn’t tested on a big gas burner at all.

Anyway, can only get better from here

Holy Shit Man! That is some TERRIBLE advice! Ugh, that’s almost bad enough to be put on the banned supplier list . As far as cleaning goes you’ve got some great input already. I’d just +1 PBW or what SS suggested.
Great outlook it’ll get better as long as you come to this or any other trusted forum moving forward.

[firsttimer]

Haha yeah it was my gut instinct to trust what I'd read from (almost) everyone who's in the process, rather than the fancy website...hmmm

I contacted them, and was told simply 'it will come off' and to do a vinegar clean.

[cob]

I’ll be trying a wee bit of sandpaper and some pbw as well.

don't use sandpaper same reason as wire brush. use a wood or plastic scraper,

and give your soakings time it will soften.

These links to boiling rye flower cleaning methods need very strong warnings or deletion "What not to do!!!"

[Iulistoi]

Cover the burnt area with some water, dissolve some sodium hydroxide and let it soak for few days. It will clean effortlessly.

[Cherry]

My still came with instructions to clean with rye flour and water run. I asked about the rye flour and was told that was the traditional method in Portugal, and they've been making stills for over 100 years so I did it. The wet flour ended up on every surface in the still. A good rinse out and all good.