Beer Stone Removal

by Bruce Brazil

A while back, Charlie had me look up an article by Micah Millspaw in BREWING TECHNIQUES about the care and cleaning of stainless steel. Charlie was interested in beer stone removal. I found the article and reread it, as my brewing kegs were also getting a build-up of beer stone.

Beer stone or calcium oxylate is the light brown film that accumulates in the bottom of the brewing kegs. I had it in both my mash keg and boiling keg. The information that I read recommended using an acid to remove the film. Micah recommended soaking the keg in a solution of 1.2-2.0 pH phosphoric acid at a temperature of 120-130 F. for 2-6 hours and then using a plastic abrasive to remove the build up.

I don't keep phosphoric acid around and it's not something that you can pick up at your local 7-11. I found something that works well and is in most kitchens, vinegar!

Pour enough vinegar into the keg to cover the deposits and leave it there over night. It can be easily wiped off. Any cheap vinegar should work. Be sure to clean the keg out well unless you are planning on making a Berliner Weiss.

Keep it clean!