How do you clean scorched wort off stainless steel?

Question

scortching

Kettles, mash tuns, infants, etc

Was this scorch in a direct fired mash tun? I am planning on building one and want to avoid this scenario. — brewchez, Mar 17 '10 at 11:35
Yep, the wort under my screen got way too hot because my pick-up melted. See my blog: http://midnighthourbrewery.blogspot.com/2010/02/domestic-something-else.html — Dean Brundage, Mar 17 '10 at 13:54
I tasted the beer, a pre-Prohibition lager, last week. I detected no hints of the scorching in aroma, appearance or flavor. Classic American pilsner is not a style that hides flaws and I am happy the burn did not come through. — Dean Brundage, Mar 17 '10 at 20:29
@Dean-Manage to make any headway on the scorch? I'm sure if barkeeper's didn't work, then the oven cleaner would :) — Room3, Mar 18 '10 at 13:02
I hope you post an update when you finally get the thing cleaned up. — brewchez, Mar 18 '10 at 13:07
I tasted the beer, a pre-Prohibition lager, last week. I detected no hints of the scorching in aroma, appearance or flavor. Classic American pilsner is not a style that hides flaws and I am happy the burn did not come through. — Dean Brundage, Mar 28 '10 at 03:59

Room3 · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-18T13:03:46.100

6

If it's on stainless steel Bar Keepers Friend will clean off just about anything. I use this on my ss pots and pans and it works great (I try not to use it on mirror finished surfaces though).

You can find it at Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, the grocery store, just about anywhere.

EDIT: I also believe that Bar Keepers Friend is a glass cooktop cleaner, so it can def cut through some scorched on food/sauce/liquid.

edited Mar 18 '10 at 13:03

answered Mar 15 '10 at 15:51

Room3

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This may have worked eventually. I left a paste of BKF on the burn for a few hours and a little came off. – Dean Brundage Mar 28 '10 at 01:11

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 16 '10 at 18:09

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It's toxic as heck, but standard oven cleaner is your last stop. My progression would be:

One-Step/PBW
Barkeeper's Friend
Oven Cleaner (which you can thankfully use outside if it's not on your oven)

answered Mar 16 '10 at 18:09

Rich Armstrong

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Didn't try oven cleaner. – Dean Brundage Mar 28 '10 at 01:12

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 17 '10 at 13:56

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I think an angle grinder with an abrasive pad will do the trick. That method is somewhere between Barkeeper's Friend and oven cleaner.

answered Mar 17 '10 at 13:56

Dean Brundage

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The bottom of my tun is nice & shiney now. – Dean Brundage Mar 28 '10 at 01:14
Power tools + brewing.... nice. – Rich Armstrong Apr 05 '10 at 13:20

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 15 '10 at 17:00

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I use PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) and that gets everything off that I've ever used it for including scorching.

answered Mar 15 '10 at 17:00

Darknova306

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Tried this one today without success. – Dean Brundage Mar 16 '10 at 02:59
Did you use hot water to mix with the PBW and let it soak overnight? That's always worked for me. Then you use a gentle scrub brush and everything comes off nicely. – Darknova306 Mar 16 '10 at 10:24
I used hot water and a four hour soak. A tiny bit came off. Even with hard scrubbing the burns didn't loosen their grip. – Dean Brundage Mar 16 '10 at 12:53

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 16 '10 at 16:15

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Try vinegar and baking soda. It works for pots and pans.

answered Mar 16 '10 at 16:15

Homebrew Holli

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This did not work either. – Dean Brundage Mar 17 '10 at 20:25

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 17 '10 at 11:34

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I'd try using the PBW as a scouring agent itself. Soak the pot with warm PBW for twenty minutes. Empty the kettle. Sprikle in some fresh PBW without adding additional water, and scrub with a green pad.

answered Mar 17 '10 at 11:34

brewchez

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A good soak with PBW did not work. – Dean Brundage Mar 28 '10 at 01:13

How do you clean scorched wort off stainless steel?

6 Answers6