Before using your equipment

 Stainless Steel Preparation and Cleaning Guide

First Time Cleaning

Pre-Clean: Prior to first-time use, thoroughly wash all surfaces of the vessel, including all valves and fittings, with Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) in hot water, mixed with the manufacturer’s recommendations.  Scrub with a soft terry cloth, and after the initial TSP wash, rinse thoroughly and dry all surfaces.

Passivation: It’s good practice to periodically passivate all stainless-steel equipment with an acid-based solution to establish a uniform passive oxide layer that will maximize corrosion resistance. Following the pre-clean step, fill the vessel with Star San at a concentration of 1 ounce per gallon at 70-80°F for 30 minutes. Moving forward, for best stainless performance, passivation should be performed at least once a year or anytime you believe you may have inadvertently scratched the surface.

Cleaning and Sanitizing: As part of a regular cleaning regimen both pre and post-fermentation, wash the Interior surfaces of your vessel with an alkali cleaner such as PBW at a ratio of 0.75 ounce per gallon. Then sanitize with Star San or another acid-based sanitizer per the manufacturer’s recommendations.