Passivating Stainless

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

How often do you passivate your kettles, etc? I've only done my SS Brewtech kettle once and that's when I got it. I have read that it should be done at least once per year. Any thoughts?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

Have you read this, I only boil mine and use Star sans
https://beersmith.com/blog/2017/01/...e accomplished at,rinse any residual acid off.

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

Have you read this, I only boil mine and use Star sans
https://beersmith.com/blog/2017/01/09/passivating-stainless-steel-beer-brewing-equipment-to-prevent-corrosion/#:~:text=Passivation can be accomplished at,rinse any residual acid off.

1st read. Good information!

 

[Minbari]

Never have, never had an Issue.

Star San being stored in the fermentor seems to do it

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah I haven't done it in years.

 

[Semper Sitientem]

Ditto. Probably more important on a commercial level.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

You really don't need to passivate stainless steel unless you get it super hot (like, red hot), weld it, braze it or expose it to high levels of chlorine. A sure sign it needs to passivate is if it shows signs of rust. Normal cleaning routine is typically enough to passivate it on a regular basis. If it needs passivation or you are in doubt, citric acid works really well and scrubbing it with Bar Keeper's Friend works too. You can pick up citric acid anywhere canning supplies are sold.