Haze in carboy

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

Got some haze in a couple of my carboys. When the carboys dry after soaking, I can see brush marks in the haze in spots.
Anyone think it should be of concern? My beers are turning out fine, but it’s annoying knowing it’s there and perhaps it is doing something to the beer that I don’t know.

I’m planning to give one of my 5 gallon carboys to my dad for a secondary for bigger beers. So I’m contemplating getting another 6 gallon carboy for my 4 gallon batches or getting some kind of stainless steel vessel to ferment in, maybe another used keg (if I could find one).

2

I’ve seen that, too, but IIRC it goes away with a good soaking.

What are you using to clean them?  Maybe you need to change up every now and then.

With my Better Bottles, I can sometimes see wipe marks on the inside (I clean them with a rag, not a brush) when they are damp.  When dry, that goes away.  Kind of like when a window steams up and you can see streaks from the Windex.

3

I use a homemade mix of PBW (70% oxiclean, 30% TSP90) to soak them for a day after racking to a keg, then siphon out and rinse well with one of those bottle blaster deals.

4

This happens when I clean with hot chiller water but rinse with the hose outside instead of in the bathtub. I find a quick rinse with starsan helps get rid of it.

5

A quick rinse in starsan solution doesn’t work, it just comes back after it dries. I may try an extended soak.

6

Do you rinse with hot water or cold?

7

I rinse with hot water.

8

I usually soak my carboys in a bleach solution when i have any sort of issue. they always come out spotless.

9

You might try acid 5 from star San and soak over night. I had that problem once and the acid 5 cleared it right up.

10

Thanks, Keith. I can give that try. I think I’m going to make the transition to fermenting in kegs. I should get my carboys spotless though probably if I want to sell them.

11

Not necessary, IME.  Sold mine as-is and could have sold more.  I had six, IIRC, some with a bit of dust on them.

12

+1… I just sold 7 carboys. I gave them a quick cleaning but also recommended that the new owners clean to their standards.

-1… A dirty carboy may give the buyer a bit more leverage in negotiations.

13

Could, but I had more people that wanted them than carboys available.

If they had crust or something, I’d say clean them.  But if it’s just a haze I would assume the new owners are going to soak them regardless.

It’s like getting used un-reconditioned kegs.  You know you’ve got to soak them.

14

I may not worry about it then. Like I said before, the haze has been there are while on most of my carboys, but all the beers are turning out fine. I doubt it affects anything. It’s just there and bothers me.

15

You could do a soak with diluted white vinegar.  That’s how I clean the scale in my coffee maker.

Or just let them be and make it someone elses problem.

16

I was gifted three nasty carboys and after cleaning them, they still had some kind of haze. After I soaked them in Starsan for a few days, they looked brand new.  Soaking doesnt really take any effort, so I would try it.  If you dont want to use taht you can try vinegar.

17

Righteous. Nice avatar, by the way. That was one of my favorite albums as a kid.

18

Thanks. Was one of mine favorites too. I actually made it for a label for the beer I brewed for the birth of our daughter. Not too many people knew it. Some thought it was actually her. Beer Birth??:o
Good luck. The haze would bother me too.

19

I always noticed a haze, so to speak, on the inside of my kegs when letting Oxiclean stand in them too long.  I can’t say there was taste or flavor problem.  I just didn’t like it.  So, when cleaning my kegs with it still, I never let it sit for any appreciable time.