Right?! I switched to carbon steel last year and it's a total night and day difference for getting that crust.

My old boss in Kentucky would have fired me on the spot for using baling twine like that. It stretches and can cause a worse problem. I always keep a roll of vet wrap in my truck now.

Yeah, just let it ride and hope for the best. That's how you end up with a batch that smells like wet socks and tastes like a barn floor. Funky is one thing, but a full on infection can turn your whole brew into vinegar or worse. I'd rather dump it than waste months waiting on a gamble.

Remember that time Thomas.Tyler said a clean number was a gift? My moment was $6,942.00, which was not a gift.

Man, that's the worst. It feels like everything built before 1950 has these secret, crumbling problems waiting to ambush you. Your camera and rod trick is smart. I've seen guys use a shop vac with a long hose to suck out loose debris from small voids first, then pack in a wet mortar mix with a funnel and tube.