Beer Forum

Just scored this massive aluminum kettle for free but the previous owner seemed to have left most of last years turkey in the damb thing. First thing that came to mind was to fill with PBW and put it back in the garage for a few days.

Well, it seems like I have heard somewhere that PBW will eat up the aluminum after a long time of exposure...or was that star san?

Anyway, I am going to check out the sanitation show as soon as i get a chance but any of you guys that could help out before then would be awsome.

--Brancid

Brancid wrote:Just scored this massive aluminum kettle for free but the previous owner seemed to have left most of last years turkey in the damb thing. First thing that came to mind was to fill with PBW and put it back in the garage for a few days.

I have only anecdotal evidence of this, but apparently brewing with aluminum is bad mojo, according to the homebrewers I know. Perhaps linked to health problems even? Does anyone have the real story?

There was a rumor some time ago that aluminum pots used for boiling would leech off certain minerals that could contribute to Alzheimers Disease. Those claims have since been disputed and dismissed.

There is also the opinion that using aluminum can attribute a mettalic taste to the beer. This too has been all but disprooven.

Aluminum is just fine for brewing, as far as I know. Just with new pots you need to boil some water first to create some sort of oxidized barrier.

Then again, I'm no scientist... I was a business major.

From experience- PBW will pit an aluminum turkey fryer pot.

Got lazy and let it sit too long. Came back 2 days later, pit city! Had to chuck the pot!

If you let it sit for a few hours and scrub you ought to be ok. Then repeat, but that's a lot of PBW (Expensive!). You could use Oxyclean for something like that though!

Right on, Thanks for the advice. I listened to the sanitation show and it seemed to be ok in small doses. It was the star san that eats at the soft metals, although Charlie said even small short time exposure was ok as well.

As for brewing in aluminum. I'd have to agree w/ JRoche00. I've read else where that it's ok...I think hbd and I heard the Pope say so...and if the Pope says...

The only time I think that you may get a metalic taste is if the oxidised layer has been removed from the pot. Basically you don't want to polish your aluminium pot then immediately brew in it. The layer layer of oxidation is what protects the aluminium and stops any metal leaching into the wort.

As JRoche00 metioned, just boil some water in it. The same applies for stainless steel. It has to have a layer of oxidation to protect the metal. Have a look at John Palmer's site howtobrew.com for more info. He's a metalurgist by trade so he should know.

mexican