Aluminum Pot

I know I have read that before using an aluminum pot at i should boil water in it to oxidize it first. My question is if I need to do this before each use? (After it has been washed) or is this a one time thing?

Not if you don't scrub off all the oxide. This is a boil pot, it only needs the grains and foam washed off since it will be used to boil again and that takes care of the pasteurization.

Just once, and even thats really optional. Aluminum oxidizes just by being in contact with Oxygen....so as long as your not brewing inside a vacuum chamber you should be good to go.

Its just a good idea to boil/clean a new pot in general to make sure any manufacturing oils or metal shavings arent hiding in the pot somewhere.

Ya, that is what I plan to do anyway, as it is a brand new crab/lobster pot set up that I bought. (same as a turkey fryer kit)

hey Repo,
i bought something similar a few months ago for brewing - was a 7 gal aluminum crab pot. ive noticed a very slight metallic smell to my first two brews that ive done. the smell is right when you put your nose up to the glass for a gulp. i dont taste it, just a slight smell. ive tried researching to see what this smell is, and the aluminum is my only conclusion..... for now.

i did not boil water in the pot before my first brew. for my second brew, i figured that since i brewed with the pot already the pot would have a layer of oxidation on it, but i still find the smell in my second beer. just brewed my third batch this week. i boiled the sh!it out of that pot before brewing and got a nice black oxidation layer going on now. we shall see in about 5 weeks whether that was the problem.

Hmmmm, i hope this one doesn't do that?

On a side note, I just bought a used 15 gallon beer keg off of Kijiji. It is in remarkable shape. I plant to cut the top open, and weld bungs for drain and temp gauge, so I may just end up using that before long.