aluminum stock pot turned black?

I boiled some water in a new alluminum 30qt stockpot it turned the entire inside with a black like soot?

is this normal? looks bad.

Yes it is normal. Mines been like that for over a year. No problems at all.
ToBrew

how should i go about cleaning it?

It will turn blackish to a certain degree, a form of seasoning for aluminum so don't worry too much. I've been using a 7 gallon aluminum pot for strike water for several years now and has that look inside.

Mine never turned black, but it did get a nice oxide coating on it, which is what you want.

ok so should i scrub it with an abrasive pad , or gently wash it with a rag and boil in it a few more times? ... to get it ready to brew in?

You don't need to do anything to it. It's ready to be used again.

That black layer is aluminum oxide formed by the oxidation of aluminum by the slightly acidic condition of the wort and dissolved oxygen in your wort during the boil. If you clean it off that layer will reform the next you brew a batch. It shouldn't have any deleterious effects on your beer.

If the cosmetic change in your pot bothers you, the only viable solution is getting a stainless steel brew kettle.

I just clean mine with a sponge, a little dish soap, and lots of hot water. Then I just rinse it out again before I use it for the next batch.

Don't clean it off.

I've been using an AL pot as my brew kettle for over a year and there is no black coating. There is some minor discoloration that occurred due to use, but no discoloration. The only time I have seen a black residue is when I accidentally left and oxidizing cleaner solution in overnight.

To remove, I boiled some water with cream of tartar and it worked great! No scrubbing, just let it boil for 30 mins maybe... i do not remember. A page that I found off google said to scrub with a cream of tartar paste for the same effect.

Just to throw another hat into the ring:

- Aluminum oxidizes after boiling water in it.
- Oxide layer is a "sealant" for the aluminum. Aluminum can leech metalic flavors without it.
- Sealing aluminum = good for brew.
- It's OK to CLEAN the kettle, just don't remove the oxide layer.
- Clean with a soft cloth or sponge and light dish soap (Ivory). Rinse well.

Mine's not black, but a dull grayish amber. I think your color is different because your water makeup is different. Mine's hard iron-heavy well water.

So discoloration is normal.
No need to worry about it , it is actually needed to seal the pot.
Clean lightly and brew as planed

Got it , Thanks

hmm, this actually answers the question I have regarding aluminum pots, wasn't sure if anything had to be done before \ after brewing besides the obvious that is.

Yep. Prep the new aluminum pot by boiling water in it for 30-40 minutes, then let it cool and dump it around a tree. Why waste good water?!

Never use a scrubby on the coating (but you can use it on the OUTSIDE of the kettle to keep it lookin' purdy), and try to use only soft dish soap such as Ivory. OxyClean-type cleaners are frowned upon as they can affect the oxide coating. Hops residue cleans out pretty easily from a kettle if you hit it within an hour of finishing up.