Stainless or brass?

wyant20 · Jan 1, 2013

I'm buying a 10 gallon water cooler to make a mash tun. What's a better valve stainless or brass? Brass is about $15 cheaper and was wondering if they both work the same or if ones better.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H83G94/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

That's the brass valve. Will that work along with a bazooka screen? Also is there anything else I will need?

Gartywood · Jan 1, 2013

Your LHBS probably sells a product called the kettle valve and a bazooka screen that goes with it. The price is very reasonable. I have two on mash tuns and one on my hlt kettle.

If you want something more high quality/customizable try brewhardware.com

twalte · Jan 1, 2013

I believe that brass contains a small amount of lead. Probably not going to kill you, but why add more risk.

You can find a lot of stainless at bargainfittings.com

W0rthog · Jan 1, 2013

FYI, I just returned a whole brass system I spent quite some time planning and putting together. This is because I learned that the fittings were made with more Lead than allowable for drinking water systems. I had no idea!
Also after reading about the oxidation of brass and up keep, I have decided to spend the extra coin and get Stainless Steel fittings. They will last longer than brass and no worries about poisoning down the road.
Just my paranoid/cautious opinion.

W0rthog · Jan 1, 2013

Forgot to mention, you can buy "lead free" brass fittings. If you can find them. However, they contain minimal amount of lead in some cases.

Golddiggie · Jan 1, 2013

Check out the kits, for cooler conversions (you had linked to a kettle conversion which has a small chance of working in a kettle), on Bargain Fitting's web site. Also, with the round coolers, you'll need something that won't stick out too far. IMO, the Bazooka 'T' screen will work out better. I've installed one into a 10 gallon round cooler before and it works really well. Just use a 1/2" barb nipple on the end of the valve assembly and a short piece of silicone tubing to connect it up. You can also turn the screen ends so that the ends of the screens lay flat on the cooler bottom (instead of being perpendicular).

I would also go with the 3 piece stainless ball valve. You can take it apart to clean without removing it form what it's installed in. You can also call Bargain Fittings up and get advice on what to buy so you don't have to do another return.

wilserbrewer · Jan 2, 2013

Stainless is no doubt a better product but of course comes at a price. Personally IMHO the threat of lead due to using brass is highly exaggerated and it would be far better to give up alcohol if one is concerned with leading a healthy lifestyle. 3 piece valves that can be disassembled are wonderful, but are much more needed for fermentation when sanitation is a concern, not critical for MT, or perhaps a kettle if the valve gets heat sanitized during the boil.

ajlee · Jan 2, 2013

I would (and did) spend the extra on stainless for the reasons listed above.

WalterAtMarchPump · Jan 2, 2013

Unless you happen to live in California which recently passed a 100% no lead deal.....all the brass fixtures in your home contain trace amounts of Lead....most times its up to 6 or 8%....the difference is domestic hot water is usually below 140*F and they don't recommend drinking the hot water side either...but that's more to the mineral fall out in the hot water tank i believe. For our brass castings we spec them out for no more then 5% lead content. Its supplied to us by a major mfg of residential fixtures. We do have an alternate supplier thats spec'd at 7% (just for full disclosure

)
Now the question for home brewing would be "Is there a bigger risk of lead leaching at boiling temps?" since you are running the system at 212*F
I have never really looked or seen a good answer to that yet online...
And if it were me...for $15 extra i would just go stainless just for peace of mind

Golddiggie · Jan 2, 2013

IMO, stainless is worry-free. For me, not needing to have any thoughts about anything leeching out at any temp is well worth the extra cost. Besides, you can get 3-piece stainless ball valves (shop around) for under $20 all day long and sometimes even closer to $15 each.

Price delta to the brass ones (if you compare the same style) is rather small. I just like to have all the same valves whenever possible. Makes it easier to work on them and such. Hell, I even make sure I have at least one 'spare' in stock at all times (have at least two right now). Never know when a friend will need to 'borrow' one from you.

wilserbrewer · Jan 2, 2013

WalterAtMarchPump said:
.....all the brass fixtures in your home contain trace amounts of Lead....

I find this interesting...likely not only in your home but your municipal water supply as well...I boiled some pasta tonight using water from my kitchen tap...???

Stainless is better, but to worry about brass, better to quit the booze than the brass...haha...

W0rthog · Jan 2, 2013

I don't worry about, it's just a choice. I can afford SS, so I will buy it for my reasons.

WalterAtMarchPump · Jan 3, 2013

wilserbrewer said:
I find this interesting...likely not only in your home but your municipal water supply as well...I boiled some pasta tonight using water from my kitchen tap...???

Funny because i did as well! but the thing is you most likely used the COLD tap side...not the hot side to fill the pot.....like probably 99% of the people out there do..

Click to expand...

Golddiggie · Jan 3, 2013

WalterAtMarchPump said:
wilserbrewer said:

I find this interesting...likely not only in your home but your municipal water supply as well...I boiled some pasta tonight using water from my kitchen tap...???

Click to expand...

Funny because i did as well! but the thing is you most likely used the COLD tap side...not the hot side to fill the pot.....like probably 99% of the people out there do..

I always use the water from my filter system to cook with. Only thing I use tap water for is cleaning.

bizarrojosh · Jan 3, 2013

Golddiggie said:
I always use the water from my filter system to cook with. Only thing I use tap water for is cleaning.

Me too. But mainly for chlorine issues.

I'm a bit worried now since I just spent about $20 bucks on a brass ballvalve and a few other parts to make my cooler into a Mash Tun. If it wasn't brass then it was stainless, but now the brass is giving me a bit of worry...

Golddiggie · Jan 3, 2013

bizarrojosh said:
Me too. But mainly for chlorine issues.

I'm a bit worried now since I just spent about $20 bucks on a brass ballvalve and a few other parts to make my cooler into a Mash Tun. If it wasn't brass then it was stainless, but now the brass is giving me a bit of worry...

See if you can exchange the brass valve for stainless. If you got it locally just return it and say it was the wrong one for the job. Order one up from one of the good online vendors and remove the worry from your life.

WalterAtMarchPump · Jan 3, 2013

Golddiggie said:
I always use the water from my filter system to cook with. Only thing I use tap water for is cleaning.

Well i didnt want to come off sounding weird/paranoid saying that i have a whole house filter for sediment along with filters on each shower head for chlorine and an RO filter on the kitchen sink for cooking along with the standard filter thats on my fridge we use for drinking water

Golddiggie · Jan 3, 2013

WalterAtMarchPump said:
Well i didnt want to come off sounding weird/paranoid saying that i have a whole house filter for sediment along with filters on each shower head for chlorine and an RO filter on the kitchen sink for cooking along with the standard filter thats on my fridge we use for drinking water

Yeah, that does sound a bit weird/paranoid.

Not saying I wouldn't do something similar when I get a house though. My current fridge (for food) doesn't dispense water, but that's no biggie, since I have the filter under the sink.

I like the filter system I have now, since it goes down to a .2 micron filter (3 filters in it) that's about as close as you can get to RO water without having an actual RO unit. Water flow rate is really good (far less than the unfiltered water from faucet, but still really good) so I can't complain.

I would think that the whole house filter would remove the chlorine from it, so the shower head filters wouldn't be necessary.

WalterAtMarchPump · Jan 3, 2013

Golddiggie said:
I would think that the whole house filter would remove the chlorine from it, so the shower head filters wouldn't be necessary.

the whole house filter is basicly only for sediment/rust....i didnt want to be filtering all the water like when i need to water the lawn or wash the truck or laundry etc...seemed like a big waste and then i'd have to pay for the filters more often....hell the darn filter for the fridge is freakin $70! :drunk:

and the way we go through water with 4 people in the house i need to change that thing alomost every 3 months!

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