Who Has Pickled their Brass Parts

Out of curiousity, who has pickled their brass parts. I recently built FlyGuy's mash tun and was reading Palmer. Apparently there is a little bit of surface lead on brass parts which can removed by a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and distilled white vinegar.

I might do this, but I don't really want to take a part the mash tun. Can I just pour the solution into the mash tun or will it make my mash tun smell like pickles?

Thanks,

Mike

I think drinking a little lead add character.

No, I haven't pickled. I probably would if I was boiling in a brass kettle. There's tons of brass in plumbing and we drink that water our whole lives.

I didn't pickle any of my brass valves when I had them, but I didn't know about the lead when I built my equipment either. I'd have done it if I'd known since the valves were on my mash tun and boil kettle. I've got SS now.

Bobby_M is right about our drinking water passing through brass all the time. Most plumbing lines are copper, but most fixtures are made of brass.

I noticed that MoreBeer is selling nickel-plated brass valves these days. Does anyone know if the nickel plating protects against lead?

I did it with mine, and I also did it with the whole MLT together. I rinsed my system for about 30min in hot water 3 times after and I did not notice any smell, or green color remaining.

I did it on my counter-pressure filler since it had quite a few brass fittings. I didn't on my mash tun adn I's fel fien...

From what I've heard, this is usually a problem for shiners who distill their own liquor. The high alc content leaches the lead out of the brass to levels high enough to be dangerous. I'm not sure what effect heat or low alc contents will have on brass, but I'd remove the lead to be safe. Lead poisoning is serious business. It'd really suck if it turned out your homebrews were slowing poisoning you.

As far as brass being used in the water supply, that's true, but there's also no alcohol in the water supply so I guess the leaching effect is minimal or nonexistent.

But there is no alcohol in you hlt,Mt, an boil ketlle.

Bsquared said:

I did it with mine, and I also did it with the whole MLT together. I rinsed my system for about 30min in hot water 3 times after and I did not notice any smell, or green color remaining.

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Hmmmm... I may as well do it to be on the safe side. I'm debating on taking the whole thing a part though. It's take a good 10-15 minutes to take the rubbermaid flyguy mlt design apart.

The problem with trying to do it in place is the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide will not be able to get to the brass on the out side of the ball valve except for a few seconds as you drain it. On second thought you could just pour it thru and collect the liquid then do it again and again. That might be more trouble than taking the spigot off.

Either way I'd do it the effects of lead are cumulative it think so any you can eliminate would be good.

Also I think that it's the acidity of the wort that leachs the lead.

The outside of the ball valve will never touch wort anyway so why pickle that.

abracadabra said:

On second thought you could just pour it thru and collect the liquid then do it again and again. That might be more trouble than taking the spigot off.
.

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I was thinking that you could put a piece tubing on the outside spigot. Pinch it off. Open up the spigot so that the solution would drain into the tube. Turn off the spigot. That way you get a good soaking inside and out.

I'm thinking that I would probably get a better soak if I just take the whole thing a part. I'm not removing the brass nut from the stainless steel braid, though. That thing is frayed enough as it is.

Mike

Bobby_M said:

The outside of the ball valve will never touch wort anyway so why pickle that.

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I think he was talking about inside part of the valve.

I think the whole lead/brass thing is a bit overblown. If brass fittings in a mash tun are leeching lead, it probably would stop leeching after 5-10 brew sessions. But what the hell, I may as well do it to be on the safe side.

njnear76 said:

I was thinking that you could put a piece tubing on the outside spigot. Pinch it off. Open up the spigot so that the solution would drain into the tube. Turn off the spigot. That way you get a good soaking inside and out.

.

Mike

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That sounds like a great idea to me.

And yes I was refering to the inside of the valve. And also you are correct in that it's not that much lead but why ingest any you don't have to.

To my way of thinking if you're not willing to do it for yourself then do it for others that might drink your beer.

I can't speak for others but I don't have any brain power to waste.

"Who Has Pickled their Brass Parts"

ok I think there has been enough serious answers....can I giggle at this now

heh heh he said "pickle your......" heh heh

abracadabra said:

I can't speak for others but I don't have any brain power to waste.

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Quite true. I rather let the alcohol damage my brain cells. Heh.

njnear76 said:

Quite true. I rather let the alcohol damage my brain cells. Heh.

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Me too! At least they died for a good cause.

nj said:

It's take a good 10-15 minutes to take the rubbermaid flyguy mlt design apart.

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I'd take it a part, I recirculated the Peroxide/Acid solution through my set up with a pump. My setup was a pita to put together so I was not about to take it apart. if you set up is easy to disassemble that might be the way to go.

While it's true that brass is involved in household plumbing; they do advise you not to use hot water for cooking or boiling because heated water extracts the lead.

Bsquared said:

I'd take it a part, I recirculated the Peroxide/Acid solution through my set up with a pump. My setup was a pita to put together so I was not about to take it apart. if you set up is easy to disassemble that might be the way to go.

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We'll see. I tightened the hell out of it, so it will take some sweat to get it apart again.

olllllo said:

While it's true that brass is involved in household plumbing; they do advise you not to use hot water for cooking or boiling because heated water extracts the lead.

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Lead is also more likely leached by an acidic environment See wiki
If you are adverse to lead ingestion, you should pickle your brass before using for brewing.

Well, I couldn't take the mash tun apart for the life of me. I guess the wrenches I was using were crap.

I got a good soak with the pieces in place but I think I ended up soaking too long. After rinsing the pieces, they look like they did pre-soak.

I should have dumped the mixture right after the 5 minute soak instead of draining it. No big deal. I will just have to do it again for the inside parts.

I am little concerned about not being able to take the mash tun apart. I can't believe I tightened to the point that I am unable to get it apart again. This isn't a major concern, but it could be if the valve broke or if one the pieces was corroding. Any suggestions?

you can't put on torch on it , but try pouring boiling water in it.

joejaz said:

you can't put on torch on it , but try pouring boiling water in it.

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Whoosh. I finally got the fixture off. Hot water helped loosening it a bit. Boiling hot water would be a bad idea though for these coolers. I heard that it would melt the cooler plastic.

I am about to do my cooler set up. Should I just soak all the brass parts in this solution? What is the ratio and how long should I soak. After that, is there no danger or is this something that one should do every once in a while?

Cool. Thanks guys....I never knew anything about this.

big supper said:

I am about to do my cooler set up. Should I just soak all the brass parts in this solution? What is the ratio and how long should I soak. After that, is there no danger or is this something that one should do every once in a while?

Cool. Thanks guys....I never knew anything about this.

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John Palmer explains the process very succinctly in his book.

How To Brew, Appendix B, Brewing Metallurgy

Palmer's book should be in every brewer's library. I have a copy. But I often reference the online version as well.

Mike,

How did you make out with your pickling? It looks like I'm going with brass fittings on everything, SS too costly.