brass compression fitting ?

Would using a brass compression fitting for the pick up tube in my 15.5 gl brew kettle be a bad thing? Chemically would it harm the wort?

Nope it will be just fine.

you can 'pickle' brass if you're really worried, but generally speaking, its perfectly safe/healthy.

jacksonvillebrew said:

Would using a brass compression fitting for the pick up tube in my 15.5 gl brew kettle be a bad thing? Chemically would it harm the wort?

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If it comes in contack with the brew, there will be some lead in it, unless u pickle it. I don't know how it is designed.

rwbarber said:

If it comes in contack with the brew, there will be some lead in it, unless u pickle it. I don't know how it is designed.

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How do you "pickle" brass?

john palmers website has all the info about metal treatments. if you use one of those compression fittings just remember that you have to make them extremely tight to prevent leaking.

I use a brass compression fitting set to hold the tube to my hopstopper in my brewpot. The brass pickling solution should be 2 parts white vinegar to 1 part hydrogen peroxide. The trick is to not soak it too long. A couple minutes is sufficient. The brass will start to get a nice creamy color on the surface. If the solution starts to turn green, you've let it soak too long, exposing fresh lead. You need to dump the solution and start over. The compression fittings, given a good fit of the ferrule to the pickup tube, actually give a good fluid seal with very little torque. The bigger danger is not having it tight enough that you are able to dislodge it while stirring your boiling wort. Don't ask me how I know this.

Only concern I would have is disimular metal corrosion, which I am sure is almost negilable in this case.

I use brass fittings in mine, and never worried about "pickling" them. If I am getting lead from them.... well I will just make sure to have some Ca disodium EDTA sitting around for a treatment.....

wait, I am not a metallurgist, but isn't brass copper and zinc? I mean you COULD worry about zinc or copper toxicity, but the risk of both of those is REALLY low.....

Copper has been used for plumming for ages. I wouldn't worry.