Aluminum Pot Question

I bought an aluminum 30 quart pot today for my first batch. I thought I could use aluminum, but after reading the brochure my LHBS gave me, it says that I cannot use aluminum. Is that true? Sucks if I have to go back and get another pot, but I just wanted to double check.

Sticky from the Equipment forum

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/faq-aluminum-pots-boil-kettles-49449/

Ignore you LHBS, just boil some water in it for a while to oxidize it before you use it and check out the link above.

I've used an aluminum pot the whole time I've been brewing. Go ahead.

Thanks so much for you responses and the link as well. All very helpful, and I'm still reading that thread. Now I know, and feel better. I should have went ahead and searched the threads, but got caught up in my excitment and forgot that feature haha.

You'll be dead of Alzheimer's in a week. Run, run like the wind.

wildwest450 said:

You'll be dead of Alzheimer's in a week. Run, run like the wind.

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This is just not true!!! I've used aluminum pots, cooked in them, drank from aluminum cans, I used to take them on my boat, made of aluminuuuh...I used to have a boat and...I fished...I fished off the boat...I seem to have forgotten what I was talking about...

Haha I'm so glad I read that link to understand the humor in this...

Ok, so now I just came across a couple other problems. I just set my water up to boil to oxidize it. I have a 30 qt. pot, holy crap is that thing heavy when it's filled up with water! I had to drag it on to the burners. Now before I get those "wimp" comments. I'm only 5'0 and maybe 110 lbs. How am I suppose to dump my product it into the fermenter? Hopefully tomorrow my boyfriend will be here to help me with that. Second problem. I caught my stove on fire haha. I set it on two burners and set the burners on high. Well when I seen the fire I moved it to just one burner and turned the heat down a bit lower. Has this happened to anyone else? It sure in the hell scared the crap out of my 7 year old daughter and it now stinks in my house. I have the hopes of starting my own brewery one day, how am I suppose to do that when I can't even lift up this damn heavy pot and not start a fire?

SLCJanedoe0 said:

Ok, so now I just came across a couple other problems. I just set my water up to boil to oxidize it. I have a 30 qt. pot, holy crap is that thing heavy when it's filled up with water! I had to drag it on to the burners. Now before I get those "wimp" comments. I'm only 5'0 and maybe 110 lbs. How am I suppose to dump my product it into the fermenter? Hopefully tomorrow my boyfriend will be here to help me with that. Second problem. I caught my stove on fire haha. I set it on two burners and set the burners on high. Well when I seen the fire I moved it to just one burner and turned the heat down a bit lower. Has this happened to anyone else? It sure in the hell scared the crap out of my 7 year old daughter and it now stinks in my house. I have the hopes of starting my own brewery one day, how am I suppose to do that when I can't even lift up this damn heavy pot and not start a fire?

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First, brewing can be dangerous, as you've seen first hand. Keep a fire extinguisher handy anywhere there is an open flame. There's a 99.9% chance you'll never need it, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Second, I hope you're not trying to lift and maneuver the full pot with boiling hot liquid! The best thing you can do is to place your empty pot on the stove and then use jugs or a bucket to fill it with water, thus not having to lift a full pot of water. Second, after the boil is done, this is where it would be very beneficial to have an immersion chiller so that you can place the chiller into the pot without moving it and bring it down to cool temps. Then, when the whole batch is cool you can give the pot a bear hug or grab it from underneath to help you pour it into the fermenter.

The last thing you want to be doing is trying to lift and carry 40+ pounds of boiling hot liquid if you're by yourself!

Thank you for that. Can you give me an estimate of how much an immersion chiller is? I might just have to get one to be on the safe side. I'm still waiting for the water to boil, so the water was still cool when I moved it to the stove. I also used my sprayer on the sink to fill it up. That took some time. I will have to go invest in an extinguisher just to be on the safe side! Funny thing is, I don't have a gas stove. The damn thing caught on fire still. It might have been some crumbs left in the bottom of the burners that might have started this.

Yep, even on electric the intense heat created by cranking the elements on high for an extended period can catch anything on fire. I know from experience.

But you can get an immersion chiller for anywhere from about $50 to $100 depending on size and where you get it from. Or, you can even make your own if you aren't afraid of copper tubing. It's always good to cool your wort down to yeast pitching temps as quickly as possible anyway, so it's probably a good investment if you're serious about the hobby anyway, even if it isn't for the safety concerns of trying to carry many gallons of boiling liquid.

I'm going to look into the immersion chiller now. That would be the safest and easiest way for me to handle this. Especially since the pot does not fit into my sink and my tub is upstairs. I think now might be a good time to start looking up the prices for a turkey frier, it might be easier than the stove.

Shooter said:

This is just not true!!! I've used aluminum pots, cooked in them, drank from aluminum cans, I used to take them on my boat, made of aluminuuuh...I used to have a boat and...I fished...I fished off the boat...I seem to have forgotten what I was talking about...

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Were you so distracted by my avatar, that you didn't notice the two giant aluminum brew kettles I use?

wildwest450 said:

Were you so distracted by my avatar, that you didn't notice the two giant aluminum brew kettles I use?

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Until that post I didn't realize you ever actually typed anything. I've only been able to see your avatar!

Fishin-Jay said:

Until that post I didn't realize you ever actually typed anything. I've only been able to see your avatar!

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Best... comeback... ever! :rockin:

Oh, and for the OP, why not just siphon the wort, after it's cooled, from the kettle to a bucket or carboy? You could insert a "venturi tube" in the middle of the line; this would easily add oxygen (via inline aeration) to the wort as it's hitting the fermenter, saving some hassle.

See this article for more info... I made mine from a three-inch chunk of old racking cane, and punched just two holes in it with a heated paperclip. Just tried this a month ago on a batch, and it foamed the wort up nicely. I love cheap and easy...

wildwest450 said:

Were you so distracted by my avatar, that you didn't notice the two giant aluminum brew kettles I use?

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Actually, I responded from my work computer and it blocked out the image. So, initially I didn't even notice there was a picture there, but it was obvious your response was meant as a bit of a joke so I just played along. One of those kettles looks like my boil kettle. Did you steal my boil kettle?!?!? I think you'd better...uh....um, you should...

Actually, I'm feeling confused again. I don't really remember why I'm writing this. Damn you aluminum!!!!

I thought I was prepared and knew what I was doing. First, what is a racking cane? Second, I don't have a hydrometer. How am I suppose to take a gravity reading?

SLCJanedoe0 said:

I thought I was prepared and knew what I was doing. First, what is a racking cane? Second, I don't have a hydrometer. How am I suppose to take a gravity reading?

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To take a gravity reading without a hydrometer:

Step 1: Buy a Hydrometer

Step2: Use as Normal

Step3: Go to....uhm...DAMMIT!!!!

Oh, I remember, if you don't have a hydrometer another option is to use your refractometer. You have one of those, right?

Seriously, you should pick up a hydrometer.

A racking cane is a bent piece of plastic or metal that you hook your siphon tubing to so you can transfer the beer out of one vessel and into another. You need to use a siphon as pouring the beer post fermentation will introduce a LOT of unwanted oxygen.

Haha thanks. I will go pick one up. I thought they would be a lot more money than what they are. I have a racking cane! I also have a siphon that came with my kit. Woo!

A turkey fryer, chiller, may be having a bulk head with a ball valve installed in your pot would be a better investment in the hobby than a hydrometer. In my opinion. There are plenty of things to make the hobby easier and more enjoyable. If you really like making beer you'll what to go to all grain and that adds more equipment you want.

I just called my LHBS and he said that I don't necessarily need a hydrometer. They are nice to have but not a must. I think I will go pick one up anyways. Here I thought I was prepared, bought the equipment, and seemed to have forgotten everything I have read.

abracadabra said:

A turkey fryer, chiller, may be having a bulk head with a ball valve installed in your pot would be a better investment in the hobby than a hydrometer. In my opinion. There are plenty of things to make the hobby easier and more enjoyable. If you really like making beer you'll what to go to all grain and that adds more equipment you want.

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You can't be serious. A hydrometer is $5, and what are you going to tell a new brewer when they come back here and ask if their beer is done fermenting?

Scimmia said:

You can't be serious. A hydrometer is $5, and what are you going to tell a new brewer when they come back here and ask if their beer is done fermenting?

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I guess we'll just tell them to use a refractometer or consult a witch doctor?!?!