Is aluminum okay?
- Thread starter petetheo
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benharper13
Well-Known Member
its fine do a boil of water first to build an oxidation layer
jmick
Well-Known Member
read this thread
jiggs_casey
Well-Known Member
I don't use one to brew with but I use one fairly extensively for cooking. I also use it for sparge water. I've never had any issue with it in regards to chipping or flaking, if that is your concern...
This might be off topic but what size of brew pot are you looking at? I decided I would rather have a larger aluminum pot than a smaller stainless steel pot as I started this hobby. For example if you are doing a 5 gallon all grain batch you might need an 8 gallon pot to start with and buying a new SS version might be outside of a person's budjet.
BrianP
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+1 on buying a large pot. A restaurant supply store has big stock pots for cheap. I started with a 7.5gal pot for 5 gal batches, and it was just big enough. Now I use a 15 gal pot for 10 gal batches. Not worrying about boilovers is nice.
Screw991le
Well-Known Member
I use both, never an issue with either.
HSM
Well-Known Member
I found a 15 gallon AL pot at a restaurant supply shop with shipping for around $60. Easy to drill for the bulkhead/ball valve as well.
i use a 15.5g stainless steel keg. it'll never wear out
Wigglyscuds
Well-Known Member
I've read they should be fine as long as you build up a passive oxide layer on them first. Just fill them up with water and boil for 30 minutes.
I did this today, after cleaning, some aluminum pots and they look good to brew with. I used some dawn dish soap to clean mine. I wouldn't recommend oxygen based cleaners or bleach.
I did this today, after cleaning, some aluminum pots and they look good to brew with. I used some dawn dish soap to clean mine. I wouldn't recommend oxygen based cleaners or bleach.
andysim
Well-Known Member
Can we ever put an end to this debate? I have both an aluminum pot and stainless pot. THE BEER TASTES EXACTLY THE SAME FROM EITHER POT. As Al Gore says" The debate is over".!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Titanium my good man, never buy another pot as long as you live!!!! Maybe not so great as a cooking vessel, but the fact that it's light as a feather will more than make up for that!
+ infiniti and beyond :rockin:
damnyankee
Well-Known Member
Having cooked for a living, the debate to me is beyond silly. There are positives/negatives to both (and copper as well). And it's not only cost:
1. Aluminum heats up quickly (and is much more responsive on a gas stove if you want to cook within a limited temperature range) but aluminum discolors easy, oxidizes quickly and is prone to scratches (not a big deal in cooking wort).
2. Stainless also oxidizes (however the chromium oxide provides an additional barrier to scratches and corrosion) but stainless is significantly slower to heat up and tougher to maintain a limited temperature range (which is why the high end cookware companies add triple layers of thick aluminum on the bottom to help with those issues).
3. Copper heats up quickly but as the thin tin coating wears, it can oxidize to form verdigris which is poisonous.
So my advice: get whatever vessel is going to fit your stove burners/budget AND look for the NSF seal (analogous to UL Listed seal on electrical equipment). The NSF seal tells you the product has been properly tested and evaluated for food safety applications.
Bottom line: buy what you can afford and be happy with it. Afterall, all you are making is grain broth - it's not like you're not fermenting with it.
DY
I would like to add: A good aluminum trumps a cheap stainless. My stainless is so thin that I have gotten some scorching on the bottom. A thicker bottomed quality pot will not do that as quickly.
