Old stainless steel pot

msppilot · Jan 3, 2014

A friend gave me an old 10gallon stainless steel pot. He had no idea what it was used for in the past. It probably sat in his barn for the last 20 years or so. It is scratched up but I other than that I can't see anything wrong with it. Any concerns with using it as a boil kettle. I washed it out really good but still have no idea what it may have been used for in the past.

Newsman · Jan 3, 2014

I'd use PBW or some other brewing cleanser, just to be on the safe side... maybe mix up a batch of PBW and bring it just to a boil and then let it cool back down to ensure that you're getting that as clean as possible, then rinse several times. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I'd want to ensure that it was as clean as possible.

TallDan · Jan 3, 2014

Nice find! Since it's of unknown previous use, I'd probably consider hitting it with some barkeeper's friend, then after that a warm PBW soak.

poptarts · Jan 3, 2014

smell it and if it doesn't smell chemically boil a few gallons of water in it, let the water cool and taste it. If it tastes like water with no off flavors your in business.

Jayhem · Jan 3, 2014

That actually looks like aluminum. As long as it wasn't used to melt lead in then it is safe to use. I would boil water in it though to deep clean it before using it to brew.

Newsman · Jan 3, 2014

Jayhem said:
That actually looks like aluminum. As long as it wasn't used to melt lead in then it is safe to use. I would boil water in it though to deep clean it before using it to brew.

Never can tell... easiest way to tell is to take a magnet to it -- if the magnet sticks, it's steel, if it doesn't it's aluminum.

Either way, I'd use PBW (or like someone else suggested, BKF, then PBW) and then rinse the heck out of it.

ShadyBrewer · Jan 3, 2014

Actually, a magnet won't stick to stainless or aluminum

masonsjax · Jan 3, 2014

Most grades of stainless steel are non ferrous and magnets will not stick. I'd bet money that the pot in the pic above is not aluminum though.

Newsman · Jan 3, 2014

Ahh... good to know. I wasn't aware that SS was non-ferrous.

msppilot · Jan 3, 2014

It's pretty heavy so I don't think it is aluminum.

unionrdr · Jan 3, 2014

No pic,just the red "X". But I scrub my SS kettle with pbw & a Dobie brand scrubber. Keeps it nice & shiny.

Old stainless steel pot

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Old stainless steel pot

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