Aluminum Pot question

[ramgeva]

Hi All
I got new Aluminum, pots and when I received them they had some Grey powder on them that was removed quit easily with water, what is it?
Also to create aluminum oxide [protective] coating I need to just boil in it right? the question is how frequently I should do it? before each brew?
last question not so related, when do you start the boil timer, when you start the boil process in it or only when it reaches boil temperature?
10x

 

[GrogNerd]

put a known quantity of water into it, boil for an hour, measure the leftover water. the difference is your boil-off rate

just once

start the boil timer once you get a rolling boil. boil temperature could be different, depending on altitude.

 

[Greyhound]

I only "conditioned" my aluminum brew kettle once - before the first time I used it 4 years ago.

As for the boil timer, I start timing after the hot break. If I'm doing a 60 minute boil, I wait for the wort to boil, I knock down the hot break using a spray bottle with water, then I add my 60 minutes hops and start the timer.

 

[ramgeva]

Great thanks a lot
Here is the pot before:



During the boil I saw some wired looking white bubbles, what are they?



This is how it looked like after:



I used the water from first pot on the second one, is it ok or I needed fresh water?

The second pot turn lighter in color:



Does it look ok to you?
Also doesn't the first wort boil will do same job?

Thanks a lot all

 

[milldoggy]

Looks good. Think wort is to acidic or something to condition the pot. Brew on

 

[ramgeva]

Ok thanks how can I check if it is enough? If it's not I will have metallic taste to my beer or something like that?

 

[Mojzis]

Ok thanks how can I check if it is enough? If it's not I will have metallic taste to my beer or something like that?

Looks fine. If it's not fine then the dark color will dissipate after a brew or two. The powder and bubbles are aluminum oxide also, from manufacturing and normal oxidation. Very normal.

The pots look good. Keep in mind that you need to avoid using acids in these kettles, like star san. Also don't use tough metal sponges to clean as they will pull off some of the oxide layer and you may have to re-season.

 

[CGVT]

FWIW, when I got my aluminum pot I took it out of the box, rinsed it out, and brewed a batch of beer and have used it for many, many batches of beer since. There was never a metallic taste or any other problem.

IMO, conditioning an aluminum pot is a waste of time.

 

[Mojzis]

FWIW, when I got my aluminum pot I took it out of the box, rinsed it out, and brewed a batch of beer and have used it for many, many batches of beer since. There was never a metallic taste or any other problem.

IMO, conditioning an aluminum pot is a waste of time.

Not conditioning also runs the risk of pitting, which could potentially destroy a brand new kettle and waste time and money. Also the first boil lets you get an idea of evaporation rate. I think those issues right there are worth time.

 

[CGVT]

I'm pretty sure that restaurants don't condition their aluminum pots before they start cooking marinara sauces in them and I imagine that is a lot more acidic than wort.

BTW, my pot didn't pit and it didn't kill me, but you all can do what you want

 

[ramgeva]

BTW I read somewhere that I don't need to fill the pots all the way just fill third of it with the cover and the steam will do the same as boiling water is it correct?
10x

 

[Mojzis]

Then you wouldn't be able to get an idea of boil-off rate.

 

[ramgeva]

Then you wouldn't be able to get an idea of boil-off rate.

Yes of course but that I can do other time with smaller amount of water , the question is if what I read is true?
10x