How common is verdigris

[Izzie1701]

Ok so I was planning on building a new brewery and using copper piping. I like the look of it and had some ideas. Then there was a post on here about verdigris and not using copper for an e HERMS recirc system due to it. Then started thinking and almost all diy immersion chillers are made of it and almost all stills are. Commercial or backwoods. So how common and dangerous is it. I know John Palmer has stated its no big worry but wondering how many people on here use copper and how many have had issues. Also now thinking almost all homes before PEX were copper as well.

 

[giraffe]

It cleans off real easy with a wipe of vinegar and salt or a wipe of starsan. Generally needs o2 and an acidic environment to form (i.e. wont form inside plumbing. or a still) Real easy to see as it turns the copper blue - green. A little forms on the top of my immersion chiller after two years, but its far away from the beer, and i clean it off when i see it.

Its not good for you in quantity, but id call it more noxious than poisonous. But inside of a recirc system that may have warm acidic wort and not easily seen or cleaned, id be wary of using it, or at least making sure you give it regular soaks to remove anything that forms.