Keggle Stainless or Aluminum

[Jem Howden]

Hi guys, new to this forum and thought I'd ask a question. Only have one AG BIAB to my name. I have converted a keg into a brew kettle and am wondering whether my keg is stainless or Aluminium. I notice a white layer of something that doesn't run off easily after my first boil of water. It sparked a lot when I cut it. Magnet isn't attracted to it at all. Also noticed after my second boil, very small rust pinholes at the bottom of my kettle. Any help would be much appreciated as I'm dumb founded. And what direction I should go in would be appreciated. And should I be worried about the tiny amount of rust.

 

[camonick]

...and am wondering whether my keg is stainless or Aluminium.

It is most likely some grade of stainless steel.

It sparked a lot when I cut it.

Aluminum is a non-ferrous metal and can’t spark.

 

[Jem Howden]

Any idea on the little rust spots?

 

[camonick]

I can’t tell from the pictures, but they must not be too deep or severe. A scrub with a scotchbrite pad and some Bar Keepers Friend should make them disappear. Make sure to rinse and dry well.

 

[camonick]

Is the bottom smooth or can you feel some roughness, especially where you see the little rust spots? Those little rust spots could be the very small particles of iron that were the sparks you were seeing that ended up sticking to the bottom during the cutting process. If that’s the case, I’m not sure of the best procedure to remove them and restore the smoothness without scratching it too bad.

 

[Jem Howden]

Feels smooth! Any other alternatives to that as I'm in New Zealand and don't believe we have it here! Cheers

 

[tmurph6]

Kegs are stainless and a magnet won’t be attracted to it for that reason. The white stuff is likely hardness that precipitated while boiling, I get it on my stainless heating element every time I brew. Small rust spots on stainless is totally normal. Scrub it with barkeepers friend to remove, but honestly if it’s just a small amount it’s not gonna hurt anything. I get small rust spots sometimes on my stainless spike kettles, predominantly in my hlt.

if your looking for an alternative, just use a scrub pad and dish soap, it will take more elbow grease though.

 

[passedpawn]

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Feels smooth! Any other alternatives to that as I'm in New Zealand and don't believe we have it here! Cheers

Bar Keeper's Friend is oxalic acid. Certainly, you should be able to find an acid-based cleaner for SS and copper. Maybe look for "wood bleach" at hardware stores, which is oxalic acid.

But you could just as easily use another acid, like citric acid. It's also very handy for cleaning your coffee pot, also Use a 10:1 mixture, by weight (water to citric acid powder). Acid will remove exposed iron on the surface. Chrome should quickly oxidize and make your keg "stainless" again.

Remember, never use non-stainless tools on your keggle (like iron-based steel wool) - they'll embed iron in the surface. Also, don't use bleach, which can remove the chrome (and ultimately can etch a hole all the way through the SS - ask me how I know )