Aluminum Rivets / Brewtech

[Slim M]

I bought a brewtech kettle last year planning eventually to go back to a three tier system & move away from BIAB. It’s been a busy year so I just got around to cleaning it up this weekend.

I followed my normal routine for new a kettle wash with unscented soap, rinse, bkf scrub, rinse, alkaline brewery wash scrub, rinse, hit with starsan and let dry. All looked good after it dried. I filled it with water to leak check let it set overnight the next day when I came back, it had small globs of white stuff in the water. I then realized the rivets are aluminum for the handle. They go through the kettle itself and the acid sanitizer/cleaner reacted causing the aluminum to oxidize I guess.

 

[Broken Crow]

I bought a brewtech kettle last year planning eventually to go back to a three tier system & move away from BIAB. It’s been a busy year so I just got around to cleaning it up this weekend.

I followed my normal routine for new a kettle wash with unscented soap, rinse, bkf scrub, rinse, alkaline brewery wash scrub, rinse, hit with starsan and let dry. All looked good after it dried. I filled it with water to leak check let it set overnight the next day when I came back, it had small globs of white stuff in the water. I then realized the rivets are aluminum for the handle. They go through the kettle itself and the acid sanitizer/cleaner reacted causing the aluminum to oxidize I guess.

I had the same thing in my too-small original stove-top 'kettle'...I just cleaned them up with a scotch-brite and rinsed.
Dunno where this thread will go, but out of personal interest; If you have a compelling list of reasons why you are going back to 3V from BIAB when so many others are going the other way, do you maybe feel like starting a new thread discussing why? .. I have most of the parts I need for a 3V rig, but I abandoned it at least for now in favour of going BIAB so I'd be very interested in why others who have done both, prefer the traditional 3V.

 

[Slim M]

I had the same thing in my too-small original stove-top 'kettle'...I just cleaned them up with a scotch-brite and rinsed.
Dunno where this thread will go, but out of personal interest; If you have a compelling list of reasons why you are going back to 3V from BIAB when so many others are going the other way, do you maybe feel like starting a new thread discussing why? .. I have most of the parts I need for a 3V rig, but I abandoned it at least for now in favour of going BIAB so I'd be very interested in why others who have done both, prefer the traditional 3V.

Yeah it’s a funny thing to me I guess to have a new 304 kettle with aluminum rivets that will be submerged in wort when in use. Maybe I’m too picky.

To answer your question as to why I’m moving away I guess it’s like this.

1. I learned to all grain brew with a 3 vessel 10 gallon batch set up and did for many years before a hiatus. No pump all gravity.

2. I get bored and like to mix things up a bit.

3. I will still have the ability to go back and forth between biab and the old way.

4. Efficiency though I don’t really chase numbers.

5. I like punishing myself. I know it’s more work, but it maybe more than I remember admittedly.

 

[hotbeer]

I followed my normal routine for new a kettle wash with unscented soap, rinse, bkf scrub, rinse, alkaline brewery wash scrub, rinse, hit with starsan and let dry

Aluminum itself is fine for making beer with. But it doesn't like acids or caustic stuff left on it.

So for equipment used just for boiling, I'd be okay with aluminum anything. However for longer periods of time, I wouldn't store stuff in contact with it.

I do question why they'd have used aluminum rivets. But if it's just for a lid that normally isn't used on a boil kettle, then I guess that's not a big issue. Other than as you found, you shouldn't let acids or bases stay in contact with it for long.

 

[Broken Crow]

2. I get bored and like to mix things up a bit.

5. I like punishing myself. I know it’s more work, but it maybe more than I remember admittedly.

I'm a glutton for the punishment empirical too! So; Is this an unexpected journey? Will we get a follow up post down the road; "There and Back Again"? I imagine there might be fierce comments over the efficiency thing: One bag to rule them, One mash tun to find them, One effiency rating to bring them all and in the mash, bind them.
Seriously: Between the 2 "E"s; economics/ergonomics as well as the many marvelously detailed posts and videos by @Bobby_M expounding the virtues and simplicity of BIAB, I've chosen to build out my next brew rig as a self-contained BIAB on wheels, but I will be looking for compelling reasons to 'build out the rest' as I already have most of the parts and I just like to learn and experience everything for myself. Please come back in a few months or a year and describe what the pros and cons are for you with either system.

 

[Slim M]

I’m not knocking BIAB in any way I’ve made lots of good beers with it. Just trying something different.

When I used to do the 3 vessel thing I would fly sparge. This go around I’m gonna batch sparge.