Brew Pot Question

[MissionBrewer]

I'm new to brewing and have not yet started my first batch. I'm just finishing collecting the materials I need to get started. I have most of the supplies I need at this point, but I haven't bought a brew pot. We have a huge stainless steel pot at home already, but I have some concerns about using it:

1) It has some corrosion near the top of the pot, where the handles are nailed to the sides. The nails that hold in the handles have turned green and rough with time.

2) A couple months ago, I burned popcorn in the bottom of the pot and the bottom is pocked with these hard little burned areas that won't come off.

3) We use this pot for food.

4) it's possible it's not stainless steel at all, but aluminum. It's very old and was given to me second hand from my mom.

Should I buy a separate brew pot or would this pot be alright, despite all its issues?

 

[wcrooker]

An SOS pad will take care of the rust and you should be fine with just a good cleaning. If you would like to buy a new one go to amazon and look up brew kettles and there is a bayou classic pot on there for really cheap. 15.5 gallons for 116.45 and free shipping. All stainless.

 

[Unibrow]

You can test if it's SS or Aluminum by seeing if a magnet sticks to it, even a slight magnetic attraction will tell you it's stainless steel. Aluminum will have no magnetic attraction.

 

[Dougie63]

Good stainless is NOT magnetic

 

[Unibrow]

Right, there are different grades of stainless steel that will interact with magnets in different ways - but I was using the magnet test as a general/generic way to get an idea 1 way or another.

 

[unionrdr]

We use SS stock pots that were originally poilshed. So I clean'em up with an SOS pad,rinse,then scrub with a dobie to get all the residue out. Rinse again & it's all shiny clean again.
But with green corrosion on the handle rivets,I'd guess it isn't stainless.

 

[MissionBrewer]

And I suppose if it is aluminum that's bad, right?

 

[Butter]

Plenty of people on here use aluminum pots. You're good.

 

[unionrdr]

On new aluminum pots,you have to boil water in them for about 30 minutes. That creats an oxidation layer on the inside that coats the metal so it can't leach metallic flavors into the brew.

 

[snaps10]

The rivets them self could be what's not stainless, though. Take an sos pad to it. Powder dishwasher detergent is great at removing stuck on grime. Just let it set with some hot water for a while and it should scrub right off. Make sure you clean with some PBW or oxyclean (unscented) after the cleaning and rinsing well with the dishwasher detergent. Either way, aluminum or stainless, you're fine to brew in, and sounds like you have a good, free (most important part) first brew pot.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,possibly just cheaper metal rivets. One of mine could stand 1 or 2 of the rivets being tighter. Get it too full,& it leaks at the rivets. One out of four isn't bad,I guess. That would be a good pot when cleaned. I've also soaked in PBW just to be sure previous heavy cleaners were washed out. Dosen't hurt to be sure.

 

[iron_city_ap]

The rivets them self could be what's not stainless, though. Take an sos pad to it. Powder dishwasher detergent is great at removing stuck on grime. Just let it set with some hot water for a while and it should scrub right off. Make sure you clean with some PBW or oxyclean (unscented) after the cleaning and rinsing well with the dishwasher detergent. Either way, aluminum or stainless, you're fine to brew in, and sounds like you have a good, free (most important part) first brew pot.

+1

If you have a utility sink (the kind you typically have in a laundry room or basement), soak the entire pot overnight in hot water with some oxi clean the night before you give it a good scrubbing. If you can't get something cleaned off after all that, it isn't coming off when you brew either. If that still makes you nervous, boil some water in the kettle for 30 minutes or soak it in sanitizer.

I think a good cleaning will do you just fine.