can i use my brew pot for only brewing

[benzy4010]

im have been thinking about having a crawfish boil around april and i only have the one large 10 gallon pot that i use for brewing. can i boil other things in the pot or do i need to have two pots? im planning on buying another pot anyways to be albe to brew two beers at a time.

 

[brew2enjoy]

If you clean it really good I don't see why not. I'm sure you'll get a few that say don't do it but my brew kettle was used as a crab steamer before I got it and I have brewed some fantastic beer in it.

 

[ron,ar]

I would think twice about it, alunimum will "hold" odors and tastes moreso than stainless and plastics even worse. I used one of those blus "cubes" ice chest to put hot cooked crawfish in and 2 years later it still has an odor when first opened, and I'm sure it has a taste also.
But, the metal pot, you will probably be ok...and if not, it's an excuse to buy a bigger better pot :^)

 

[tjpfeister]

I do chicken soup in one of my smaller stainless brew kettles all the time and oxyclean does wonders for getting wort-making odors out of my larger aluminum one.

 

[kpfeif]

I did crabs in my aluminum pot a couple weeks ago, no problem. Just sniff it before you brew again and make sure it's nice and clean.

 

[kh54s10]

I used my first aluminum pot for lobster a couple of time a year for 3 years before brewing beer. I have also used it a couple of time since. I just washed it by hand with dish soap and rinsed thoroughly. I does not smell within minutes after cleaning. I would say, do the boil, then wash the pot well.

 

[andysim]

I use my stainless and aluminum pots for everything. No unwanted smells or tastes

 

[Franco]

My first 2 brews were in a 5gal aluminum pressure cooker/canner. We had done several batches of canning jars in there, as well as made about 20-25 quarts of chicken stock.

Just cleaned it really well before I used it for a boil. Since then, I bought a 15gal blichmann SS pot, but I wouldn't hesitate to use either for a crawfish boil.

 

[dbhokie]

I used the pot I am currently using for lobsters quite a few times, and soup, and many other things throughout the years. Perhaps my palette is not as advanced but with the few batches we have done so far, I have seen no negative consequences, I do as a precautionary measure boil 7 gallons in it at the beggining of each brew day and keep it boiling for 30 minutes in order to form an oxide layer, but as I said I think that is more an OCD desire to ensure safety and integrity. (I really don't know with any experience that it makes a difference at all).

 

[ktblunden]

The pot I used for my last batch was originally used as a turkey frier and let to sit with rancid oil in it for months. I soaked it with oxy a couple times, washed it with some dish soap, rinsed the hell out of it, and did a boil to build the oxide layer up and it was good as new with no odor at all. Just make sure if you do use oxy, to do a boil before you brew with it to re-oxidize the aluminum.

 

[forstmeister]

The pot I used for my last batch was originally used as a turkey frier and let to sit with rancid oil in it for months. I soaked it with oxy a couple times, washed it with some dish soap, rinsed the hell out of it, and did a boil to build the oxide layer up and it was good as new with no odor at all. Just make sure if you do use oxy, to do a boil before you brew with it to re-oxidize the aluminum.

I tried the same thing, but my pot somehow got a tiny hole from erosion. It sat for months with a small amount of old oil in the bottom. Had to throw it away.

 

[tre9er]

JB WELD! I've heard people fix pin-hole leaks with the stuff (on the outside I'm guessing?) but never tried. Will it withstand direct heat of a burner, though?

 

[petey_c]

I used my 40 qt. Al. pot to make last years corned beef and cabbage (I know, an American tradition, not Irish) on Paddy's day/my anniversary. The beers I made in it turned out fine. Speaking of, it's around the corner again... #28!

 

[Grumpybumpy]

Or don't wash it at all
brew immediately
???
Profit!

 

[two_one_seven]

Crawfish porter............... I like it kinda like an oyster stout.

 

[Okie12beer]

I do shrimp boils in my brew pot and have not been able to get any beer flavor in the food. I may swing by the keg and start with a gallon of beer, 2 gallons of water, and a cup of Cajun spice next time. The vegetables and shrimp may taste a lot better with the beer in the brew pot.