FAQ: Aluminum Pots for Boil Kettles?

[Pyg]

I know that some of the advice said to go with a 10 gal pot, but you mentioned that you have limited space in your kitchen. That 10-gal pot is going to be about 14 inches in diameter (and 14 inches high). That may not sound
like a lot, but it is freakin' huge when you put it on a standard kitchen range. Can you accommodate that in your kitchen and on your stovetop?

With my 10-gal pot, and the large burner on high, the flame actually spread out an hit the countertop surface to the right of the stove. Something to think about. You might want to do a cardboard template to see how it fits on your burner configuration.

I can only use mine on the 55,000 BTU outdoor gas burner. It takes a lot of flame to bring 10 gal of room temp water to a boil.

I went with aluminum, 4-mm thick (actually the one in the post above me). The thick gauge stainless were out of my price range. BEfore using, I boiled water in it. The aluminum turned dark gray below the water line, a sign of a good oxide coating. I haven't picked up any off flavors.

Did not even think of size of kettle.
I have a small range , so this may deter me from even getting a 7.5 gall aluminum pot
My largest burner
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459378142.848467.jpg
12"x12" box on said burner
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459378186.791015.jpg

 

[Indian_villager]

Did not even think of size of kettle.
I have a small range , so this may deter me from even getting a 7.5 gall aluminum pot
My largest burner
View attachment 347895
12"x12" box on said burner
View attachment 347896

I hate glass top stoves. If the pot isn't perfectly flat you wont get anything to boil. I have one of those 10gal winco pots and it wouldnt come to a boil on my glass top. So I drilled in two 1500w elements and never looked back.

 

[NYShooterGuy]

I tried to pacify the oxidation layer on my aluminum kettle by boiling about 5 and a half gallons about 2 weeks ago. When I realize that the only oxidized a few gallons of where I wanted to, I added the full eight gallons today and boiled for over an hour. As you can see the oxidation level did not reach all the way to the top. Can anyone explain why it was able to do it the first time with only 5 gallons, and now it wasn't able to do it for the full 8?

View attachment 1460916136927.jpg

 

[zefbrew]

I tried to pacify the oxidation layer on my aluminum kettle by boiling about 5 and a half gallons about 2 weeks ago. When I realize that the only oxidized a few gallons of where I wanted to, I added the full eight gallons today and boiled for over an hour. As you can see the oxidation level did not reach all the way to the top. Can anyone explain why it was able to do it the first time with only 5 gallons, and now it wasn't able to do it for the full 8?

was the kettle washed and cleaned? Could be oil / grease preventing it. but the oxide layer towards the top will not be as dark as the lower portion, but that doesn't matter.

 

[CGVT]

was the kettle washed and cleaned? Could be oil / grease preventing it. but the oxide layer towards the top will not be as dark as the lower portion, but that doesn't matter.

This^^^

I think the whole oxide layer paranoia is overblown.

I'm pretty sure that when a restaurant gets a new aluminum kettle they don't boil water in it before they use it.

 

[NYShooterGuy]

I used the kettle 3x. Once when out of the box and bright and shiny to make a cream stout, then to sterilize jars of water and a 3rd time to make a Lagunas Brown Sugga clone. Only cleaned with soap.and water. Only used for those three times.

 

[wilserbrewer]

^^^



I think the whole oxide layer paranoia is overblown.



it.

Plus 100!!!

 

[wilserbrewer]

^^^



I think the whole oxide layer paranoia is overblown.



it.

Plus 100!!!

Sure best practice yes, boil some water call it good and done.

 

[Paul5476]

Ok, I've been reading, and reading and have not seen this question, so I'm gonna ask. I just bought a 24qt aluminum pot. Filled it within 3 inches from the top with water and boiled for one hour. What I was left with was a milky colored water and a coil shaped rough spot on the bottom of the pot from the electric burner. It did not end up with the dark grey oxide layer that everyone here is talking about. Is this normal? What am I not doing correctly?

 

[msa8967]

Ok, I've been reading, and reading and have not seen this question, so I'm gonna ask. I just bought a 24qt aluminum pot. Filled it within 3 inches from the top with water and boiled for one hour. What I was left with was a milky colored water and a coil shaped rough spot on the bottom of the pot from the electric burner. It did not end up with the dark grey oxide layer that everyone here is talking about. Is this normal? What am I not doing correctly?

Keep the lid on while boiling to help build up the layer on the inner surface.

 

[Paul5476]

Keep the lid on while boiling to help build up the layer on the inner surface.

Yeah, I kept the lid on it the whole time. I didn't darken at all. Actually turned more of a gold color. And I noticed a strong metallic smell. What I'm concerned with is the spots on the bottom from my electric burner. They are rough spots. almost seem pitted. Should this have happened while only boiling water??

 

[wilserbrewer]

Is that stainless?
Just a guess, looks to shiny for aluminum?

 

[Paul5476]

Is that stainless?
Just a guess, looks to shiny for aluminum?

Honestly, I don't know. It didn't say on the tag. Just said "Made in India."
I asked the manager at the store I bought it from and he said it was aluminum. But I agree with you. In fact, I thought it was stainless. Very shiny for just aluminum. I was wondering if it is coated with something to make it that shiny. And maybe that is why it now has those "pitted"spots on the bottom. Would an electric burner do that to stainless?

It looks exactly the same as this one, and it is also made in India.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTMWWOU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[wilserbrewer]

My guess is that your pot is thin stainless and the marks you see on it are mineral deposits. I would clean it with a scrubby or better yet bar keepers friend.

It will work for brewing, just be cautious of scorching with such a thin pot on an e-stove. Turn off heat or better remove from heat when if adding extracts, perhaps heat slightly lower than max while heating to boil if possible, stirring is a good idea as well.

Brew on as Doug would say lol

 

[ncbrewer]

I use an electric stove. Just to be on the safe side, I always take the pot off the heat for one minute before adding extract. That's probably an especially good idea with your pot.

 

[Zuljin]

I'm watching a documentary on the History Channel, The Hardest Metal in the World, it features lots of metals. It just stated that aluminum is inert in the human body, and safe for heating food.

 

[northernlad]

The nice thing about aluminum is its cheap. The not nice thing about cheap aluminum is its cheap.
What kind of water did you use? If you used distilled there wouldn't be anything for the Aluminum to react with to build the layer. Distilled water also wouldn't pit aluminum.

Cheap stainless would show rust not pits. Stick a magnet to it. Cheap SS won't have enough nickel to keep a magnet from sticking.

Regardless, take it back and increase your budget and get a good one.
Make sure its at least 3003. 3004 is better but wicked expensive compared to cheap Indian pots.

 

[CGVT]

The need for the "layer" is myth.

 

[swampbrewcrew]

The nice thing about aluminum is its cheap. The not nice thing about cheap aluminum is its cheap.
What kind of water did you use? If you used distilled there wouldn't be anything for the Aluminum to react with to build the layer. Distilled water also wouldn't pit aluminum.

Cheap stainless would show rust not pits. Stick a magnet to it. Cheap SS won't have enough nickel to keep a magnet from sticking.

Regardless, take it back and increase your budget and get a good one.
Make sure its at least 3003. 3004 is better but wicked expensive compared to cheap Indian pots.

A magnet not sticking to stainless steel has nothing to do with quality. Some like 304 are non magnetic originally and become magnetic depending on how they are worked, welded or cold rolled.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/identification-stainless-steel-d_383.html

If you bought a high end stainless appliance normally they are non-magnetic where as cheaper grades are magnetic.

 

[swampbrewcrew]

In short. Just because steel is magnetic it doesn't mean it's alloys are. It also doesn't show the percentage of real steel. A 90% mix with one metal may remain magnetic, while a 90% mix with another metal may not be.

 

[FranklinNewhart]

What about comparing a Copper Boiler this thread.