Folks, I know I am new here. Please forgive me in advance for the following rant. I hope I don't get booted from this forum but, I cannot let full bravado bull hockey go uncontested. I know I have already posted a couple responses to this guy but, I reread the thread and found a dismissive post that drove me over the wall.
Just so you know, I am not against aluminum cookware. I own several pieces. I also have replaced many pieces over the years. My ex-wife could ruin a piece of aluminum cookware faster that I could replace it. However, with care a good quality piece will last a lifetime if it is properly cared for. You will absolutely be able to make great beer with aluminum!
The choice of which material you desire is yours and yours alone. Both materials will work.
That said, statements that start with, "You are wrong on all counts." and then devolve into absurdity have to be addressed in my anal retentive mind.
You are wrong on all counts. Aluminum is the superior metal it retains heat better, is thicker, and is less expensive.
Is thicker? You can get either material in any gauge you want. Stainless is usually thinner in a given application because of its higher tensile strength. In other words, it takes thicker aluminum to be as strong as stainless steel because aluminum is a weaker material.
The only rationale behind stainless steel is that it could potentially be seen as cleaner and has no fear of the myths around aluminum.
I work in an industry that manufactures using metals. There really aren't any myths about aluminum that I know of. (Well, there is that myth that aluminum doesn't "rust." Let some moist salt sit on that aluminum for a while and you will see white rust, aluminum oxide.) We judge what material to use by it's mechanical and chemical properties. Your rationale is not rational.
The every commercial kitchen dispels the myths of mad hatter disease. Glad you enjoy your pot try to make it little more about that in the future and you will have more friends. I see you're new and you're coming on a little strong this debate is old and trust me you're not going to end it. Take it from somebody who came on a little strong and regrets it
Yeah. You came on here a little too strong too. Perhaps even snotty or snide. Tell us what particular type of aluminum your kettles are made of and I will give you a detailed assessment of that material versus the 304 stainless steel that is fairly universal in high end cookware, breweries, chemical process plants and other operations where liquids and heat are involved.
The downside of stainless steel in such uses is not only its cost but also the workability of the material. It is harder to drill, form, weld, and just about everything else. That said, it is in wide demand because of those properties that make it so hard to work with.
The upside is, when used in the manner we are using it, it will last a lifetime and overcome abuse and misuse.
You can blow smoke up some people's butts, but not mine.
Aluminum is a great material and is absolutely the best material at many things. My company uses it extensively, much more than stainless steel. But, only in the right applications.
For instance, aluminum ages (looses strength) collectively when exposed to temperatures above 300 degrees. For that reason, all aluminum ladders used by fire departments must have a temperature label to indicate that they have been exposed to 300 degrees and must be removed from service if so indicated.
/END RANT
Again, I am sorry if I stepped on any toes here, except for ten in particular.
Definitive statements like those I have addressed tend to make me hit the homebrew.
If you want to use aluminum, go right ahead. I don't have a problem with that. It will do the job just fine. and you will still brew great beer. Just don't go making unsubstantiated statements in public about it.
