How to treat Aluminum coil before use

[martinlarosa]

Hi guys,
I'm planning on making an HERMS with an aluminum coil in my aluminum HLT.
Is there any step I should consider like building an oxide layer? Should I circulate boiling water through it? And also boil water around it?

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Both, possibly @ the same time.

That's how people "oxidize" their aluminum boil pots.

 

[augiedoggy]

Hi guys,
I'm planning on making an HERMS with an aluminum coil in my aluminum HLT.
Is there any step I should consider like building an oxide layer? Should I circulate boiling water through it? And also boil water around it?

I dont think it would matter much, With the acidic wort constantly flowing through the aluminum coil I would think its just going to keep dissolving the aluminum into the wort... much like an aluminum radiator gets eaten up quickly if you dont use distilled water. Theres less friction with an aluminum pot so the effect is slower and the coating works better but even those pit and dissolve.

 

[martinlarosa]

That doesn't sound good @augiedoggy
Aluminum disolving into the beer? Should I opt out of aluminum coil then?
I know they are used to chill draught beer.

 

[helterscelter]

That doesn't sound good @augiedoggy
Aluminum disolving into the beer? Should I opt out of aluminum coil then?
I know they are used to chill draught beer.

where/what uses aluminum coils for direct contact chilling? I'm no expert here by any means, and not contradicting you since I could be completely ignorant here, but just about every thing I've seen which uses a "coil" for cooling beer, uses stainless coils. or there is a non-contact setup (ala-trunk-link in a glycol loop) which uses some sort of vinyl tubing.

I suppose there are examples of aluminum direct contact cooling:

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-pid-CP-0814-3.html

looks like a lot of jockeyboxes with cold-plates are made from cast aluminum.

 

[jsprinceiii]

With the short contact time, I don't think Aluminum would be a problem, personally I would not use it..

A great read at BYO.. http://byo.com/issues/item/1144-metallurgy-for-homebrewers

 

[martinlarosa]

I'm from Argentina and in our version of ebay they are selling aluminum coils for the jockeyboxes.... http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar...-puro-de-aluar-12-serpentinas-cerveza-gas-_JM

I thought as we are brewing with aluminum pots, then the coils wouldn't be bad...

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I'm from Argentina and in our version of ebay they are selling aluminum coils for the jockeyboxes.... http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar...-puro-de-aluar-12-serpentinas-cerveza-gas-_JM

I thought as we are brewing with aluminum pots, then the coils wouldn't be bad...

After fermentation, I believe the beer is a bit more acidic, hence the losing of Chrome from chrome plated faucets.

 

[augiedoggy]

I believe there a difference between hot wort and cold beer contact but I could be wrong...

I know using aluminum for acidic things is not ideal, I used to work in an italian restuarnt and the sauce would eat uo the pots and pit them pretty bad...

when I took a local homebrewing class at the local supply show a couple years ago the instructor who is a national judge of some sort was very insistent that aluminum should not be used and has been linked to health concerns like Alzheimers although I could find not proof of this when I researched it although many believe there is a link.

 

[martinlarosa]

But it's been said thousands of times that if an oxide layer is generated there would be no issues.

 

[augiedoggy]

But it's been said thousands of times that if an oxide layer is generated there would be no issues.

yesh and the wort constantly flowing through the narrow tube at high speed would wear away this "oxid layer"... this layer does not coat and insulate the wort from the aluminum 100% BTW.... people believe what they want to but you will still see pitting regardless of how lightly you wipe down the kettle after use.