Kettle - Anyone using an Aluminum Pot?

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KettleCorn

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Ok. Just starting out... well, perhap that is an exaggreration. Gathering gear to start out. Going to Vangaurd (in San Dimas Ca.) to watch a brew batch next Sat... That should be fun. Back on topic...

Gathering gear. Had my eye on an 20Qt Aluminum Stock Pot at Target for $22... Easy enough. But then I saw how Alumimum is supposed to be "bad"... really?:drunk:

Most Turkey friers are aluminum... Anybody using aluminum to brew thier wort? (ha, first time I used wort in a sentence)

Any comments on buying the Al. (kettle) good or bad?
Thanks.
 
I'm virtually brand new to brewing, so I apologize if my post does absolutely nothing to help you but...

I have a 20qt stainless steel stock pot that I've used for my first two batches and it has worked like a charm. Very easy to clean up, no problems with regulating heat...I know next to nothing about the aluminum ones, but I can tell you I am very thankful for my stainless steel stock pot! :)
 
Good to hear. I was kinda wondering if everybody was using stainless. I left the "Kettle" at Target and thought I'd pose the Aluminum Question here. If I get no Aluminum users.. I'll pay the extra for the SS. But $22 and just down the street makes for my immediate gradification, but as I said, I'd rather have the right stuff via a short wait than the less-than-right-stuff rigth now ;)

Thanks for the reply!
 
I also just found this in a thread and thought I would share it here:


Aluminum:
Pros:
Generally the cheapest kettle available in 5+ gallon size
Very light weight, making for cheap shipping, and easier transportation and pouring
Excellent heat distribution, resulting in rapid heating and cooling
Easily drilled for installation of a ball valve. This can come in handy when/if you decide to move to All Grain brewing
A new aluminum kettle will last for the length of your brewing lifetime with proper care

Cons:
Passive oxide layer must be created and maintained. This is done easily enough by filling the kettle with water and boiling for ~30 minutes. You'll know it's there when the inside of your kettle has a brown discoloration
Although an aluminum pot will likely last for as long as you need to use it, it probably won't last forever. If you inherited your great-grandparents aluminum pot, leave that for spaghetti
CIP cleaners cannot be used without damaging your pot. With aluminum, you'll need to use old fashioned manual labor
 
Aluminum is fine. I use it all the time. You never hear anyone complain that their pasta sauce tastes metallic from an aluminum pot, and neither does my beer. If there were any health hazards the gubmint would recall the lot of them.

20 qt is a little on the small side if you ever plan to do full boils (unless you limit yourself to 4 gallon batches).
 
I use a big aluminum turkey fryer. Another advantage is being able to do a full boil - if you get a big enough kettle. Just don't scrub it. Right after the boil, rinse it out and lightly clean it. No disinfectant, no soap unless necessary, and no abrasives. No worries!
 
I use a 40qt aluminum pot. It works perfectly. Just make sure to 'season' the pot first when you get it. Fill it up with water and boil for 10-15 minutes and dump the water out. The pot will change color from silver to a dark gray color, and you want that. When you clean the pot, just try not to use extremely abrasive materials such as steel wool on it so you do not scratch the pot or oxidized layer. I also use plastic or silicone utensils for stirring so I don't scratch the bottom of the pot when stirring.

There is nothing wrong with aluminum, its a complete myth that its bad for you. Just get that initial protective oxidized layer and you are good to go.
 
I've used an aluminum pot a ton - I'm only now upgrading to stainless - and that's only because they don't make kegs in aluminum. No problems at all with aluminum, provided you fill it up with water first and boil it for a good hour or so before you ever boil wort in it - then never scrub away the dark oxide layer that forms. That oxide layer is what prevents any of the "bad" components of aluminum from leaching into your wort.
 
KettleCorn said:
Ok. Just starting out... well, perhap that is an exaggreration. Gathering gear to start out. Going to Vangaurd (in San Dimas Ca.) to watch a brew batch next Sat... That should be fun. Back on topic...

Gathering gear. Had my eye on an 20Qt Aluminum Stock Pot at Target for $22... Easy enough. But then I saw how Alumimum is supposed to be "bad"... really?:drunk:

Most Turkey friers are aluminum... Anybody using aluminum to brew thier wort? (ha, first time I used wort in a sentence)

Any comments on buying the Al. (kettle) good or bad?
Thanks.
Click to expand...


Op, since you are local check out superior market. It is a mexcan chain super market that has aluminum tamale pots. They work perfect and i just picked up a 52 quart for 27 bucks the smaller sizes are even cheaper.
I was up at vanguard this weekend for aa sack of grain.If you have any question im in upland and be happy to do what i can to help
 
aluminum all the way, cheaper, easy to drill through to add ball valves, conducts heat better. all plusses in my book.
 
I Use Aluminum T-Fyer all the time; My passive layer was created in a couple hour soak in Oxi-Clean. Nice and gray now!
 
Wow... Thanks for all the input!
Aluminum pot + OxyClean to get the oxidation layer and bang... I am a step closer to my first brew.

I think I'll look for a wheat beer brew and try my hand at a Hefe.
Or is that an advanced brew?

Thanks all.
 
kosmokramer said:
Op, since you are local check out superior market. It is a mexcan chain super market that has aluminum tamale pots. They work perfect and i just picked up a 52 quart for 27 bucks the smaller sizes are even cheaper.
I was up at vanguard this weekend for aa sack of grain.If you have any question im in upland and be happy to do what i can to help
Click to expand...

Very kind - thanks. :tank:

I would not consider myself a 5 start chef. Maybe a 1/2 star is more my speed. I have fun making chili and I figure beer is the next logical step ;)

I am still gathering gear but my focus is to brew a hefe.. Just wondering if this is an advanced goal or if it is all about the same technically.

Looking forward to a fun pathway to brewing beer.
This is a good start -
Thanks to all.
 
Aluminum is just fine. I did my first brew without passivating the aluminum first, but it was delicious. Since then, I heat my water in it anyway, so it's all nice and passivated, but it makes great beer. Cheaper than SS, and lighter. Haven't seen one with valves in it, but they probably exist. For now I'm all alu all the time.
 
If you let it soak in Oxi for several hours it will create a very nasty looking gray layer that you will never get off; hard as a rock.... Couple hours in oxi and you are good to go imho
 
I've always heard that cleaning/using oxyclean on aluminum will create rust. I got my oxidation layer on my pot by boiling it mostly full of water for 1/2 an hour
 
danorocks17 said:
I've always heard that cleaning/using oxyclean on aluminum will create rust. I got my oxidation layer on my pot by boiling it mostly full of water for 1/2 an hour
Click to expand...

Yep; you are correct;

Al-oxide is the Aluminum version of rust (Fe-oxide); boiling it does the same thing, it creates an oxide layer on he AL surface.
 
Search for a 40 quart Thunder Group Aluminum pot on Ebay or Amazon. $40 shipped on ebay. I love mine.
 
Don't soak aluminum in alkaline cleaners like PBW - you'll pit the metal and grow a bunch of pretty alumina crystals.
 
ArcaneXor said:
Don't soak aluminum in alkaline cleaners like PBW - you'll pit the metal and grow a bunch of pretty alumina crystals.
Click to expand...

^this.. I just clean my aluminum pots with hot water and a sponge. I don't use any cleaning agents. On my stainless I use PBW, Oxiclean, and Barkeepers Friend depending on how dirty it is.
 
KettleCorn said:
Very kind - thanks. :tank:

I would not consider myself a 5 start chef. Maybe a 1/2 star is more my speed. I have fun making chili and I figure beer is the next logical step ;)

I am still gathering gear but my focus is to brew a hefe.. Just wondering if this is an advanced goal or if it is all about the same technically.

Looking forward to a fun pathway to brewing beer.
This is a good start -
Thanks to all.
Click to expand...


LOL did you think i meant to make tamales in? All a tamale pot is is a large kettle. I have 3 differant sizes i use to brew with
 
kosmokramer said:
LOL did you think i meant to make tamales in? All a tamale pot is is a large kettle. I have 3 differant sizes i use to brew with
Click to expand...

:D
I understood.

I was using the analogy to compare my brewing prowess for my first beer brew and my abilities as a chef - thinking they might be related.

Trying to convey a level of ability. To then ask if brewing a Hefewiesen is a more challenging path than other beer type as a first brew attempt.

Is brewing a Hef easy? or hard? As a first attempt?

:mug:
 
ArcaneXor said:
Don't soak aluminum in alkaline cleaners like PBW - you'll pit the metal and grow a bunch of pretty alumina crystals.
Click to expand...

You are assuming long periods of contact time right? I use pbw on my pot without a problem... probably only in it for 30 minutes tops though. Five Star's site say it is safe with aluminum
 
brettwasbtd said:
You are assuming long periods of contact time right? I use pbw on my pot without a problem... probably only in it for 30 minutes tops though. Five Star's site say it is safe with aluminum
Click to expand...

I don't know this from experience, but I've read it can remove some of the passive oxide layer..
 
KettleCorn said:
:D
I understood.

I was using the analogy to compare my brewing prowess for my first beer brew and my abilities as a chef - thinking they might be related.

Trying to convey a level of ability. To then ask if brewing a Hefewiesen is a more challenging path than other beer type as a first brew attempt.

Is brewing a Hef easy? or hard? As a first attempt?

:mug:
Click to expand...


ahhhh lol, i dont think anybody ever answered but an extract should be pretty simple, have you been to morebeer in riverside? they have an extract kit there, think they had said it was the easist first brew
 

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