Brewing Master

Question:

So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Response:

How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Not in the least.  Not for beer at least. You do not want to use one if making spaghetti sauce due to the much lower pH.  I use a 65 litre alu pot, and BTW the supposed connection to alzheimers has been disproven. You probably have more to worry about aluminum if you use anti-perspirant than if you use an aluminum pot. cheers, -Alan

Response:

So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Not important at all…. What is important is to not try to scrub the oxide layer off an aluminum pot… Cheers, Mike

Response:

Aluminum can dissolve a little into an acidic wort.  You really don’t want additional aluminum in your beer.  I also recommend against an enamel coated pot.  I tried that a long time back to save money.  I bought an 8-gallon pot.  In spite of my best efforts to take care of it, small chips in the enamel begin to show, espeically around the handle welds.  The problem is that the metal underneath is iron and it rusts where the enamel has chipped. Adding iron to your beer is generally a bad thing, although I can not recall what the effect is any longer.  Needless to say, I can not use that pot anylonger expect to boil water under the chip line (a basic water would probably be alright, as it should not disolve much iron). Tom Veldhouse

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Response:

Aluminum can dissolve a little into an acidic wort.

Beer wort is not acidic enough for this to be a worry.  Spaghetti sauce on the other hand, is.  Like I said, if you are worried about aluminum you should worry more about smearing it into the pores of your armpits via anti-perspirant(*), than using an aluminum pot.  Which BTW forms an oxide layer so after the first use the beer never really touches the aluminum anyway. I also recommend against an enamel coated pot.  I tried that a long time back to save money.  I bought an 8-gallon pot.  In spite of my best efforts to take care of it, small chips in the enamel begin to show, espeically around the handle welds.

Yes, enamel pots can chip easily.  I have 2 of them and 1 does have chips, but the other is just fine after 6 or 7 years now.  Be careful to examine the pot thoroughly before buying it, as often there are clear signs of trouble right on the shelf, and also often clear dents and chips.  But if you take care of your enamel pot it can last you a long time.  Just be sure to check it thoroughly often, and if it does develop chips then stop using it.  They are cheap enough that tossing them out after a few years is no big deal IMO. cheers, -Alan www.bodensatz.com (*) deodorant does not contain aluminum, but anti-perspirant does

Response:

Aluminum can dissolve a little into an acidic wort.  You really don’t want additional aluminum in your beer.

Huh??? I’m going to need a recent reference that proves that once an oxide layer is formed on shiny Aluminum that it will dissolve in beer wort with a pH of about 5 or better to believe that. Aluminum does not cause Alzheimers (sp).  We have posted a link that proves that many, many times over. If need be, I can post it again… So if Aluminum can’t dissolve whie in use with beer wort once the oxide layer has formed, and it won’t cause Alzheimers anyway…. do you have another reason for not using it?… Cheers, Mike

Response:

Aluminum can dissolve a little into an acidic wort.  You really don’t want additional aluminum in your beer. Huh??? I’m going to need a recent reference that proves that once an oxide layer is formed on shiny Aluminum that it will dissolve in beer wort with a pH of about 5 or better to believe that.

No link.  Perhaps it is not a significant amount.  However, aluminum will disolve (if exposed) to an acidic water solution.  Period.  The amount, I don’t know, I don’t care to figure it out anyway.  If it doesn’t bother you, brew with it. Aluminum does not cause Alzheimers (sp).  We have posted a link that proves that many, many times over. If need be, I can post it again…

I didn’t say it caused alzheimers?  Are you refering to another post?  … However, I am well aware that it doesn’t cause alzheimers.  I am aware that they have found significant amounts of aluminum in the brains of deceases alzheimer patients.  Since aluminum can not pass the blood brain barrier, this suggests two things.  Either the blood brain barier has become porous to aluminum, which is unlikely, or the aluminum got into the brain via another route.  The explanation that I have seen that makes the most sense is that aluminum can easily transfer via the olfacatory nerves (seems a bit strange) directly into the brain.  Thus, the mode of transport would be airborn.  So, spray on anti-perspirants are one likely source. So if Aluminum can’t dissolve whie in use with beer wort once the oxide layer has formed, and it won’t cause Alzheimers anyway…. do you have another reason for not using it?…

No.  Like I said though, I didn’t, and don’t think Aluminum causes alzheimers, at least not when ingested orally. I can say that stainless steel is more durable and easier to clean (it will take more of a beating and hold up to chemicals better — like acid cleaners, which it can handle for short periods without damage). Tom Veldhouse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Cheers, Mike

Response:

I didn’t say it caused alzheimers?  Are you refering to another post?  … So if Aluminum can’t dissolve whie in use with beer wort once the oxide layer has formed, and it won’t cause Alzheimers anyway…. do you have another reason for not using it?… No.  Like I said though, I didn’t, and don’t think Aluminum causes alzheimers, at least not when ingested orally.

I didn’t mean to imply you said it cause Alzheimers, my point was, if it doesn’t cause that, what other reason can there be for not using it which you address below. I can say that stainless steel is more durable and easier to clean (it will take more of a beating and hold up to chemicals better — like acid cleaners, which it can handle for short periods without damage).

Cleaning is certainly an issue, and I agree SS is easier to clean.  Of course I never really "clean" the brewpot anyway, at least not with chemicals. I use a plastic scrubber that has a sponge inside, and a brush. Other than that, it is left to it’s own devices…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

No link.  Perhaps it is not a significant amount.  However, aluminum will disolve (if exposed) to an acidic water solution.  Period.

No, not ‘period’.  How acidic, for starters?  My reading in cooking circles indicates that you have to be down in the low 4’s (pH) a la tomato sauce before you have to worry about it.  This is why most (good) cookbooks say that using aluminum is fine except for things like spaghetti sauce.  Beer wort should not even get into the high 4’s, so there is no problem. Also, as noted, after the first use the wort never becomes ‘exposed’ to the aluminum anyway. another route.  The explanation that I have seen that makes the most sense is that aluminum can easily transfer via the olfacatory nerves (seems a bit strange) directly into the brain.  Thus, the mode of transport would be airborn.  So, spray on anti-perspirants are one likely source.

And stay away from space shuttle launches since solid rocket fuel is composed in part of aluminum. I can say that stainless steel is more durable and easier to clean (it will take more of a beating and hold up to chemicals better — like acid cleaners, which it can handle for short periods without damage).

And way more expensive.  But you have still to show a reason for not using aluminum, other than the fact (which I do not think any of us would deny) that SS is better for a number of reasons. cheers, -Alan

Response:

Cleaning is certainly an issue, and I agree SS is easier to clean.  Of course I never really "clean" the brewpot anyway, at least not with chemicals. I use a plastic scrubber that has a sponge inside, and a brush. Other than that, it is left to it’s own devices….

Me too.  The only time I clean my brewpot is when I have not brewed in awhile and the spiders have found it.  I give it a good scrub and run a little idophor through it for good measure.  Not necessary, but it makes my wife happy (I tried explaining that the bug carcass in my cleaning solution was sterile — she didn’t buy it Tom Veldhouse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Cheers, Mike

Response:

"My reading in cooking circles indicates that you have to be down in the low 4’s (pH) a la tomato sauce before you have to worry about it.  This is why most (good) cookbooks say that using aluminum is fine except for things like spaghetti sauce." We have an Sicilian family across the street from us who make and can their own tomato sauce every year.  I lend them a couple of my burners for the day that they do this.  I’ve noticed that all of their sauce cooking pots are aluminum.  I’ve also noticed that their two daughters are VERY hot.  So, my scientific study (albeit on a small sampling) has determined that excess aluminum ingestion does not cause Alzheimer’s, but rather instead creates awesomely attractive women. The downside to this is: A.  I’m married (and my wife knows where all of my money is) – and – B.  There are rumors as to where this family gets its money, and I have no desire to have my body floating belly up in the East River after a petty argument with one of the girls

Response:

Also, his statement: Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions

is inaccurate.  Essentially all ionic solutions have free hydrogen ions. The pH scale simply describes their concentration.  There is nothing magical about 7.0 pH.  His statement should have been qualified as: Since an acidic solution, by definition contains more free hydrogen ions

than hydroxyl ions In the wonderful world of corrosion, there are no absolutes.  A pH below 10.3  is enough to get a boiler chemist worried. I do, however, agree with his last statement: In reality … so what.

Really, none of this matters.  Yeah, there’s gonna be some Al ions floating around, participating in various reactions, none of which are significant above 4.0 pH.  The biggest difference between my aluminum kettle and my stainless kettle is…volume.  The next biggest difference is the aluminum one is more delicate…(what can I say, it only cost $5, and is only slightly thicker than an aluminum pie tin).   As far as I’m concerned, there are no other significant differences. Regards, Mike Sharp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – But your chemical equation notes Al, not AL2O3 which will have a completety different potential and chemistry. Burp, -Dan — Replace "nospam" with msn to send me email. I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period. See my comments below We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above. Inorganic chemistry 101. Aluminum and sulfuric acid will react with the following equation. Further, acid in water consists only of its ions, so sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen ions and one sufate ion.  Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions.  Disolving Gypsum (CaSO 4) in an acidic solution (wort in your kettle), will give you free sulfate ions along side the existing free hydrogen ions.  Thus, this equation will form an equilibrium and you will have hydrogen gas and Aluminum sulfate. Al + H 2 SO 4 <— H 2 + Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 You are forgetting the passive aluminum oxide layer…there isn’t any elemental aluminum exposed that can react, unless the pH is low enough to affect the oxide layer, so the left hand side of your equation is incorrect. The higher the pH, the better the oxide layer, but there isn’t anything magical about the pH of 7.0 in this case.  Recall that even if pH is above 7, there will still be some H+ ions around.  They’re just outnumbered by the OH- ions. I didn’t forget it.  Read my post again.  These equations work in both directions, so some Aluminum oxide can react in the opposite direction and thus through the chlorine and sulfate reactions after it.  I made a comment towards the bottom about it and said that it would happend, but in all likelihood in very small amounts.  The whole point — from a chemical standpoint, it does happen.  In reality … so what. Tom Veldhouse Regards, Mike Sharp

Response:

But your chemical equation notes Al, not AL2O3 which will have a completety different potential and chemistry. Burp, -Dan — Replace "nospam" with msn to send me email. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period. See my comments below We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above. Inorganic chemistry 101. Aluminum and sulfuric acid will react with the following equation. Further, acid in water consists only of its ions, so sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen ions and one sufate ion.  Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions.  Disolving Gypsum (CaSO 4) in an acidic solution (wort in your kettle), will give you free sulfate ions along side the existing free hydrogen ions.  Thus, this equation will form an equilibrium and you will have hydrogen gas and Aluminum sulfate. Al + H 2 SO 4 <— H 2 + Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 You are forgetting the passive aluminum oxide layer…there isn’t any elemental aluminum exposed that can react, unless the pH is low enough to affect the oxide layer, so the left hand side of your equation is incorrect. The higher the pH, the better the oxide layer, but there isn’t anything magical about the pH of 7.0 in this case.  Recall that even if pH is above 7, there will still be some H+ ions around.  They’re just outnumbered by the OH- ions. I didn’t forget it.  Read my post again.  These equations work in both directions, so some Aluminum oxide can react in the opposite direction and thus through the chlorine and sulfate reactions after it.  I made a comment towards the bottom about it and said that it would happend, but in all likelihood in very small amounts.  The whole point — from a chemical standpoint, it does happen.  In reality … so what. Tom Veldhouse Regards, Mike Sharp

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period. See my comments below We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above. Inorganic chemistry 101. Aluminum and sulfuric acid will react with the following equation. Further, acid in water consists only of its ions, so sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen ions and one sufate ion.  Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions.  Disolving Gypsum (CaSO 4) in an acidic solution (wort in your kettle), will give you free sulfate ions along side the existing free hydrogen ions.  Thus, this equation will form an equilibrium and you will have hydrogen gas and Aluminum sulfate. Al + H 2 SO 4 <— H 2 + Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 You are forgetting the passive aluminum oxide layer…there isn’t any elemental aluminum exposed that can react, unless the pH is low enough to affect the oxide layer, so the left hand side of your equation is incorrect. The higher the pH, the better the oxide layer, but there isn’t anything magical about the pH of 7.0 in this case.  Recall that even if pH is above 7, there will still be some H+ ions around.  They’re just outnumbered by the OH- ions.

I didn’t forget it.  Read my post again.  These equations work in both directions, so some Aluminum oxide can react in the opposite direction and thus through the chlorine and sulfate reactions after it.  I made a comment towards the bottom about it and said that it would happend, but in all likelihood in very small amounts.  The whole point — from a chemical standpoint, it does happen.  In reality … so what. Tom Veldhouse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Regards, Mike Sharp

Response:

I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period.

See my comments below – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above. Inorganic chemistry 101. Aluminum and sulfuric acid will react with the following equation. Further, acid in water consists only of its ions, so sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen ions and one sufate ion.  Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions.  Disolving Gypsum (CaSO 4) in an acidic solution (wort in your kettle), will give you free sulfate ions along side the existing free hydrogen ions.  Thus, this equation will form an equilibrium and you will have hydrogen gas and Aluminum sulfate. Al + H 2 SO 4 <— H 2 + Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3

You are forgetting the passive aluminum oxide layer…there isn’t any elemental aluminum exposed that can react, unless the pH is low enough to affect the oxide layer, so the left hand side of your equation is incorrect. The higher the pH, the better the oxide layer, but there isn’t anything magical about the pH of 7.0 in this case.  Recall that even if pH is above 7, there will still be some H+ ions around.  They’re just outnumbered by the OH- ions. Regards, Mike Sharp

Response:

Yep, very useful kettle it would make too "Reacts violently with water liberating highly flammable gases. Causes burns.Corrosive.Light sensitive.Moisture sensitive" Tom Veldhouse

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aluminum is OK. About a year ago someone highly recommended a brewpot made from Lithium. He said it was about the best around for homebrewing. – Bill Success lies in achieving the top of the food chain. — Jubal Harshaw, 1904- So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We have an Sicilian family across the street from us who make and can their own tomato sauce every year.  I lend them a couple of my burners for the day that they do this.  I’ve noticed that all of their sauce cooking pots are aluminum.  I’ve also noticed that their two daughters are VERY hot.  So, my scientific study (albeit on a small sampling) has determined that excess aluminum ingestion does not cause Alzheimer’s, but rather instead creates awesomely attractive women. Sounds to me like someone should do some more research here!

Exactly.  He totally forgot the influence that BEER had on his experiment… ;^) Regards, Mike Sharp

Response:

I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period. We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above.

Inorganic chemistry 101. Aluminum and sulfuric acid will react with the following equation.  Further, acid in water consists only of its ions, so sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen ions and one sufate ion.  Since an acidic solution, by definition contains free hydrogen ions.  Disolving Gypsum (CaSO 4) in an acidic solution (wort in your kettle), will give you free sulfate ions along side the existing free hydrogen ions.  Thus, this equation will form an equilibrium and you will have hydrogen gas and Aluminum sulfate. Al + H 2 SO 4 <— H 2 + Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 More than likely, if you have any chlorine (which you likely do from your grains via Magnesium Chloride or from municipal water supplies) in your wort, the following reaction will go to equilibrium, Al(OH)3 +    3 HCl <–     AlCl3 +    3 H2O And if you have any carbonate ions in your wort (which is not very likely after an equilibrium has been achieved at a pH < 7, but is viable in balancing equations), you will have the following equation,  Al2(CO3)3 <–    Al2O3 +    3 CO2 In the end, you are likely to find some some Aluminum Sulfate, Aluminum Cloride and Aluminum Oxide in your wort. How much, all depends on your wort.  In all cases, not very much.  Since these reactions go in both directions, it is also possible for some aluminum oxide from the side of your kettle to enter solution as well, although likely in exceeding small amounts. Tom Veldhouse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It is/was not way more expensive at that 10 gallon level.  When I priced a 10 gallon aluminum kettle from a local commerical supplier, I believe the price was around $90+ (5+ years ago).  I paid less than $150 for my SS kettle with a spigot and thermometer port. I guess it depends where you are.  I have a 65 litre (17 US gallon) alu kettle that cost me about $80 CDN.  Locally there is only 1 place I know of that carries SS pots that big (a local Italian HW store) and they ring in at about $450 CDN.  Though they do have some of the SS containers with a spigot on front (like MoreBeer.com has) starting at about $200 CDN IIRC for 75 litres.  I did manage to find a 45 litre SS pot at a local bargain outlet (Home Sense) for $150, so naturally I snatched it up! But that was over a year ago now and they have not had the same pots back in since.  A guy in our club snatched up the other one they had. So around here alu is 1/3 the price of SS at the best of times, and 1/5 at the worst of times.  That’s a pretty significant difference to me. cheers, -Alan www.bodensatz.com

Response:

I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period.

We’ve probably flogged it to death by now, but I still wouln’t mind seeing a reference for the above. It is/was not way more expensive at that 10 gallon level.  When I priced a 10 gallon aluminum kettle from a local commerical supplier, I believe the price was around $90+ (5+ years ago).  I paid less than $150 for my SS kettle with a spigot and thermometer port.

I guess it depends where you are.  I have a 65 litre (17 US gallon) alu kettle that cost me about $80 CDN.  Locally there is only 1 place I know of that carries SS pots that big (a local Italian HW store) and they ring in at about $450 CDN.  Though they do have some of the SS containers with a spigot on front (like MoreBeer.com has) starting at about $200 CDN IIRC for 75 litres.  I did manage to find a 45 litre SS pot at a local bargain outlet (Home Sense) for $150, so naturally I snatched it up! But that was over a year ago now and they have not had the same pots back in since.  A guy in our club snatched up the other one they had. So around here alu is 1/3 the price of SS at the best of times, and 1/5 at the worst of times.  That’s a pretty significant difference to me. cheers, -Alan www.bodensatz.com

Response:

enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Not very. The most important thing with aluminum is that it can pit easily with certain cleaners (bleach). I’ve never heard of a reason to not get aluminum elsewise (the Alzheimer’s thing being disproven at least for beer). One thing someone told me once is that the high-end stainless steel pots (the $100 ones) tend to be better built than most aluminium pots and are good if you want something that lasts forever — but there may be high-end aluminium pots he wasn’t aware of…

Response:

Aluminum is OK. About a year ago someone highly recommended a brewpot made from Lithium. He said it was about the best around for homebrewing. – Bill Success lies in achieving the top of the food chain. — Jubal Harshaw, 1904-

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Response:

Aluminum can dissolve a little into an acidic wort.

No it won’t.  Oxide layer prevents contact, plus the beer isn’t acidic enough anyway. John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

Response:

We have an Sicilian family across the street from us who make and can their own tomato sauce every year.  I lend them a couple of my burners for the day that they do this.  I’ve noticed that all of their sauce cooking pots are aluminum.  I’ve also noticed that their two daughters are VERY hot.  So, my scientific study (albeit on a small sampling) has determined that excess aluminum ingestion does not cause Alzheimer’s, but rather instead creates awesomely attractive women.

Sounds to me like someone should do some more research here! cheers, -Alan

Response:

So, the first batch of beer that I have done is with my neighbor.  We make a creamy stout and I take it to my in-laws for the holidays.  Big hit.  My father-in-law, years ago, home-brewed so he is talking with me about the hobby.  "Do you have a stock pot?"  he asks.  "Yeah, we have had one for a long time so I don’t need to buy one." I say.  "Is it aluminum or stainless steel?"  "Well, I think it is probably aluminum.  Stainless steel was very expensive and for the soups and chili we were doing, aluminum works well enough."  You want to get stainless steel." he cautions.   I get to thinking and my neighbor had been using an enamel stock pot.  I just thought it was quaint.  How important is it that I get a non-aluminum pot?

Doesn’t make much difference.  Aluminum is perfectly fine for homebrewing.  If that’s what you already have, then use it. John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

Response:

No link.  Perhaps it is not a significant amount.  However, aluminum will disolve (if exposed) to an acidic water solution.  Period. No, not ‘period’.  How acidic, for starters?  My reading in cooking circles indicates that you have to be down in the low 4’s (pH) a la tomato sauce before you have to worry about it.  This is why most (good) cookbooks say that using aluminum is fine except for things like spaghetti sauce.  Beer wort should not even get into the high 4’s, so there is no problem.

I don’t want to argue the point.  I was just stating that aluminum, in the pressense of water with a pH < 7 disolves.  Period.  How much, depends how low the pH.  I was writing strictly from a chemical standpoint.  The amount could very well be so low that it is irrelavent unless the pH is below typical wort levels.  I can not say.  I do know that when I researched buying a kettle, I considered the cheaper aluminum kettles from a commercial shop.  The price wasn’t so much lower to give me a big advantage (10 gallon I am referring too).  And alot of the literature I read recommended against it for the reason I mentioned.  Perhaps it is out-of-date, or it was a person with a phoebic personality.  Either way, I went with SS, in part due to what I had read. Also, as noted, after the first use the wort never becomes ‘exposed’ to the aluminum anyway.

Agreed. another route.  The explanation that I have seen that makes the most sense is that aluminum can easily transfer via the olfacatory nerves (seems a bit strange) directly into the brain.  Thus, the mode of transport would be airborn.  So, spray on anti-perspirants are one likely source. And stay away from space shuttle launches since solid rocket fuel is composed in part of aluminum.

Spraying rocket fuel in your arm pits may be hazordous to your health And way more expensive.  But you have still to show a reason for not using aluminum, other than the fact (which I do not think any of us would deny) that SS is better for a number of reasons.

It is/was not way more expensive at that 10 gallon level.  When I priced a 10 gallon aluminum kettle from a local commerical supplier, I believe the price was around $90+ (5+ years ago).  I paid less than $150 for my SS kettle with a spigot and thermometer port. Tom Veldhouse – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – cheers, -Alan

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