Brewing Master

Question:

G’day All,         I have made about 5 brews so far, none of them from KITS. I enjoy half-mashes and malt extract brews, but I intend to go into full mashes. The problem I am having is a bad taste in my home brew. It does not taste cidery, or sour, but just very un-natural.         I use an aluminium jam pot of my mothers to brew in, and there is a horribly clear mark where the wort has been sitting/boiling. It looks like the wort’s acidic nature has reacted with the Aluminium, causing the reacted part to go very very shiny. I think, I can also spot very fine flakes of Aluminium coming off the side of the pot.         A friend said that this would impart a very foul taste to me beer, and could even be canver causing. Dave Miller says in TCHOHB "Aluminium, plain steel, and iron may impart a metallic taste and should not be considered. Can anyone verify this for me. Regards, Luke —                 Zikzak public access UNIX, Melbourne, Australia.

Response:

(Luke Enriquez) writes:    I use an aluminium jam pot of my mothers to brew in, and there is a horribly clear mark where the wort has been sitting/boiling. It looks like the wort’s acidic nature has reacted with the Aluminium, causing the reacted part to go very very shiny. I think, I can also spot very fine flakes of Aluminium coming off the side of the pot.

I know that taste. Dump the aluminum pot. I had similar experiences when I started. These days I use a big enameled canning pot. Cheap and effective.    A friend said that this would impart a very foul taste to me beer, and could even be cancer causing. Dave Miller says in TCHOHB "Aluminium,

He means alzheimers, and it’s bullshit. Studies have shown that aluminum builds up in the brains of alzheimers patients. No one who has a clue has suggested that this is due to cook wear. It’s an effect of alzheimers, not a cause of it. Aluminum oxide is an extremely common compound which appears in many things we eat. Eliminating it from your diet would be difficult, to say the least. It’s like saying, don’t eat calcium or you’ll get arthritis. But it does muck with the flavor of beer. plain steel, and iron may impart a metallic taste and should not be considered. Can anyone verify this for me.

Consider it verified. – Michael — Anything written below this point is garbage added by my posting software

Response: