My brew kettle is the workhorse of my system. Takes a beating day in and day out, since as a BIAB’er its also my mash tun.
I left my copper IC in it at one point, and it seemed to leave a stain at the bottom of the kettle. There also seem to be a good number of carbon/gunk stains on it.
Does anyone have any tried and true methods for getting all the grub off of an aluminum kettle? Since we are on the subject, any way to really deep clean a copper IC as well? Boil some sort of baking soda solution in it? Maybe boil oxyclean?
I just cleaned my aluminum kettle after using it for over 60 batches. Hot PBW or similar cleaning product will work well. Be aware that PBW has special metal protectants (I think they are metasilcates) that help prevent corrosion.
I heated my solution to about 160F and it took about an hour to get the transparent brown layer off the aluminum and there was no damage to the aluminum as far as I could tell. I would not leave that solution in the kettle for a very long period though, since aluminum is a soft metal and can be corroded.
[quote=“mabrungard”]I just cleaned my aluminum kettle after using it for over 60 batches. Hot PBW or similar cleaning product will work well. Be aware that PBW has special metal protectants (I think they are metasilcates) that help prevent corrosion.
I heated my solution to about 160F and it took about an hour to get the transparent brown layer off the aluminum and there was no damage to the aluminum as far as I could tell. I would not leave that solution in the kettle for a very long period though, since aluminum is a soft metal and can be corroded.[/quote]
Thats funny, that’s right about where I am as far as number of batches in this kettle!
Is Oxyclean or One Step similar to PBW? I have a bunch of that at my house. Also, just to confirm, did you heat the water in the kettle itself for cleaning?
My other issue is I have a weldless ball valve attached to it, which is also probably pretty grimy. I suppose I could use an old toothbrush to get into that and give it a scrubdown.
Is Oxyclean or One Step similar to PBW? I have a bunch of that at my house. Also, just to confirm, did you heat the water in the kettle itself for cleaning?
My other issue is I have a weldless ball valve attached to it, which is also probably pretty grimy. I suppose I could use an old toothbrush to get into that and give it a scrubdown.[/quote]
I understand people make a similar product to PBW by combining Oxyclean and phosphorus-free TSP. I think the main problem with Oxyclean is that it doesn’t have that compound that helps protect the metal.
Regarding the ball valve, this is on the hot-side, so its not imperative to take it off the kettle. I’d clean it the best you can after you have done the hot soak.
Regarding the ball valve, this is on the hot-side, so its not imperative to take it off the kettle. I’d clean it the best you can after you have done the hot soak.[/quote][/quote]
This was kind of my thought. I am going to be buying some new fermenters so I will pick up some PBW when I do that.
About a month ago I took apart my ball valves and was disgusted by what I saw. Full of gunk. And, I recirculate PBW through them with a pump/CFC. Still might be a good idea to take them off and clean them.
Funny. I took mine apart for the first time after about 20 brews through it and had almost no crud on it. 20 certainly isn’t a lot but I feel less inclined to take it apart and clean it often now.
You could also go the mechanical cleaning route. I use one of those wet/dry sponge sanders made by 3M with Dawn dish detergent. Here is a link for your information. These can also be found at pretty much any hardware or paint supply store.
The 60 grit sander rips the crud right off, even the charring on the outside bottom of the pot. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly, so as not to leave any sanding grit behind, and then re-season the pot by boiling water in it for 30 minutes prior to using it again for brewing.
[quote=“flcncrst”]Aluminum has no place in brewing or distilling, sorry…
Unless you were really in love with the taste of hi school lunch’s[/quote]
I disagree. A properly seasoned aluminum pot is just fine for brewing. By seasoned I mean an oxide layer has been built up on the inside surfaces of the pot by boiling water in it continuously for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to using it to boil wort. You can also bake your pot for ten minutes in an oven set to 350 degrees F. You only need to do this once, unless you scrub off the oxide layer with heavy mechanical cleaning.
[quote=“Ken in MN”][quote=“flcncrst”]Aluminum has no place in brewing or distilling, sorry…
Unless you were really in love with the taste of hi school lunch’s[/quote]
I disagree. A properly seasoned aluminum pot is just fine for brewing. By seasoned I mean an oxide layer has been built up on the inside surfaces of the pot by boiling water in it continuously for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to using it to boil wort. You can also bake your pot for ten minutes in an oven set to 350 degrees F. You only need to do this once, unless you scrub off the oxide layer with heavy mechanical cleaning.[/quote]
I only use my aluminum pot for strike and sparge water so nothing has ever been boiled in it. Is this something I should do? I never knew this was even a thing
[quote]Specific Metals
Aluminum
Aluminum is easy to form, machine and can be welded with the proper equipment. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is good, about half that of copper. The aluminum alloys most commonly used for cookware are alloys 3003 and 3004, which have very good corrosion resistance. Under normal brewing conditions, aluminum (by itself) will not corrode and should not contribute any metallic flavor to your beer. Do not clean the metal shiny bright between uses or you will increase your chance of getting a metallic off-flavor.
Aluminum will corrode if placed adjacent to another metal like copper in wort or beer, but the short contact time during a typical brewday is not a problem. Aluminum and copper/brass couples should not be used for long term storage of beer. Percarbonate-based cleaners like Straight A and PBW, or unscented dishwashing detergent, are recommended for general cleaning. Do not use bleach or caustic because these will cause pitting. [/quote]
