Brass Fittings

[schooey]

Hi,

I have another noob question. I am gathering up some gear to take the gargantuan leap into Ag brewing and I am having trouble finding a piece of stainless threaded tube and stainless end nuts (flange nuts) to put through my kettle. I see the jolly green giant (bunnings) sell brass ones but I'm not sure if they are any good with food grade?

 

[pokolbinguy]

Schooey from what I have read and been told Braa is a big no no in brewing.

Just to add to this thread... does anyone know where in Newcastle the best place to source SS fittings etc... I need to get some bits and peices (bulkhead, male elbow, threaded tube etc).

Cheers, Pok

 

[Thirsty Boy]

If brass isn't fine... me and half my friends are well and truly screwed. I don't believe I have so much as one single stainless fitting in my brewery. Its all brass or plastic and mostly from the big green box.

I wouldn't be so keen to use brass on the fermentor side of things... but someone was doing some experiments with that too weren't they??

Thirsty

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

You can treat brass to remove a layer of lead.

In the back of Palmer's "How to Brew" there are instructions.

You treat them in a solution of peroxide and vinegar i think (off the top of my head).

I did this for a couple of the brass fittings i used in my kettle

 

[pokolbinguy]

If brass isn't fine... me and half my friends are well and truly screwed. I don't believe I have so much as one single stainless fitting in my brewery. Its all brass or plastic and mostly from the big green box.

I wouldn't be so keen to use brass on the fermentor side of things... but someone was doing some experiments with that too weren't they??

Thirsty

Hmmm .... excellent... could make building my tun etc very easy

 

[schooey]

Cheers for the info guys. Pok, the fellas at Nova (Broadmeadow) told me today to try Atlas at Thornton. I didn't get time to get out there today or ring them. By that stage I was also kinda wondering if brass was ok due to the cost also.

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Here you go, from "How to brew"


Cleaning Brass
Some brewers use brass fittings in conjunction with their wort chillers or other brewing equipment and are concerned about the lead that is present in brass alloys. A solution of two parts white vinegar to one part hydrogen peroxide (common 3% solution) will remove tarnish and surface lead from brass parts when they are soaked for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. The brass will turn a buttery yellow color as it is cleaned. If the solution starts to turn green and the brass darkens, then the parts have been soaking too long and the copper in the brass is beginning to dissolve, exposing more lead. The solution has become contaminated and the part should be re-cleaned in a fresh solution.

 

[pokolbinguy]

Here you go, from "How to brew"
Cleaning Brass
A solution of two parts white vinegar to one part hydrogen peroxide (common 3% solution) n.

Where is the best place to get "hydrogen peroxide" ?

Pok

 

[schooey]

Woolies, Coles or a chemist. It's in the drugs aisle

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Buy it from the chemist.

Before I had a bilateral wedge ressection, I used to pour it on my ingrown toenails when they got infected. So you can use it for a couple of things!

 

[kevnlis]

Buy it from the chemist.

Before I had a bilateral wedge ressection, I used to pour it on my ingrown toenails when they got infected. So you can use it for a couple of things!

This beer tastes soooo much better now! Thanks for that :lol:

 

[Sammus]

Brass is fine.

Pok: try Specialised Wholesale and Plastics on verulam rd lambton - they also sell polycarb tubing for sightglass purposes (Website)

 

[pokolbinguy]

Is it essential that the brass is cleaned using this process? What would happen if it was not cleaned? Grow a second head?...could be an advantage.... I could drink twice as much homebrew.

Cheers, Pok

 

[rwh]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning

But be careful and you should be ok. :lol: