Tin Kettle?

[stef]

I'm planning a move to BIAB in the next couple of months, if i can find a suitable kettle. However, being a student with no money, i havent found it easy to find one in my budget...

However, I was at my folks house the other day and spotted an old metal container- i believe it used to hold water for an automatic chicken feeder or something... Anyway, i think its tin (or maybe aluminium), very old and pretty gross and dirty, bits of built up crap and crusty sediment. Seems to be about 25-30ish litres though, and has a hole for a tap. Kind of keg shaped/mini barrel. Not quite big enough to be perfect, but close enough if its free!

If i spent half a day cleaning it and grinding off all the crap with a brush attachment for angle grinder/drill, then maybe giving it an acid bath or something, would it work as a kettle for my BIAB? The metal itself seems to be quite thin as well, particularly the base. Longevity isnt really whant i'm after though- if it works for a few brews i'd be happy.

Any thoughts?

and yes, i know, better to invest in some SS pot or something and it will pay itself off and all that, but it isnt an option right now. Think a keg is my next best bet, but not sure where to source one (legally) from...

 

[praxis178]

I'm planning a move to BIAB in the next couple of months, if i can find a suitable kettle. However, being a student with no money, i havent found it easy to find one in my budget...

However, I was at my folks house the other day and spotted an old metal container- i believe it used to hold water for an automatic chicken feeder or something... Anyway, i think its tin (or maybe aluminium), very old and pretty gross and dirty, bits of built up crap and crusty sediment. Seems to be about 25-30ish litres though, and has a hole for a tap. Kind of keg shaped/mini barrel. Not quite big enough to be perfect, but close enough if its free!

If i spent half a day cleaning it and grinding off all the crap with a brush attachment for angle grinder/drill, then maybe giving it an acid bath or something, would it work as a kettle for my BIAB? The metal itself seems to be quite thin as well, particularly the base. Longevity isnt really whant i'm after though- if it works for a few brews i'd be happy.

Any thoughts?

and yes, i know, better to invest in some SS pot or something and it will pay itself off and all that, but it isnt an option right now. Think a keg is my next best bet, but not sure where to source one (legally) from...

Don't use it! It's more than likely that it's zinc plated, which isn't good for you and reacts with ease in an acidic environment like a mash.

Get your hands on a Big-W 19L stock pot they're only ~$17-20 mark and either do smaller batches or get two pots or, on the griping hand, boil over gravity and dilute to gravity in the fermenter....

 

[proudscum]

[well said.You should Google Gal poisoning to see what they say about this STEF !


quote name='Thomas J.' date='Oct 31 2010, 04:09 PM' post='698135']
Don't use it! It's more than likely that it's zinc plated, which isn't good for you and reacts with ease in an acidic environment like a mash.

Get your hands on a Big-W 19L stock pot they're only ~$17-20 mark and either do smaller batches or get two pots or, on the griping hand, boil over gravity and dilute to gravity in the fermenter....
[/quote]

 

[yardy]

I'm planning a move to BIAB in the next couple of months, if i can find a suitable kettle. However, being a student with no money, i havent found it easy to find one in my budget...

However, I was at my folks house the other day and spotted an old metal container- i believe it used to hold water for an automatic chicken feeder or something... Anyway, i think its tin (or maybe aluminium), very old and pretty gross and dirty, bits of built up crap and crusty sediment. Seems to be about 25-30ish litres though, and has a hole for a tap. Kind of keg shaped/mini barrel. Not quite big enough to be perfect, but close enough if its free!

If i spent half a day cleaning it and grinding off all the crap with a brush attachment for angle grinder/drill, then maybe giving it an acid bath or something, would it work as a kettle for my BIAB? The metal itself seems to be quite thin as well, particularly the base. Longevity isnt really whant i'm after though- if it works for a few brews i'd be happy.

Any thoughts?

and yes, i know, better to invest in some SS pot or something and it will pay itself off and all that, but it isnt an option right now. Think a keg is my next best bet, but not sure where to source one (legally) from...

got a pic ?

cheers