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Cleaning/using aluminum turkey fryer pot
So I have a 27 QT aluminum pot that has been sitting in my turkey fryer, used oil and all, for about 5 months (don't ask). I have moved on to all grain brewing and I would love to have a bigger pot to work with. I cleaned, scrubbed, soaked, and cleaned again, and it came out looking better than I thought it would. But it still looks like it needs a little more cleaning. Any recommendations? Is it even safe to use any more?
If its clean leave it alone. You don't want to scrub off the oxide coating. Just use soap, water and a sponge or soft scrubby when cleaning.
Wild
Fill it with PBW solution and boil it for 20 minutes. Rinse then boil with plain water another 20 minutes.
Rinse and you should be good.
The test for seeing if the oil is gone is to fill it and boil some water (after the cleaning process above). Then bring the water level right to the top with cool water. Let the whole thing sit overnight to completely cool.
If there is any oil left in the porous aluminum, you should be able to see a slick of it on the surface of the filled cooled pot.
I went into my local home brew store and they talked me into using Five Star San to clean out the aluminum pot. I cleaned it out, added the Star San and it "looked" great. However, I boiled water in it just to see what would happen. The water looked fine but it turned the pot a darker color. Should I cut my losses and invest in a new pot?
The dark color is the 'oxide' that wild is referring to. That is perfectly normal and fine for an aluminum pot. Leave it as is and brew on!
That darker color is the aluminum oxide that prevents the pot from rusting and leaching aluminum into the beer.
Its all good.
My aluminum brew pot "looks" horrible...but its just an oxidized layer. This layer helps protect the aluminum and helps keep any "metal" off flavors out of the wort/beer. When I am cleaning I just use hot water and a soft cloth with a tiny bit of dish soap. The important thing is that the oil is gone, and it sounds like that is the case.
I though boiling brewing beer with aluminum pots can cause off flavors?
DC
Stop licking the pot and you won't get anymore off flavors 
deafcone wrote:
I though boiling brewing beer with aluminum pots can cause off flavors?
DC
In a properly cared for pot this rumor is a myth.
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