I picked up a winware 5 gallon pot so I could do some small batches indoors and it has instructions saying it should be seasoned to reduce the chance of discoloration.
Is that really necessary for homebrew use?
I wouldn’t oil cure a homebrew kettle as the oil would 1) interfere with head retention and 2) wash away almost instantly upon first use. I think aluminium will passivate pretty quickly but I do not have the scientific knowledge to say that for sure.
That was my thought as well. Just needed a second opinion. Thanks.
Give the pot a good scrubbing and rinse. You need to wash off the oil they use to form the pot. Fill it up with more water than you plan to normally boil for a batch of beer. Bring it to a boil for about 1 hour or so. I have a 10 gallon Winware pot that I filled with 9+ gallons. I boiled it for about an hour or so. The pot will turn a bronzy color where ever the water touches it. This is the protective oxide that you need to protect the pot for future use.
Don’t use oil… just boil water in it.
+1
OK, I’ll to do that, thanks.
That seasoning schedule is for the purpose of getting a stick-resistant surface. I’m guessing you’re not planning to cook up any omelets in your kettle,
Omelette saison!
People are always describing the hot break looking like egg drop soup ;D
- another to what eyousey said. Overfill and boil water. I don’t think you need an hour, but that is a nice goal. If your water isn’t very hard, I suggest adding calcium salts to your water to help imbue and coat the aluminum. The surface should go from shiny and metallic to dark gray. You want the dark gray since it signals a good oxidized surface coating.