I put a solution of PBW into a new 4-qt. aluminum pitcher and it removed part of the oxidized finish. I know aluminum should re-oxydise, but I’m hoping this won’t cause any future problems with sanitation because I’m planning on using this container to collect the boiled wort and transfer it to the fermenter.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Do you want to know about PBW and teflon? I joke. 
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/Brew-Strong/Brew-Strong-11-10-08-Cleaning
This link should be it’s own permanent thread. Would probably save a lot of people a lot of heartache.
Good link. Interesting show.
Aluminum’s oxide layer does not hold up at higher pH (PBW) or to low pH (Star San). Don’t cook tomatoes in an aluminum pot - acidic.
From listening to the Brew Strong program, I now know that PBW is hard on aluminum, but that doesn’t answer my basic question as regards sanitation.
I’ve already damaged the finish.
If I use a fresh solution of PBW to sanitize without regard to any further damage to the oxidation of the pot, can I use the pitcher to transfer freshly boiled and then cooled wort from my BIAB brew kettle to my fermenter without fear of contamination?
Thanks
Why not just drain or siphon your BK directly into your fermenter?
I use a plastic pitcher and avoid all that. Too easy a solution?
Reply to JT
The fermenter is too tall to fit underneath the ball valve fitting at the bottom of the pot when it is sitting on the propane burner. I do BIAB, turn the burner off, and cool it with an immersion chiller while it is sitting on the propane burner stand. Since good brewing procedure calls for aerating the cooled wort before pitching the yeast, opening the valve and running it into a pitcher during the transfer process helps aerate it.
In future, I’ll use a plastic pitcher instead of aluminum.
Thanks
I see. I use o2 and a stone so sometimes I forget that I used to shake wort for the same reason. Honestly I’m not sure on whether the damage could harbor some baddies. I do know that you need to clean before sanitizing for it to be effective.
Plastic pitchers and buckets are cheap and easy to clean/sanitize.
I assume that you are referring to Starsan, since PBW is a cleaner, not a sanitizer
I put my burner on cinder blocks. Height is just about perfect for transferring to better bottles and buckets.
A length of tubing that is long enough to go well past the valve, even if it goes up a bit, will help as well. I use 2 feet of 1/2" for this purpose, but I would go longer if I needed to go “up hill” at all.
To regenerate the oxide layer, put some water in , say an inch or two, put the lid/cover on, and boil. The grey finish should be back.