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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator

Contents:
  Aluminum Pots ("Lance "Bits B We" Smith")
  Is a secondary fermentor needed? (Paul Close)

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Date: Mon, 29 May 89 13:36:19 CDT
From: "Lance "Bits B We" Smith" <lsmith at umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Subject: Aluminum Pots

To help murk up the brew pot debate some more...

The argument that I have heard against aluminum pots is that although not
reactive for most cooking, they do react somewhat with the usual wort 
mixture and that this might impart an off flavor. The same argument goes
somewhat for enamel pots. As long as the enamel is intact no problem, but
the exposed steel could corrupt the brew. That's the usual line in the
brew books. Of course, we brewers tend to hold onto anything we hear so
I'm not sure if this is all scientifically correct.

If you're looking for an enamel pot (although one of our department stores
just had a 40% sale on stainless pots which I managed to miss until it was
over!) you might want to wait for the preserving season. When I was in a 
smaller town, I called all over town trying to find a pot that could handle
at least 4 gallons. Finally tracked one down at some remote store on the edge
of town. Three months later all the stores had them and most were on sale.
You usually will get a jar holder too! (No really brewing use, but it's free.)

Lance Smith

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Date: Mon, 29 May 89 21:29:25 PDT
From: paul at cacilj.uucp (Paul Close)
Subject: Is a secondary fermentor needed?

I'm working on a batch of Homebrew--it's the first I've done for several
years.  I used to transfer the wort to a secondary fermentor after a few days.
Based on articles I've seen here, I'm wondering if this is still a necessary
step.  I've got the wort in a 6 gallon canning container (I boiled all 5
gallons).  I have a thick sheet of plastic tied over the top of the container.

Which would introduce more contamination:  leaving it where it is for the
whole fermentation process, or transferring it to a glass carboy with a vapor
lock?
-- 
Paul Close	paul at cacilj.CTS.COM 	...!{uunet, ucsd, crash}!cacilj!paul

    The Obi-wan Kenobi method:  "Use the Source, Luke"	-Jim Fulton

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