National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: Metattron on September 04, 2013, 05:03:16 PM

Title: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Metattron on September 04, 2013, 05:03:16 PM
Is there a good reason for choosing stainless steel over copper, other than it's shiny?  Copper is cleaner and kills off microbes, so I'm starting to think I should go for copper and brass for pipes, taps etc, rather than the lure of the shiny.  Here's some science:

http://youtu.be/2RZXDOdrAdI
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: DEMPSEY on September 04, 2013, 05:12:29 PM
excellent story. If you had asked me before I saw that clip I would have said stainless steel but now I can rethink this.
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Hop Bomb on September 04, 2013, 09:49:53 PM
I hate the way anything copper in my setup changes colour frequently & can even build up that green oxide if I havent brewed in a while. Stainless doesnt oxidize & keeps its lovely shine.
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Metattron on September 04, 2013, 10:07:19 PM
Quote from: Hop Bomb on September 04, 2013, 09:49:53 PM
I hate the way anything copper in my setup changes colour frequently & can even build up that green oxide if I havent brewed in a while. Stainless doesnt oxidize & keeps its lovely shine.

There's your problem right there!  :)
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Covey on September 04, 2013, 11:16:55 PM
who cares, make beers. 1 Billion rand to the first person who can taste the difference.
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Hop Bomb on September 04, 2013, 11:51:37 PM
I care.
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Covey on September 05, 2013, 12:06:47 AM
You dont really. your just a tech whore as you told me ;).
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: Hop Bomb on September 05, 2013, 12:30:27 AM
Over building & over thinking things is way better craic than actually brewing. The clean up is easier too.
Title: Re: Copper vs stainless steel
Post by: wallacebiy on September 06, 2013, 12:24:42 PM
I think it's purely the corrosive and structural concerns that tips us the way of stainless steel

Copper is absolutely fine , however some corrosion products of copper are poisonous
so if it's somewhere you can't see , you could be poisoning yourself .

Structurally copper is weaker and softer so you need a thicker wall than steel.

That said a little copper somewhere in your setup is good for promoting yeast growth .
( I use a small length of copper to connect taps to the boiler / mash tun etc .)


Didn't watch the above video , but I presume it's purely dealing with microbial stuff ?