austinbeer
07-03-2010, 10:50 PM
Hello all-
I am looking to hard pipe some of my brewhouse and cellar and have found an impressively cheap, semi-local (2 hour drive) source of 316L stainless steel 1" ID annealed thin-wall tubing. The seller told me that it is seamless on the inside. I understand that annealing is a hardening/stress tempering process that allows stainless to be bent without cracking, but are there any other properties of annealing that would make it less than desirable for hotside or fermentation side applications?
I know the exterior of the pipe is at least a #4 finish, possibly more highly polished. I do not know anything about the inside finish of the pipe other than that it doesn't have a seam.
As I have never purchased hard piping before nor am I aware of the make or model of hard piping I've used at breweries in the past, I was hoping one of you could help me figure out if this piping can be used successfully and without fear of contamination in my brewery. Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks.
abw
I am looking to hard pipe some of my brewhouse and cellar and have found an impressively cheap, semi-local (2 hour drive) source of 316L stainless steel 1" ID annealed thin-wall tubing. The seller told me that it is seamless on the inside. I understand that annealing is a hardening/stress tempering process that allows stainless to be bent without cracking, but are there any other properties of annealing that would make it less than desirable for hotside or fermentation side applications?
I know the exterior of the pipe is at least a #4 finish, possibly more highly polished. I do not know anything about the inside finish of the pipe other than that it doesn't have a seam.
As I have never purchased hard piping before nor am I aware of the make or model of hard piping I've used at breweries in the past, I was hoping one of you could help me figure out if this piping can be used successfully and without fear of contamination in my brewery. Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks.
abw