Brew Kettles — Asbestos Exposure Crosswalk
What This Equipment Is
The brewhouse is the cluster of large heated vessels at the heart of every brewery — mash tuns, lauter tuns, and brew kettles (also called wort kettles or copper kettles). They mix grain with hot water, separate the sweet wort from the grain bed, and boil the wort with hops. The largest of these vessels — the brew kettle — historically held 200 to 1,000 barrels and was either steam-jacketed or direct-fired (heated by a gas or coal burner underneath).
Direct-fired kettles, in particular, sat on or above refractory brick hearths and were surrounded by hot-side insulation. Steam-jacketed kettles required heavy pipe insulation on the supply lines from the powerhouse. Every vessel had bolted manway covers, sight glasses, and instrumentation flanges sealed with gasket material.
Asbestos Products Historically Used in Brewhouse Vessels
| Product Category | Where on the Vessel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refractory brick | Direct-fired kettle hearths, breechings | Some grades historically asbestos-bonded |
| Block insulation | Kettle and tun exteriors | Calcium silicate, magnesia |
| Pipe covering | Steam supply lines into kettles, wort transfer lines | Magnesia, calcium silicate |
| Insulating cement | Joints and fittings around the vessel | Mixed dry — high airborne fiber during application |
| Gaskets | Manway covers, handhole plates, flanged piping | Asbestos sheet gasket material |
| Packing | Valve stems on steam and product piping | Braided asbestos rope |
| Millboard | Heat shielding around burner ports | Asbestos millboard |
Manufacturers Named in Litigation Involving These Products
- Johns-Manville — pipe covering, block insulation, refractory
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard — pipe covering, block insulation
- Eagle-Picher — block insulation
- Armstrong World Industries — calcium silicate insulation, magnesia cement
- Garlock Sealing Technologies — sheet gaskets
- A.W. Chesterton — braided asbestos rope packing
- Crane Co. — valves and ancillary equipment
Documented Product References
Images sourced from publicly available product-identification reference materials. Inclusion does not constitute a finding of liability against any company.
Trust Funds That May Apply
- Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust
- Owens-Corning / Fibreboard Asbestos PI Trust
- Eagle-Picher Industries PI Settlement Trust
- Armstrong World Industries Asbestos PI Settlement Trust
- Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC Asbestos PI Trust
Trades Most Exposed at the Brewhouse
Pipefitters, insulators (Heat & Frost), millwrights, refractory masons (during reline outages), brewhouse mechanics, and laborers doing tear-out during periodic kettle rebuilds.
Jobsites in the Network Documenting Brewhouse Equipment
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Louis, Missouri — mash tuns, brew kettles, lauter tuns
Compiled from publicly filed asbestos litigation, EPA / state-DNR records, and industry-publication histories. Product and company references reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed litigation. This page does not constitute a finding of liability against any company. Not legal advice; consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.