I don't feat the foam, BUT...
 

...it sure does annoy me sometimes.

I switched to Starsan from Iodophor shortly after I started brewing, I love the ease of use. But, when sanitizing a carboy, I always end up with 1/2 full of foam. I know, I know, it's supposed to protect and sanitize as it rises up, but what annoys me is when it pushes out through the top as I'm filling, carrying some of the wort with it, causing a sticky mess.

Any ideas on how to tame the foam? I really don't want to use Iodophor for the carboys, but it seems like the easier thing to do, I just get overly worried about the chemical coming through if I don't let it drain well enough.

Appreciate any thoughts on this!

Thanks,

Kosch

I've never had the trouble you're describing, where the foam carries wort with it when it pushes out. But, you could always just use saniclean: http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/breweries/homebrewing/products/

Simply? Don't splash. I just put maybe 1/2 gallon in my carboy, pick it up and move it around so all surfaces are touched and coated. I put it down until I'm about to fill then repeat the process and drain. I'll have a small amount of foam but very manageable.

What's annoying about it? I think it's pretty fun. And I know that all that foam is reaching into every nook and cranny of my gear.

I don't get why folks have such issues with it. "Stupid Starsan Tricks" or why you shouldn't fear the foam...

I just wait a few minutes, then pour it out again. It usually takes most of the foam with it the second time.

I guess I am some super foamy Starsan, because what I do is:

1) Fill the carboy with about 1-1.5 gallons Starsan
2) Shake it up to coat all the surfaces
3) Let sit for about 10 minutes
4) Pour out (this still leaves a ton of foam)
5) Let sit inverted for about 20-30 mins

I run my wort through double grain bags to filter out the crud, so can't do much about it splashing there.

Revvy: Well, again, the only thing I have a problem with is the foam + wort bubbling out the top. I understand all the other points. Sometimes it doesn't catch any of the wort, most of the time it does. Makes the carboy sticky, and that's my issue. I guess I have to find a different way to filter stuff out to fill from the bottom like I do if I don't want it to happen.

MalFet: I was looking at that, but it says it's a "final rinse" product, no "no rinse" like Starsan?

Keep in mind, the foam I am talking about is 1/3 - 1/2 of a 6.5 gallon carboy (that I primary 5 gallons in). Do folks just not shake it up as much as I do?

Thanks,

Kosch

I've seen videos and read about this foaming. It seems strange to me to fill the keg or carboy with all that foam in there. I would always remove all of it before I filled it. I assume it is ok to do this but having that much non-beer chemical mixed in with the beer bothers me.

The information has been repeated on here a zillion times, including the links to the podcast by the creators of starsan. IT BREAKS DOWN in contact with the beer to benign compounds found in just about every softdrink (at least cola based) AND IS EATEN BY THE YEAST (and loved even by septic systems.) It doesn't stay in there in it's original form. Properly diluted starsan is perfectly safe.

Again, its a contact sanitizer so there is really no reason to shake the crap out of the carboy. You can give it a reasonable swish around the entire surface while spinning it around. Do that and you will only have a bit of foam, no where close to even a 1/3 of the carboy. Starsan doesnt have to be agitated to be effective.

Doesn't it require a 30 second contact time? I basically try to keep it moving around for 30 seconds, which is easier done by just shaking it, so that is why it foams up so much. Maybe I'll try some more gentle swishing/rolling for not quite so long.

Thanks!

Kosch