distilled water vs. purified water

MaynardX · 03-12-2009, 01:45 AM

Ive been hearing that putting ones sanitizing agent, whether it be One-Step or Star-san, in a bottle with distilled water will help it last a lot longer.

My wife went to the store and I asked her to pick up a jug of distilled water, but all they had available was "purified". Anyone know the difference and whether it would be as acceptable for sanitizing storage as distilled?

Got Trub? · 03-12-2009, 03:44 AM

I'd guess that purified was probably regular water passed through a charcoal filter. Have you tried making up Star San with your tap water? Star San in my tap water will last about 6 weeks before it starts to get cloudy.

GT

Andri · 03-12-2009, 04:42 AM

I've been reading a lot about purified water on wikipedia.
Purified water can mean alot of things, that it has been distilled, having it deionized (removing all the minerals from it and not necessarily killing off the bacteria) or a filtration process called reverse osmosis used and stuff like that.... If I wouldn't live here in iceland I would distill my water i would be brewing with because tap water and bottled water in usa tastes like ...****
(We have the purest water in the world, american scientists came here and wanted to test our tap water for bacteria, chlorine and other crap... they said something along the lines "You weren't supposed to distill the water before we test it" (I remember hearing this when I was 10 years old so I don't know the exact details, but they were amazed at the purity)

Here's a link to wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purified_water

MaynardX · 03-12-2009, 05:27 AM

Well, I've heard different stories on the "storing Star-san" with tap water. I have a brita filter that I use for my beer, but I'm still not sure of its effectiveness with sanitizer storage.

There has been some argument about whether "cloudiness" determines ineffectiveness. I don't have any litmus paper either. I'm sure I could find distilled water somewhere (maybe walmart), but was just curious about this purified water. I was looking at the label and it seems there was minerals added back into it "for taste". Seems like it defeats the purpose, but not sure how it will effect the sanitizer.

**Yuri_Rage** · 03-12-2009, 05:33 AM

There's really no way of knowing without doing some testing. Your "purified water" sounds a lot like filtered tap water to me.

MaynardX · 03-12-2009, 05:48 AM

Was thinking the same thing. Guess I'll give it to the wife to iron and steam vac!

**samc** · 03-12-2009, 06:55 AM

Make smaller batches of sanitizer and use it up quicker. Why store it long term?

llazy_llama · 03-12-2009, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samc

Make smaller batches of sanitizer and use it up quicker. Why store it long term?

Because a spray bottle with distilled water and Star San will last for ages, and will stretch a tiny bit of Star San out to last for several batches.

**springer** · 03-12-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samc

Make smaller batches of sanitizer and use it up quicker. Why store it long term?

I have a 4 gallon garden sprayer with Starsan and distilled water the PH is below 3 even after 3 months and crystal clear.All I do is mist everything and I use way less than before when I would soak everything. Why mix it up every session?

MaynardX · 03-12-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samc

Make smaller batches of sanitizer and use it up quicker. Why store it long term?

I use a small squirt bottle but never use it all. Hate to throw it out if its still good. Also, I don't want to use it if it has lost its effectiveness.