Storing sanitizer (starsan or iodophor)

tidehouse · 06-08-2009, 08:12 PM

I'm going to brew tomorrow and want to keg another batch this weekend. My question is can I pour the 5 gal of sanitizer (starsan or iodophor) from my current batch into my corny and leave it for a few days? If not any other ideas for re-using or conserving sanitizer?

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 06-08-2009, 08:14 PM

The iodophor won't be any good by that point, and I believe starsan can be stored for months at a time but I don't have any experience with it so don't take my word for it.

**Hang Glider** · 06-08-2009, 08:23 PM

I have years of experience with that -
YES, absolutely, you can mix up your StarSan and store it in your corny. Use it again and again, dip your racking cane and tubing into it, etc. When the pH gets above 3, or it gets cloudy, dump it and mix up another batch. Doesn't eat into the stainless, but keeps it shiny inside! I even transfer it between cornys with a little CO2 pressure, diptube to diptube, to sanitize cornys.

Other ideas for storing, conserving - use a cheap wally world spraybottle (haircare section for small ones) and keep it on hand. you want wet contact, so you don't have to "soak" everything in a tub of StarSan. A little goes a long, long way.

**Pappers_** · 06-08-2009, 09:07 PM

+1 on the idophor not storing well - it needs to be used when it's mixed

Bluelinebrewer · 06-08-2009, 10:42 PM

+1 on storing the StarSan in a spray bottle, extremely handy!!

boo boo · 06-08-2009, 10:47 PM

OK what's the vote on storing Idophor?
I'm currently having a similar discussion on my club e-mail list about the effectiveness of idophor once it is mixed. I always remembered that it wasn't any good past a day or so once mixed, but there are guys on my list who disagree and say it is OK for months, especially if it is more concentrated than the normal mix.

Krelja · 06-08-2009, 10:54 PM

I'm sure someone else will chime in but I read somewhere on here that if you use distilled water it maintains the ph better for longer. So i picked some up to give it a shot

**EdWort** · 06-08-2009, 10:57 PM

I keep 5 gallons of Starsan made with Reverse Osmosis water from the Glacier dispenser at the local grocery store. I use it to refill my spray bottle and for small sanitizing jobs where I do not want to whip up a 2.5 gallon batch. I still have over 1/2 left in this bottle having filled it only one time last year and it is still good.

**QueenCityALER** · 06-08-2009, 11:03 PM

I'm a star-san man, and I keep it between batches in a large rubbermade plastic bin with the top on. I sink my bottles in it and let them sit until I decide to bottle. If you try a few things you can stretch your dollar on these cleansers. I've never used iodophor, so no advice here.