Can you have too much foam (starsan) in bottling?

I know that we should not "fear the foam" when bottling with starsan but today I got the recent catalogue from a home brew store that strongly advises to let your bottles drip dry when using starsan as a sanitizer. I usually just have a plastic tub full of starsan/water solution and let my bottles soak in this after they have already been cleaned. I pull out a bottle turn it over for the water to drain out and then fill the bottle while there are still larger starsan bubbles remaining inside the bottle. I have heard it is best to bottle when the inner surface is wet but could there be a point where we might "fear too much foam" when using starsan?

I wouldn't worry about it. Supposedly Starsan breaks down into nutrient and in correct concentrations shouldn't harm anything. I typically rack on top of foam in cornies and bottles and have yet to notice any problems, even in paler beers.

I forgot to pour out the last bit of Starsan in one of my last kegs and didn't even notice the difference.

Typically when I keg I soak the keg for about 15 minutes (rotating, etc) then use the auto-siphon to move the sanitizer into a bucket in which I soak all my accessories.

I usually pour out the last pint or so of liquid that's left at the bottom of the keg but I totally forgot and racked right onto it. about 1/2 a keg of foam and the pint or so on the bottom.

This was a keg-conditioned beer and tapped it about 4-5 days ago. Zero off flavors and excellent.

What am I doing wrong? I've never had foam when using Star San. Never understood the "don't fear the foam" posts.

iaefebs said:

What am I doing wrong? I've never had foam when using Star San. Never understood the "don't fear the foam" posts.

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Wowzers! Really?

Are you putting the Starsan in first? or after you fill your container with water.

I usually dump in about 1/2 of the little fill measure of Starsan into a carboy/keg and fill 1/2 way with water. by that time the foam is typically creeping out the top.

ScottSingleton said:

Wowzers! Really?

Are you putting the Starsan in first? or after you fill your container with water.

I usually dump in about 1/2 of the little fill measure of Starsan into a carboy/keg and fill 1/2 way with water. by that time the foam is typically creeping out the top.

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That's what I'm doing different. Thanks, it didn't make sense to me till I read your post. I only mix up a quart at a time in a spray bottle. So if you pour some in a container and agitate it by filling the container with water, it is the same as putting in dish soap first and filling a container... you get foam.