Is StarSan foam in carboy bad?
- Thread starter RobE
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GrogNerd
mean old man
Don't Fear the Foam!
87,000 people use it every brew day with no problems
as long as it's mixed and used properly, it's actually good for the yeast.
just don't dump it undiluted into your primary
87,000 people use it every brew day with no problems
as long as it's mixed and used properly, it's actually good for the yeast.
just don't dump it undiluted into your primary
Sjorge3442
Well-Known Member
I try to get the majority of the foam out by swinging the carboy, but i know the foam is good for the beer. Just let it be.
Another vote for "don't fear the foam".
Same goes when you're transferring to your secondary (if applicable) or bottling or kegging...
Same goes when you're transferring to your secondary (if applicable) or bottling or kegging...
"swinging" and "carboy" just doesn't sound good in the same sentence. Sounds like flying glass shards to me.
aubiecat
Well-Known Member
If you are scared of the foam try .
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As a follow-on question about StarSan, how bad is it if 1.5 cups of diluted StarSan made it into my 6 gallon primary? Is this a dump and re-start or???
My first batch of homebrew ever, long story about how this happened, but appreciate any advice.
My first batch of homebrew ever, long story about how this happened, but appreciate any advice.
As long as the 1.5 cups was properly diluted to suggested concentration the 5 gallons of wort should have disabled the sanitizing ability of the star San. A quick pH test can confirm this; star San is only effective if the pH is below 3.
1.5 cups of diluted star san is absolutely not a problem in several gallons of liquid. Don't worry about it.
Three batches ago I accidentally siphoned at least a pint or two of diluted StarSan into my primary. Best pale ale I've made. It won't be a problem.
Three batches ago I accidentally siphoned at least a pint or two of diluted StarSan into my primary. Best pale ale I've made. It won't be a problem.
Bet that gave you angina for a few days before you got to try it ;-)
Thank god I'm on beta blockers...
(not really)Nah, in seriousness, I was so pissed off by everything that had gone wrong with the brew already I had given up on the batch and was beyond caring. The full description of that day can be found here, for your entertainment.
Thank god I'm on beta blockers...
Nah, in seriousness, I was so pissed off by everything that had gone wrong with the brew already I had given up on the batch and was beyond caring. The full description of that day can be found here, for your entertainment.
hhahaha... WOW!!! You poor guy!! Glad that beer turned out OK. I had a similar situation when I first started brewing.
My wife and I were at a cranberry festival, and we saw a 1 gallon Cranberry Cream Ale kit. I don't even like cream ale. My wife got it for me, deciding that I needed a hobby that didn't involve power tools or computers (HA! I use them both in brewing!)
Anyway, I screwed this batch up EVERY way you can think of. I used tap water. I didn't boil it long enough. I didn't start the yeast. I left the one gallon container uncovered for a week, exposed to open air. That container, by the way, I washed with dishsoap prior to using. I poured it into a juice jug, then into a measuring cup (neither sanitized) for bottling. Then I realized I forgot the corn sugar, uncapped the bottles, poured it all back into the juice jug, added the corn sugar directly (no boiled water), and back into the measuring cup, back into the bottles.
By the time it was ready to try, I was bolting myself up, mentally preparing myself to drink enough of this sewage so as to not hurt my wife's feelings.
Honestly, it was one of the best damn beers I've ever had. And I don't exactly like cranberries OR cream ales. My friends want me to make it again next year. I'm wondering if I should screw everything up again, just to make a perfect beer.
patthebrewer
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Not a problem at all! I rack ontp starsan foam in both my fermenter and my bottles (when I actually bottle these days anyway). I heard somewhere that Yeast actually like starsan.
I still don't get why folks freak out about the foam, and starsan in general. Starsan breaks down into phosphoric acid, which the yeast love. In fact it is good food for septic fields. It breaks down into stuff that you and I consume every day....if you drink colas, or other soft drinks, you're drinking what starsan breaks down to....
The foam is an important part of the sanitization process, 1) because it can reach into any nook and cranny (like in a kegging system) and 2) because it tends to cling surfaces, so that the sanitizer forms a barrier and anything the comes into contact with it is killed.
I put a lot of good info and tips of effectively using sanitizers in here. Including a podcast by the creator of starsan, and one by a rep from iodophor talking about that and more-https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/
The foam is an important part of the sanitization process, 1) because it can reach into any nook and cranny (like in a kegging system) and 2) because it tends to cling surfaces, so that the sanitizer forms a barrier and anything the comes into contact with it is killed.
I put a lot of good info and tips of effectively using sanitizers in here. Including a podcast by the creator of starsan, and one by a rep from iodophor talking about that and more-https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/
Ricochetbrew
Well-Known Member
mpcluever said:
I agree. However it sounds like you tube gold! Hope he records it!
The words "Glass Grenade" come to mind.
it is important to rack your beer onto the foam quickly. exposed foam will attract goblins.
Ricochetbrew
Well-Known Member
sgraham602 said:
Haha. Also I heard if you don't have any foam a mini sea monster like creatures swims around in the fermenting beer and feeds on the yeast? True story.
Sjorge3442
Well-Known Member
Haha. If I were using glass carboys then yeah. I'd be scared too but I use better bottles. Cheaper,lighter, and cheaper
