Sanitizing question

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winter999

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I clean and sanitize fermenter, carboy, racking cane, tubing, keg, etc. as soon as I'm finished using them, then let them sit and air-dry. Should I sanitize again right before I use the equipment or are we ok?

:mug:
 
Yes. Air isn't sanitary and any number of wild yeasts, bacteria and other infection agents can end up on your equipment while stored between brew days.

Many brewers (myself included) make up a few gallons of sanitizer every brew day and even have a spray bottle on hand to sanitize things on the fly during the day.
 
ok, another thing I have to buy....a spray bottle to keep sanitizer in for brew day.

I clean and rinse everything after I brew and sanitize before I brew. That is my philosphy and so far it has worked. Four brews and no nasties. (knock on wood)
 
kornkob said:
Yes. Air isn't sanitary and any number of wild yeasts, bacteria and other infection agents can end up on your equipment while stored between brew days.

Yea, sadly everytime you breathe your sucking in massive amounts of bacteria and nasties. They are bloody everywhere. God bless the human bodies immune system. And God bless Star-San!
 
Star San rocks. I made a 2.5 gallon batch with only half an ounce of it. I put leftovers in my 3 gallon water bottle pictured below. As long as the pH remains at 3 or below, it's good to use again for sanitizing. Like others, I purchased a spray bottle to do some instant sanitizing on stuff. No staining like Iodophor.

3GallonWaterBottle.jpg
 
On brew day I fill up my primary with sanitizer and sanitize my equipment in there. When I'm ready to pour the wort in, I take the stuff out, lay it on paper towel and place paper towel on top of it. So, things like the hydrometer are laying out for about 30 minutes before I use it.

I've only done two batches, so I don't have confirmation that I don't have problems. Do you think this is okay? If not, what is the method that some of you use?
 
NoBull6 said:
On brew day I fill up my primary with sanitizer and sanitize my equipment in there. When I'm ready to pour the wort in, I take the stuff out, lay it on paper towel and place paper towel on top of it. So, things like the hydrometer are laying out for about 30 minutes before I use it.

I've only done two batches, so I don't have confirmation that I don't have problems. Do you think this is okay? If not, what is the method that some of you use?

That's exactly what I do with no infections yet.
 
I usually use StarSan as well, filling the primary and putting most of what I'm going to use inside. I also do the unthinkable by cleaning and filling half of the kitchen sink with StarSan and water. I know some people cringe at this, but it gives me a sanitary place to rinse and store often used utensils like the thermometer. When it comes to handling cooled wort and yeast, I wear rubber gloves and rinse them often in the kitchen sink solution. It works for me!

I also sanitize both immediately before brewing and immediately after racking.
 
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