We all hear it - "sanitize everything that comes into contact with cooled wort."
But this solid bit of advice guesses the question - what is the best way to sanitize something as big as a 6.5 gal glass carboy? Or a 7 gal bucket?
I presently use BrewVint Cleanitizer, which comes in 8 oz packages @ $2.29 apiece. The mixing rate is 1 Tbl. per gallon.
That means that I'm using one packet to clean/sanitize about sixteen gallons of H20...this doesn't seem very frugal. OneStep, et al, are working at similar rates.
So - here's the rub...what specific techniques are we all using to sanitize our big fermentors?
(and to add some spice to the conversation...I've been experimenting with 1 oz each of bleach and white vinegar in 5 gal of water, per the instructions of Charlie Talley of Five Star Chemicals [WARNING - mix the bleach and the water first, then add the vinegar - NEVER mix bleach and vinegar directly, unless you want a trip to the hospital...or funeral home]. He actually says that rinsing isn't required at that ratio!)
But this solid bit of advice guesses the question - what is the best way to sanitize something as big as a 6.5 gal glass carboy? Or a 7 gal bucket?
I presently use BrewVint Cleanitizer, which comes in 8 oz packages @ $2.29 apiece. The mixing rate is 1 Tbl. per gallon.
That means that I'm using one packet to clean/sanitize about sixteen gallons of H20...this doesn't seem very frugal. OneStep, et al, are working at similar rates.
So - here's the rub...what specific techniques are we all using to sanitize our big fermentors?
(and to add some spice to the conversation...I've been experimenting with 1 oz each of bleach and white vinegar in 5 gal of water, per the instructions of Charlie Talley of Five Star Chemicals [WARNING - mix the bleach and the water first, then add the vinegar - NEVER mix bleach and vinegar directly, unless you want a trip to the hospital...or funeral home]. He actually says that rinsing isn't required at that ratio!)