No Sanitizer?

So my first brew is in the fermenter as we speak but in my excitement I failed to realize the C-Brite I was using was just a cleanser and not a sanitizer. How bad is this? Will I be OK if I use sanitizer on the remaining parts of the process?

C-brite is advertised as a cleaner/sanitzer so you should be ok. I used one-step for my first 5 brews or so until I discovered star-san.

I think you'll be okay provided you keep good sanitation practices going forward. It gets easier as you get more experienced, I promise!

Thanks guys!

I believe it was the guy from Star San that I heard commenting on how even though C brite claims dual purpose, it's allowed to technically claim "sanitizing PROPERTIES" merely because it is a cleaner of unsanitary things. However, it has ZERO sanitizing ability and contains no ingredients that act as sanitizer. However, not sanitizing doesn't always mean beer will contaminate - it just means you are rolling the dice a little. How good the chances of having a problem are, depend on a lot of things - but usually, you've got pretty good odds of making great beer. One thing I think you've got in your favor here is that this was your first brew - so presumably everything your post-boil wort touched, was brand new. This will definitely swing odds in your favor a bit.

I read the same thing in the middle of my first boil and got a worried but it was Sunday and the LHBS was closed so I just cleaned well with unscented dish soap and then let everything soak in b-brite for the rest of the boil. Everything turned out fine, BUT I went that Monday and bought StarSan.

Bleach will work in a pinch...I know I usually have gallon around the house or a 24 hour store has some. Don't remember the dilution ratio....sorry.

BigRock947 said:

Bleach will work in a pinch...I know I usually have gallon around the house or a 24 hour store has some. Don't remember the dilution ratio....sorry.

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I wouldn't recommend bleach. Especially to a newb. Could do a lot more harm than good if you don't rinse well.

For some things like hoses/fittings/etc you can always boil water and toss them in for 15-30 seconds.

BBL_Brewer said:

I wouldn't recommend bleach. Especially to a newb. Could do a lot more harm than good if you don't rinse well.

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Yeah....you're right. I probably should of mentioned rinsing well....I used to make a weak solution of bleach water to sanitize back before this internet thing allowed us to found more information what is good and bad for beer making....

My first brew was done without a sanitizer. I was told one was in my starter kit, but it was just a cleaner. I used hydrogen peroxide on my tools post boil (but ended up sticking my entire arm in the wort to fish out a object I dropped in it). The beer turned out fine and we joked that I should stick my arm in every beer I make.

Chances are you'll be fine...read through some of the threads on this site and you'll see some of the gawd-awful things people have done to their beers and managed to get them to come out alright. For ex., I've personally dropped (1) a pen in my bottling bucket (2) a Tonka truck in my fermenter...OK, that was my son, but whatever (3) the unsanitized end of my wort chiller hose, plus about a quart of hose water, into my cooling brew kettle. Damn hose clamp had broken and I didn't realize it!

My point is, most of the time, even when you make really bone-headed mistakes, the beer is just fine. That doesn't mean you should get lazy about sanitation--if you're ever tempted to do so, search the "Post your infection" thread on the site to cure yourself real quick. But at the end of the day you'll probably be fine, and if not, hey, it's a good learning experience. Cheers!

Awesome info guys thanks a ton! I'm just going to make sure I keep everything sanitized going forward and hope for the best. Even if the beer turns our horrible it would be a good learning experience.

Didn't most kits include C-brite as a 'sanitizer' until recently?

I can't remember--it's been awhile since I used a kit, but I don't think mine (from MoreBeer) contained any cleaner/sanitizer...could be wrong though.

When I started at the beginning of the year the guy from the LHBS told me to just use the cleaner in the Brewers Best kit and I'd be fine. Not knowing better (and not reading enough beforehand) I went with it. The beer (an Imperial IPA) turned out fine but by the next batch I had a bottle of Star-San

People still use one step and easy clean as sanitizers, I used easy clean for my first 3 batches, no problems.
It is sold and used by all 3 homebrew stores in my area as a sanitizer and all 3 owners tell me most of their customers use it as well.
I got a DVD just yesterday from Midwest Supplies and they used one step as a sanitizer in that video.
In fact the ONLY place I have heard that it was not a sanitizer is on this forum.
I have no problem considering it a sanitizer but I have switched to Iodophore for bottling and Star-San for brew day simply because the other stuff requires longer contact time.
It seems to me that I remember reading that One step and Easy clean produce hydrogen peroxide when mixed with water.

menerdari said:

In fact the ONLY place I have heard that it was not a sanitizer is on this forum.

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Straight from the horses mouth: http://www.ecologiccleansers.com/one-step.php

Cleanser or Sanitizer?

One Step is not a certified sanitizer as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Obtaining that designation for use in promotional literature and packaging is, unfortunately, an expensive and time-consuming process that includes ongoing review by the EPA. Companies that obtain or use that designation typically invest a significant amount of capital or use another company’s product through a process called “sub-registration.” However, unless you are operating a commercial brewery, winemaking operation, restaurant or similar business, you probably don’t need a designated sanitizer.

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Most people have good results with it, but I'd prefer to stick to something that is actually certified as a sanitizer.

Exactly!!! quote from that source.
"One Step uses oxygen entrained within a mineral crystal that dissolves when combined with water, which in turn releases the oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide – a compound long known for its sanitizing and disinfectant abilities"

It is not recognized as a sanitizer by the EPA which really means squat to me.

thegenix said:

So my first brew is in the fermenter as we speak but in my excitement I failed to realize the C-Brite I was using was just a cleanser and not a sanitizer. How bad is this? Will I be OK if I use sanitizer on the remaining parts of the process?

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I did the same thing on my first brew and it turned out fine. Just keep those fingers crossed.