Star San is making me think twice about home brewing

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SteveLikesBeer

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Today is bottling day. Or it was until I used star san and realized all of the warning associated with using it. Apparently if you touch the stuff you need to wash your hands for 20 minutes and call poison control. I'm not sure how you guys do it (gloves and protected clothing while sanitizing?). I thought this was the safer and easier solution!

Needless to say I stopped there and have not gone back to my original sanitizing stuff (beer brite I think it's called) due to frustration from using star san. At this point I'm thinking about just dumping the whole first batch so I don't need to handle this dangerous of a chemical :(. Heck, what happens if some gets into the brew during bottling?!
 
I think there may be some concerns with extended exposure with the undiluted liquid, but I come into contact with the diluted liquid all the time, and so does my beer, and I don't feel as though either of us have been harmed. Don't fear the foam!
 
Chill out Steve... that warning applies if you get the *concentrated solution* on your skin. It's 50% phosphoric acid, which ain't the worst mineral acid to come into contact with, but it is still a pretty strong one.

When diluted at the recommended rate Star San is about as dangerous as a newborn kitten.

Don't Fear The Foam, is what I see bandied about here often.
 
Wow.....yeah just dump it all and quit brewing........what kind of chemicals do you think are used in commercial breweries and food processing plants???

Probably more dangerous ones but that doesn't make me feel better about a chemical stating it can't touch me and has dangerous vapors.

After some research it seems like many people do touch the diluted mixture (as I did) and are totally fine. I'm starting to think (as someone pointed out above) the warnings are meant for the concentrated, in bottle version only and not the product in use (diluted 1oz in 5g) ....
 
I use it all the time and don't even think twice about getting the diluted solution on my skin. Heck I put my hands all in a bucket of the stuff. I have gotten the concentrated solution on my hands before and just washed it off and did not call a poison center and I'm still around or so I think I am.
 
Chill out Steve... that warning applies if you get the *concentrated solution* on your skin. It's 50% phosphoric acid, which ain't the worst mineral acid to come into contact with, but it is still a pretty strong one.

When diluted at the recommended rate Star San is about as dangerous as a newborn kitten.

Don't Fear The Foam, is what I see bandied about here often.

OK, phew. I worry when I read "call poison control and wash for 20 minutes" cause, well, it sounds really bad.

Thanks guys ... I'm probably taking the warnings a bit too seriously as a worried first timer ...
 
if bleach doesn't bother you, go for it. but just btw bleach is just as dangerous as undiluted star san. the difference is star san is formulated for this.
 
I use it all the time and don't even think twice about getting the diluted solution on my skin. Heck I put my hands all in a bucket of the stuff. I have gotten the concentrated solution on my hands before and just washed it off and did not call a poison center and I'm still around or so I think I am.

Good to know. Also, yes, you are still around :)
 
if bleach doesn't bother you, go for it. but just btw bleach is just as dangerous as undiluted star san. the difference is star san is formulated for this.

Interesting. OK. Makes sense though .... since I've used bleach on things before I feel comfortable using it without going over the bottle each time. Since this was my first time with Star San I read the directions and warnings and started to worry (cause it sounds pretty serious).

I'm starting to lighten up on star san based on the responses. I'm starting to think the warnings could be more about lawyer CYA for someone doing something REALLY stupid with it versus someone following directions (as I was).

Thanks!!
 
Today is bottling day. Or it was until I used star san and realized all of the warning associated with using it. Apparently if you touch the stuff you need to wash your hands for 20 minutes and call poison control. I'm not sure how you guys do it (gloves and protected clothing while sanitizing?). I thought this was the safer and easier solution!

Needless to say I stopped there and have not gone back to my original sanitizing stuff (beer brite I think it's called) due to frustration from using star san. At this point I'm thinking about just dumping the whole first batch so I don't need to handle this dangerous of a chemical :(. Heck, what happens if some gets into the brew during bottling?!

Star San is the best stuff since beer. I bottled today, and Star San-itized my bottling bucket. The last bit of beer wouldn't fill a 22 oz. bottle, but it did fit in a pint glass. So that's where it went. Flat, fresh beer with a star san foam head, and man, it was good. Any acid can be bad news when not properly used. 1 oz. of star san in 5 gallons of water is at least as safe as breathing the air around here.
But, whatever floats your boat.
Cheers, Brewing Brother!
:mug:
 
SteveLikesBeer said:
I'm starting to think the warnings could be more about lawyer CYA for someone doing something REALLY stupid with it versus someone following directions (as I was).

Thanks!!

Ding ding! Plus add in some government labeling regulations for extra fun. Star San rocks. There's an old Basic Brewing radio episode about it that will also help alleviate your fears. While not recommended, the owner of 5 star has drank diluted Star San to demonstrate how safe it is. If you're afraid of phosphoric acid, you're going to want to steer clear of soda along with a lot of other things you probably already eat and drink.
 
I have accidentally swallowed some diluted Star San while starting a siphon. It did not kill me. You do not have to rinse after use like you do with bleach. It's a great product. (Tastes sour when you drink it straight though).
 
I didn't see it mentioned yet, but the Star-San foam acts as a yeast nutrient, which is another reason it is safe to rack your beer/wort into a container that has some Star-San foam in it.

I would not use bleach and water. you have to rinse it, which will negate the sanitation steps you just took.

Star-San is the single best no rinse sanitizer out there. Just follow the instructions and it is perfectly safe.
 
One other point about the warnings. While the undiluted concentrate could be a problem, don't forget that those warnings are not written by the lab, but the company lawyer trying to make sure that if the biggest idiot in the world chugs the stuff he won't be able to sue them for negligence. It's kind of like the warning that says, "If you are unable to read English have someone read it to you."

Warning labels are to be kept in mind and not violated but remember the intent of them. The label on Star San is to keep you from doing something foolish with the undiluted stuff.

This whole things kind of reminds me of the date on our milk jugs. My wife buys milk jugs in bulk and often freezes a couple in the deep freeze. She will then thaw them out several weeks later and the milk is fine--especially for adding to cereal, etc. However, my teenagers don't like to drink it because the date is expired--even though the milk was preserved and they even say they can't perceive any difference in flavor and smell. They forget the purpose of the date is to keep the store from selling old product that, if handled wrong, could be dangerous. The purpose of the Star San warning is to keep you from getting hurt by mishandling their product.

For the record, somehow I missed that you already saw the point of this response before I made it.
 
If you are concerned you can boil everything and skip all types of chemical sanitizers. Its a lot of work and not great fro plastic but it will sanitize without chenicals.
 
Ya, stick with the Star San. Like everyone has said, the warnings are for the concentrate...its a pretty strong acid and can even eat through done plastics etc. Its fine when properly diluted, hell, I dip my arms in it when I need to handle my beers.
 
If you drink soda pop you get probably more phosphoric acid in that than you would encounter with the diluted star San. My hands get a little dry when I handle for an extended period of time, that's the extent of its seriousness. However since the concentrate's pH is 1 I would avoid getting that on my skin at all costs.
 
You get more phosphoric acid drinking soda pop than you would with this stuff. It only dries my hands out with extended handling at diluted concs. Try to keep the conc solution off your skin though.
 
SteveLikesBeer said:
Good point. I may go down this road since bleach/water parts are a known quantity to me.

Personally starsan is much easier to deal with than bleach by a mile!
 
Yea...just don't pour the undiluted stuff on your hands. You're severely overthinking this. Also, starsan will keep for several months diluted if you use soft water or distilled water. Make a few gallons of it and keep using it for several months. That way you don't have to handle the bottle very often.
 
Let not your heart be troubled Steve. When brewing or bottling, Star-San is your closest ally.

All sorts of itty bitty nasty critters want to eat and poop in your yummy wort.:eek: You must wage war against them!

A spray bottle (not previously used for any cleansers) of it is really handy. A wet layer of Star-San mix on a cleaned utensil, vessel, countertop or your hands will get rid of those hungry little buggers.
 
Read the warnings about iodine (iodophor)....Elemental iodine is toxic if taken orally. Iodophor also happens to be deadly to yeast.
From the MSDS:
SECTION VI - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
EFFECTS and HAZARDS of OVEREXPOSURE (Acute and Chronic)
EFFECTS and HAZARDS of EYE CONTACT: Irritant.
EFFECTS and HAZARDS of SKIN CONTACT: Mild Irritant.
EFFECTS and HAZARDS of INHALATION: None.
EFFECTS and HAZARDS of INGESTION: Harmful if swallowed.
EMERGENCY and FIRST AID PROCEDURES
TREATMENT for EYE CONTACT: Flush with cool, running water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention.
TREATMENT for SKIN CONTACT: Wash skin & clothing with soap & water. If irritation develops get medical attention.
TREATMENT for INHALATION: Remove to fresh air.
TREATMENT for INGESTION: Drink large quantities of milk or water. Do not induce vomiting. Get medical attention.
CALL A POISON CONTROL CENTER OR PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY

Read the warnings on a bottle of Clorox...scarry stuff.
From Clorox:
DANGER: CORROSIVE. May cause severe irritation or damage to eyes and
skin. Vapor or mist may irritate. Harmful if swallowed. Keep out of reach of
children.
Some clinical reports suggest a low potential for sensitization upon exaggerated
exposure to sodium hypochlorite if skin damage (e.g., irritation) occurs during
exposure. Under normal consumer use conditions the likelihood of any adverse
health effects are low.
Medical conditions that may be aggravated by exposure to high concentrations
of vapor or mist: heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as
asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis or obstructive lung disease.
FIRST AID:
Eye Contact: Hold eye open and rinse with water for 15-20 minutes. Remove
contact lenses, after first 5 minutes. Continue rinsing eye. Call a physician.
Skin Contact: Wash skin with water for 15-20 minutes. If irritation develops, call a physician.
Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Drink a glassful of water. If irritation
develops, call a physician. Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious
person.
Inhalation: Remove to fresh air. If breathing is affected, call a physician.

I will take StarSan over either of these any day......
 
SteveLikesBeer said:
Today is bottling day. Or it was until I used star san and realized all of the warning associated with using it. Apparently if you touch the stuff you need to wash your hands for 20 minutes and call poison control. I'm not sure how you guys do it (gloves and protected clothing while sanitizing?). I thought this was the safer and easier solution!

Needless to say I stopped there and have not gone back to my original sanitizing stuff (beer brite I think it's called) due to frustration from using star san. At this point I'm thinking about just dumping the whole first batch so I don't need to handle this dangerous of a chemical :(. Heck, what happens if some gets into the brew during bottling?!

Just for good luck I do a shot of diluted star-San before each brew I do.
Believe me it's safe. I make sure my keg has foam in it before I fill up. Ill put star-San in my air lock if I forget that I drank all my vodka. It's safe . And ill use it before bleach, hell I'd use soap water before bleach.
Or you can boil water and dump that over your bottles or boil you bottles but take the risk of burning the hell out of yourself.
I boiled my bottles one time. That sucked
 
You might take a look at this Billy Brews video. This sanitizer is as common as 2-row grain.

[ame]http://youtu.be/vh9Efa0Yjxg[/ame]
 
BillyBrew is a real expert on wrapping his nimble fingers around something and pumping. A few pumps and the tree made life easier, in general.
 
I had to make some fresh starsan on my last bottling day (last week Saturday). A dribble of concentrateran down the side of the bottle & I got it on my thumb & forefinger. Just rinsed it off a minute or two later. No harm done. This isn't the same as battery acid folks. Not nearly.
And starsan breaks down into yeast nutrient. The foam isn't a nutrient in & of itself. Just thought I'd mention that. And it's getting cloudy doesn't negate it's sanitizing powers. PH test strips will tell you if it's gone,which is under 3.
 
I rub the dilute stuff on my hands as an extra precaution against bugs :) I love that it's so concentrated, one bottle will last me for ever and a day. Never underestimate any concentrated chemical though; I used to work in the chemical industry and learned to respect them all.
 
I rub the dilute stuff on my hands as an extra precaution against bugs :) I love that it's so concentrated, one bottle will last me for ever and a day. Never underestimate any concentrated chemical though; I used to work in the chemical industry and learned to respect them all.

It rubs the StarSan on its skin or else it gets the 'does this look infected' thread again... ::drunk::
 
ronsky said:
It rubs the StarSan on its skin or else it gets the 'does this look infected' thread again... ::drunk::

Reminds me of "he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts" :)
 
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