Don't fear the foam?

Thanks to the BN and Homebrewtalk.com I'm back to using Star San, but there's got to be a limit on the foam right?

Sorry but I still need my hand held on this one

I understand that it is a sanitizer only when it is below a certain PH (3.2?) but is this ok to rack onto?

Yum....yeastfood!!!!!!!!

THat's what all that foam becomes...If I'm not worried you shouldn't be.



That's what usually happens when you rack onto the foam....most of it is voided out, the rest becomes food for the yeastie beasties...

If you are worried you will find links to the podcast from charles talley the inventor of starsan here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/?highlight=sanitizer+question

Plus info on getting the best out of whatever sanitizer you use...

Thanks, I just needed to hear it from you.

The foam. Do not fear it.

My foam snake is bigger than yours :cross:

Sorry, couldn't help it

enderwig said:

My foam snake is bigger than yours :cross:

Sorry, couldn't help it

Click to expand...

If you didn't post a pic, it didn't happen

Hey that's an idea for a thread...post your starsan foam sculptures....

Revvy said:

If you didn't post a pic, it didn't happen

Hey that's an idea for a thread...post your starsan foam sculptures....

Click to expand...

I like it - good idea

If I have a lot of foam like that, I just turn the carboy over and shake most of it out before I rack on top of it. No worries...

As odd as it seems, don't fear the foam. You'll get that cool foam snake as you rack onto the foam, and the rest just becomes yeast food.

BlackDogBrewing said:

As odd as it seems, don't fear the foam. You'll get that cool foam snake as you rack onto the foam, and the rest just becomes yeast food.

Click to expand...

when I rack from my brew kettle to my carboy, I'm using an aeration attachment on the end of the tube

As a result, all that foam ends up in the brew

Just a curiosity here...I've heard the discussion of StarSan foam as yeast food before, but I don't get the science here. StarSan is a sanitizer, it kills bacteria, yeast is really just a bacteria that we like. So why is StarSan good for yeast?

Note that I use StarSan all the time, I do not fear the foam, and I've never had a problem with fermentation or carbonation, so obviously it doesn't kill the yeast.

Just a curiosity here...I've heard the discussion of StarSan foam as yeast food before, but I don't get the science here. StarSan is a sanitizer, it kills bacteria, yeast is really just a bacteria that we like. So why is StarSan good for yeast?

Click to expand...

Yeast is not bacteria, yeast is a unicellular fungus.

StarSan is only effective as a sanitizer as long as the pH is below 3. When the wort is added to the sanitizer, the pH is raised well out of the effective range and the solution is now metabolized by the yeast.

As has been said, rack away. When I keg I shake the bejeezus out of it with the Star San in there and end up with a ton of foam I rack right on. I've never had any bizarre flavors because of it, and have had no ill effects to my...wait, what're we talking about again?

With my Better Bottles I usually gently squeeze them to whoof out most of the foam. Because I can.

-Joe

While the topic is up (again) I have to ask -
I run the starsan thru my tubing by mouth siphoning - it definetly has a not-so-pleasent taste/flavor. How can this not affect the beer?
I know, I know - 10,000 posts about it can't be wrong, but....
I still find it hard not do a small rinse to get rid of some of the foam, especially when I have that a little of the starsan taste lingering on the taste buds.
jason

I can only assume that whatever's causing the unpleasant taste is being metabolized by the yeast, or otherwise broken down in the beer.

it might go back to the acidity - a liquid at 2.5 ph would taste different then one at 5.2