One Step vs. Star San vs. Iodophor. Which is best and why?

Starsan is awesome.

I've heard great things about Starsan (like in this thread), but I have always used iodophor. I don't mind the staining on my gear (which is aesthetic, only), and I've had one contaminated batch in fifteen years. If it ain't broke, I don't fix it with sanitation.

Other than "if it ain't broke," though, I would have no objection switching to Starsan.


TL

After visiting my LHBS here in Vancouver, I found out they "can't get Star-San" any more. Something to do with importing. Unfortunately, the guy who runs the place wasn't in that day, so I didn't get all the info.

Any other Canucks having this problem?

I've only used Iodaphor since I started brewing. No complaints here. I've noticed, that alot of people are saying you need a 2 minute contact time. I've always gone a 30 sec minimum, as per the direction on the bottle.

Since we're on this topic.... Whats the best course of action to sanitize kegs?

hnefatafl said:

Any other Canucks having this problem?

Click to expand...

All my HBS carries is Iodophor. I listened to an interview with the inventor of Iodophor and it was very interesting. Check out this site:

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio

There are a couple of radio clips about Starsan, bleach, and Iodophor down low in the list. I'm not sure if that's the one I listened to and I can't access it from here at work to see, but it looks like it might be.

The first time I sanitized my kegs with Iodaphor, they had a strong metallic (coppery) smell while air drying. The smell was so strong that I wanted to rinse them out, but resisted the temptation.

After the first one dried, and was ready to fill, it still had a slight metallic smell, but I filled it up anyway. Serving from the keg, I could not detect any off flavor or smell.

I recently bought some Starsan, but haven't used it yet (still using up the premixed gallon of Iodaphor). Looking forward to comparing the two.

Before Iodaphor, I sanitized everything with diluted bleach or One-Step.

hnefatafl said:

After visiting my LHBS here in Vancouver, I found out they "can't get Star-San" any more. Something to do with importing. Unfortunately, the guy who runs the place wasn't in that day, so I didn't get all the info.

Any other Canucks having this problem?

Click to expand...

I ordered some from Skinaney in Ottawa.

kinison_fan said:

(still using up the premixed gallon of Iodaphor)

Click to expand...

Iodophor is only good for about 3 hours. How long have you been using your premix?

"How long have you been using your premix?"

About a month. I thought it was storable.
Are you sure only three hours?

I mixed up a gallon in a plastic juice jug because I thought it would keep.
Guess I'll dump it on the ground since I have a septic system.

Given the "resistance" factor, does it make sense to rotate sanitizers to be sure of getting all the beasties ?

I will occaisionally do ableach soak with vinegar to lower the PH (heard this tick on the brewing podcast)

is this overkill ?

I was listening to Basic brewing podcast and the man who invented star-san spoke a lot about Bleach. but I liked the fact that the foam you get when using Star-san will accually be used as food for your yeast. I tried it and I did get better fermentation action and a very clean tasting beer. I still say clean clean clean first and then Sanitize.

I just bought some StarSan from Skinaney.
I tried 6 different places before I saw your link.

Cheers
BeerCanuck

I actually just went to my LHBS and was going to pick up a bottle of the Starsan to try. I've been using OneStep for pretty much everything up until now. I brought the Starsan to the counter and the owner asked me what I was going to be using this for. I told him pretty much everything (carboys, buckets, etc.). He said that the Starsan was actually too much for that and should be used only in keg lines and recommended that I continue using OneStep. Do you guys think he's just trying to push more OneStep on his customers for whatever reason?

rsmith179 said:

I actually just went to my LHBS and was going to pick up a bottle of the Starsan to try. I've been using OneStep for pretty much everything up until now. I brought the Starsan to the counter and the owner asked me what I was going to be using this for. I told him pretty much everything (carboys, buckets, etc.). He said that the Starsan was actually too much for that and should be used only in keg lines and recommended that I continue using OneStep. Do you guys think he's just trying to push more OneStep on his customers for whatever reason?

Click to expand...

Yes.....

Read this...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/?highlight=sanitizer+question

Right on, thanks Revvy! That's exactly what I was looking for. May the force be with you ;-)

One Step is included with many home brew kits but I didn't think it was a favorite amoung the more experienced users. I don't think it is even classified as a sanitizer though it can do a decent job of one.

Iodophor is a good sanitizer and it is very inexpensive. However it will stain. It will stain your hands, plastic and in concentrated form just about anything it touches. In addition it does not store well so you have to make up a new batch each time you brew or bottle.

StarSan is more expensive but the quick contact time and long storage time in diluted form are nice features. I keep some in a spray bottle and some in a gallon jug for sanitizing at bottling and brewing. I usually end up making up a new gallon for every third batch or so. Using the spray bottle to quickly sanitize a spoon or wine thief is a nice option when punching a fruit cap on wine or pulling a sample.

So my choice is StarSan though I would easily go back to Iodophor if necessary.

Craig

Just wanted to let you know that Revvy also found that he could buy Iodophor from farm supply stores for quite cheap. I think that's the route I'm going to take. Go to the local Tractor Supplies store and pick up a bulk package of the Iodophor for cheap! It will last forever...

It's six of one and a half dozen of the other. Just remember, kids. Cleaners don't sanitize, and sanitizers don't clean. You need both.

I've been using one step for years now but just started using starsan - the fact that I can keep it pre-mixed in a spray bottle has made things much easier for me.

I've just been getting the crud off with water and elbow grease (would use chemicals if necessary but it has not been yet) and then spring surfaces down, and it seems to work great. Although I have heard that something stronger like BLC is necessary to get all the crud out of beer lines, but I haven't tried to clean mine since the switch.

I just picked up some Star San yesterday.... Have been using bleach prior.... but as I was trying to research about storage of Star San I found a thread where a lot of people had problems with it messing up their buckets..... Seems that it dissolves them.... anybody having that problem here? If not then what do you suppose the problem has been for these other people... too high of a concentration?

I've been using one step my entire brewing career up until I bottled a batch this weekend. Never had an issue with one step, but the thought of the quick contact time and spray application of star san made me pick some up. Boy did it speed up my bottling day!

I used to make 5 gallons of one step,dump in all my lines, etc, fill all the bottles, let them sit, then empty them. About 1 gallon of Star-san and a vinator and I only used about half.

One other benefit I found, my lines for siphoning and bottling used to always get water spots (best case scenario, some grew mold and I had to trash them). Rinsing with star-san kept them clean and they dried nice and clear.

I'm definitely sold on using star-san instead of one step, and might take a look at iodophor, a farm supply store is nearby and if it's cheap, it's worth looking in to.

I use Starsan and wouldn't use anything else. I t is a great product.