Star san... Lots of foam

When I'm using star San it seams as if there is a lot of foam. When sanitizing carboys there is quite a bit of foam left over in it, is this much foam ok to be putting my beer into? I know it says non rinse and no taste but still that much foam seems like it would have to have some effect on my beers. Does everyone get a lot of foam and not worry about it?
Thanks

Have you not heard the saying, "Don't Fear The Foam?"

It foams so it can reach every nook and cranny in whatever you are trying to sanitize, so that everything that could harm your beer is killed. Then in contact with your wort and beer it breaks down into what amounts to yeast food.

Check out this thread. "Stupid Starsan Tricks" or why you shouldn't fear the foam...

Star san is foamy as hell. What I do is sanitize my fermenters a couple hours in advance and let the foam drop back into mostly liquid. Then dump it out right before I add the wort. Another alternative would be to use boiled water to rinse it out after you sanitize. I'm with you, I don't want a crap load of that stuff in my beer even if it is no rinse.

I just racked to my secondary today. There was a lot of foam, but I just let it drip out as I did a few other things. When I was ready to rack, I put it right in, even with some foam left over. I've read enough of Revvy and others saying "Don't Fear the Foam" to let them — much more experience home brewers — eliminate any concerns for myself.

BBL_Brewer said:

Star san is foamy as hell. What I do is sanitize my fermenters a couple hours in advance and let the foam drop back into mostly liquid. Then dump it out right before I add the wort. Another alternative would be to use boiled water to rinse it out after you sanitize. I'm with you, I don't want a crap load of that stuff in my beer even if it is no rinse.

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Why not use Sani clean then?

I had an experience a couple months ago with an excessive amount of foam. I used the starsan as usual, draining on carboy rack, etc... but when I transferred my wort the foam was extremely thick (like a head of beer on a nitro pour) and filled the few inches of head-space in my carboy completely. I aerated it (by rocking the carboy for 5 minutes) and left the top open so some could come out. Then I pitched my yeast and also aerated for 5 mins (without the airlock in place) and a little more came out, but there was still about two inches of very thick foam on top of my wort.

I let it sit for 2 hours and the foam was down to about an inch. I removed the airlock and performed a light aeration for 30 seconds. 1.5 hours later, all the foam had dissipated. To compensate for the aeration I assumed the foam had inhibited, I removed the airlock and aerated gently for one more minute.

I continued the fermentation and bottling with no unusual signs. Target FG was hit and no off-flavors were apparent.

Monday night this brew (a Raspberry Wheat) took 2nd place at my local brew club open category tasting.

Don't fear the foam - it may help you do well in competitions.

Marlowefire said:

Why not use Sani clean then?

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I do use saniclean, but to help get odors out of plastic, not for sanitizing. I always get a little star san in my beer and don't let that bother me, but sometimes that thick foam turns into a couple three ounces of liquid once you let it sit for a few. Anyone up for a shot of star san and a beer back?

DON'T FEAR THE FOAM!

Seriously, Five Star should trademark this and put it right on the bottle.

When you sanitize and drain your carboy of starsan there is alot of foam. When you transfer your cooled wort to the sanitized carboy the foam stays on top of the wort, so as the wort volume increases and the foam creeps up the sides of your carboy. As this happens the surfaces of your carboy are being sanitized as the volume increases. when the foam begins to pour out of the neck of your carboy it is sanitizing that surface as well. I know you may have shook it around generously to cover the surfaces, but wouldn't it give you piece of mind knowing that the last thing out of the carboy just before you place your blow off is sanitizing it? That's the way I look at it. Don't fear the foam, it is your friend. Don't rinse the foam and let it do its job. I have never seen a thread on these boards where people talk about how starsan has ruined their beer but I see dozens of threads about infections ruining beer.

vitrael said:

DON'T FEAR THE FOAM!

Seriously, Five Star should trademark this and put it right on the bottle.

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They should also put on the bottle that Dodecylbenzene Sulfonic Acid has not been tested for carcinogenicity in animals. I'm in no way trying to fear monger here, I'm really not. And I will continue to use star san because it's freakin awesome, but after being in the environmental field and having a health and safety background I can't help but be concious of what I'm putting into my body. One day the doctor gives it to you, and a couple years later you see all the lawyer commercials about the side effects. So the point is, don't fear the foam, but don't drink it if you don't have to.

I would just like to add that foamsnakes are wicked cool. :rockin:

The volume of foam that can fill a 6 gallon carboy amounts to, like, a couple mL of liquid. That stuff has major structural capabilities.