star san

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glorifiedbusdriver

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I have used One step for years with no problem at all but decided to buy some star-san since it comes in larger quantities. This stuff really foams up which is probably great for get into all of the cracks but all of the foam is still on my equipment when I take it out. The bottle specifically says do not rinse and use when wet, but I'm not going to use it when bubbles are all over it. Also my equipment is real slimy...is that normal? I thought maybe I'm using too much but I measure it out on a scale per the directions. Is it okay to add the star san into the water instead of the water into the star san? I would think this would cut down on the foam? I know alot of you guys use this stuff, can you tell me how you use this? Thanks.

Charlie
 
First, don't fear the foam. It will not hurt your beer.
8361-100_2609_2.JPG


Second, how long are you soaking? Star San can leave a slimy residue on some materials if you leave them soaking too long (hours to days). If that happens I rinse and re-sanitize.

Third, the measurements are not weight ounces but fluid ounces and you should be using 1oz. per 5 gallons. The little bulb thing at the top can measure that for you. If you are looking to make less, use 6ml (~.2oz) per 1 gallon.

Yes, add the star san to the water then shake gently to mix. That will help minimize the foam. But when you put it in carboys, kegs, etc and shake it will foam up anyway.
 
Use it just the way you are.

Whether you add the water to the concentrate or the concentrate to the water, once you mix it it will foam.

If the foam REALLY bothers you they have another version SaniClean, IIRC, and it doesn't foam.

In reality, the foam is not an issue. Once the mixture combines with the pH of the wort it all becomes food for yeast so, FOAM ON.
 
I've been using StarSan for probably 5 years now, no issues whatsoever. The stuff is great, quick contact time, and it inactivates above pH 3. It's a food-grade acid. The foam's a good thing.
Like the others say, don't fear the foam. ;) :mug:
 
thanks for the replies and the picture, I feel a little better now.

if it makes you feel better, I have purposely drank normally diluted star-san. its safe, and the slight flavor it has is nothing I've detected in any of my beers. I would not worry.
 
so are you guys saying it's ok to mix your wort in with the foam? don't need to wait for it to go away?
 
so are you guys saying it's ok to mix your wort in with the foam? don't need to wait for it to go away?


Correct. I just finished racking a 5gal carboy into a keg that I had just finished sanitizing and it had a good bit of foam in it.

Don't fear the foam. :ban:
 
Stupid Brewer of the evening award Goes to me....along with the good choice award.

Last night I was bottling a variation of Apfelwein....and was using StarSan on the bottles. I gave them a quick spray of starsan and let them sit till i'm ready then I swirl and dump then fill. Problem is the first 3 I forgot to dump. Filled Bottles with a teaspoon of starsan each plus wine.

Stupid for forgetting....smart for using starsan....no taste at all....it's all good.
 
so i'm new to star san. have been using one step and i would fill by carboys with the mixture. i take it this is not nessacary with star san? how much liquid do you guys usually but in a carboy? does the foam count as contact or does it need to be in contact with the liquid?

i guess i need to listen to that basic brewing episode again...
 
so i'm new to star san. have been using one step and i would fill by carboys with the mixture. i take it this is not nessacary with star san? how much liquid do you guys usually but in a carboy? does the foam count as contact or does it need to be in contact with the liquid?

i guess i need to listen to that basic brewing episode again...

I put about a pint in the carboy cover the opening with my hand and rock it back and forth while rotating to get all sufaces wet. Then pour the starsan back into my gallon jug. Then let the carboy drain upside down in a bucket until i'm ready to rack.
 
I learned by watching Yuri Sanatize in his video...it's a sticky.

I have my starsan in a garden weed sprayer (NEW ONE) and a carboy gets....maybe....a table spoon or 2 or 3. Just enough to get the inside wet.
If you are not using a sprayer, and I can't imagine why you wouldn't, Yes, Foam contact counts.
 
Correct. I just finished racking a 5gal carboy into a keg that I had just finished sanitizing and it had a good bit of foam in it.

Don't fear the foam. :ban:

What he said. The foam is good. Love the foam. BE the foam. :D
 
Love this stuff too, but how do you deal with kegging? As the beer pushes the foam out the top of the keg, it's really hard to tell how full it is.

Sometimes I just shake the extra large clumps of foam out because of this. But most of the time I chill the fermenter in the beer freezer before racking. As the cold beer enters the keg, condensation forms on the outside, giving you a visual representation of where the liquid level is. :mug:
 
Another bus driver? Sweet... there are at least (4) or (5) of us here now! The foam is great, it is not an issue... when I fill my fermentor, it is about half full of foam! What a great way to keep nasties out when you are racking?! I love the foam!
 
Don't fear the foam.

I pour starsan in to what ever I am going to use, shake and dump out the juice. Leave the foam in.

Don't fear the foam.
 
Love this stuff too, but how do you deal with kegging? As the beer pushes the foam out the top of the keg, it's really hard to tell how full it is.

[smart-ass/]

Deductive reasoning?

Keg @ 5.5 Gallons : Fermenter with 6.5 Gallons = Doesn't work
" " " : " " 5.0 " = Works

[/smart-ass] :p
 
I learned by watching Yuri Sanatize in his video...it's a sticky.

I have my starsan in a garden weed sprayer (NEW ONE) and a carboy gets....maybe....a table spoon or 2 or 3. Just enough to get the inside wet.
If you are not using a sprayer, and I can't imagine why you wouldn't, Yes, Foam contact counts.

I just saw this video today...I loved the idea of the back pack sanitzer....so can I mix the star-san and leave it in there till I use it all.....in other words is there a shelf life for mixed star-san?
 
Also my equipment is real slimy...is that normal?

No... this is not normal. Star san does not work in the presence of alkali cleansers. For instance: this can happen if you are using PBW (an alkali cleanser) and have hard water. The hard water does not always rinse all the PBW away so you need to follow the PBW with a very good clean water rinse and an acid wash rinse before applying star san. I am not saying this IS the cause of the :sliminess: but it is worth trying to see if yuou notice a difference.

Use acid number 5 from 5 star chemicals.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/brew/brewclean2.pdf
 
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