Why Starsan??

I understand that everyone likes starsan right? When I was ordering my beer supplies I was all set to order it when I read this from NortherBrewer:

"Used as a soaking solution, it can also be applied by hand (wear gloves) or with a spray bottle. It is safe for use on all surfaces, but use caution since it is an acid; contact with soft metals, rubber, and plastic should be kept to a minimum."

So you have to use gloves and it might eat your plastic and rubber? Much of the brew setup is plastic and rubber....

What about Onestep? Just from reading it looks like it won't eat your equipment, stink and stain like iodine, or eat your hands.

BoB

That's just hyperbole for the most part. In other words, your plastic/soft metal/rubber would need extended contact (hour++ soaks) for anything bad to happen (the recommended soak time is 1-3 minutes). By the time any negatives from the StarSan appears, the equipment would have been long replaced anyhow...and we're talking the el cheapo stuff: vinyl tubing, rubber stoppers, etc. Your buckets, better bottles, stir bars, etc, are perfectly safe.

I'm fairly certain it says wear gloves because the undiluted StarSan will burn if left on your bare skin...but the diluted stuff is fine. StarSan is great because it's so idiot proof. Follow the directions, and you'll have no problems.

One step is basically glorified oxyclean...which will clean your equipment, but not sanitize it. Really, there are only three viable options as far as sanitizers: StarSan, Iodophor, and Chlorine Bleach (or chlorine based cleaners). StarSan is great...very easy to use, fairly inexpensive, no rinse, and will impart no off-flavors or other negatives. Iodophor is a close second, and works just about as well from everything I've gathered. I haven't used it myself, but a lot of folks swear by it (although I have heard some reports, perhaps unfounded, that it imparts an off taste when used in high concentrations).

Chlorine-based cleaners, by contrast, are great at killing things, but really shouldn't be used for brewing IMHO (unless you end up with a serious case of contamination and really need to zap your equipment). The one time I used the stuff, I got off flavors in the brew, and did a thorough job of rinsing (apparently not thorough enough). The fact that you have to rinse it is a PITA in and of itself, because that's one more chance for contaminates to rear their nasty heads. StarSan is no rinse, AND leaves a protective film even after drying. The best, the easiest.

I use Starsan and love it. I don't wear gloves (it sanitizes your hands as well) and my plastic primary fermenter has yet to be eaten through : ). Plus, all of the foam and bubbles it leaves behind will not hurt your beer at all.

BoB... I bet when it says keep the contact with soft metals, rubber, and plastic to a minimum, it means certain kinds of these materials (brass, copper, and SS aren't soft). I'm sure the materials that homebrewer's use are completely fine with Starsan. Why else would they use it?

The MSDS sheet for starsan also says that this substance shouldn't be used with soft metals and is harmful to your skin..... but that means for the full strength product! So don't go pouring the straight starsan into your bucket to clean with. At the recommended 300ppm, it's pretty much harmless.


ok, there is soft copper... I'm a dope. But you're not going to store your starsan in a copper container are you? The contact time is minimum for sanitizing.

i use idophor since that's what my LHBS carries and promotes.

Crazy easy. Risk of staining stuff though if you let the concentrated solution sit for longer then 30 seconds...

I've used both starsan and iodophor, I like them equally well..Since they are the only true FDA approved sanitizers specifically for brewing you can't go wrong with either. But like any chemical, the lawyers are going to have "cover your ass" warnings all over everything...Especially sense starsan is a weak acid...they are going to make sure they don't get sued...

But I don't wear gloves when using starsan...

There's a lot of good info about sanitizers, and some tips to using them in this old thread...there's also links to the basic brewing podcasts on each sanitizers. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/index8.html

I save my StarSan solution in a plastic pail. When Im done santizing the bottling bucket, sihpon and filling tube it goes back into my storage bucket. From there I dunk the cleaned bottles, bare-handed, just before they go on the filler tube. The bubbles that remain in the bottle are pushed out as the beer flows in. I've never had any adverse reaction with the solution.

I left the rubber part of a turkey baster in some mixed star san for about a week, and, yeah, it ate through it. I think this warming that star san puts out just means don't store these materials in star san (like it did). Also, I never wear gloves, but if you have an open wound on your hands, you might consider it.

Beerrific said:

I left the rubber part of a turkey baster in some mixed star san for about a week, and, yeah, it ate through it. I think this warming that star san puts out just means don't store these materials in star san (like it did). Also, I never wear gloves, but if you have an open wound on your hands, you might consider it.

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If you want to have some real fun spray a little CLR on a cut on your hand.

One thing to consider BoB....Since you are travelling you may wanna consider using an iodine based sanitizer rather than starsan becasue it's easier to get around the world...

For example I buy my bulk iodine as dairy sanitizer and teat anesceptic from my local farm and feed store...a gallon is about 15 bucks...

I know there are brewers around the world who can't easily get Starsan, but can get iodine really easily...

jspence1 said:

If you want to have some real fun spray a little CLR on a cut on your hand.

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or Easy Off oven cleaner

Dadrick said:

I save my StarSan solution in a plastic pail.

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+1. I Keep StarSan diluted in a 4 gallon plastic frosting pail from my supermarket bakery. The warnings are definitely for the undiluted product straight out of the bottle.

As far as skin contact goes, it tends to dry my hands out. I wash my hands at work at least a dozen times a day and they get dry & cracked this time of year to begin with. Even with dry cracked skin and not using gloves, I have no ill effects other than more dry skin.

Starsan works great, and the foam will not change the taste of your beer. I do not wear gloves, and while I do notice a slight tingle on my skin, it's never hurt me.

Where might I find it other than a HBS?

magnj said:

Where might I find it other than a HBS?

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Except for online...nowhere, it's not carried elsewhere (except maybe resteraunt supply stores?) It's really a brewing specific product...whereas iodine based sanitizers (meaning any tincture of Iodine at a dillution) can be found most everywhere...

Star San FTW i've never looked back to the days when i used bleach soak

Because unlike bleach or iodophor star san will kill in the presence of sugar.

Tonedef131 said:

Because unlike bleach or iodophor star san will kill in the presence of sugar.

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Uh I believe iodophor is also, or else it wouldn't work as a not rinse sanitiser wouldn't it?

If you use RO or distilled water, Starsan solution will keep almost indefinitely in a sealed container. I bought a 5 gallon water bottle at the local grocery store for $6 and filled it with the Glacier Water dispenser (Reverse Osmosis) and here it is over 4 months later, still clear. It will be still clear a year from now, but I will have used it up. Great for quick sanitizing of almost anything.

Revvy said:

Uh I believe iodophor is also, or else it wouldn't work as a not rinse sanitiser wouldn't it?

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No, iodine will not kill in the presence of organic material. It will attack the organic material first. StarSan will kill in these situations. Although it is important to thoroughly clean before sanitizing, if there are nooks and crannies that are not completely cleaned, StarSan can still effectively sanitize.

When I first started using Star San I mixed up a 4 gallon batch in my kitchen sink. I had one of these cheap black spatulas sitting in the dish tote. When I poured out the star san I overshot it a bit and some of it landed directly on the spatula. The burn marks/discoloration are still there to prove it - just follow the directions and don't come into contact with it until it is diluted.

This is going to sound strange but I was in a pinch to brew one day and needed a sanitizer. I went to smart and final and got this stuff that was a food grade sanitizer and good enough for dairy farms from what the container said. It was a 1 Gallon size for like $10.

I used it that day and have continued to use it without issue. I use it to sanitize about anything really. I do rinse the things I clean with it though. I will be getting a no rinse sanitizer when I can though, but this one is lasting a long time.

No gloves here either. If I'm doing a ton of sanitizing over a couple days I may notice some redness, but that may or may not be caused by the Starsan. I have used it in my blowoff bucket and after a week no ill effect on the blowoff tube end, even though that seems to be a softer plastic. Since then I've gone back to plain tap water.

Love the starsan. Never felt it sting, and haven't kept it in contact with plastics enough to notice it eating through them.

I submerged some vinyl blowoff hoses from a couple of corny kegs in StarSan for a week or so. The submerged portion of the hoses turned cloudy. So now I just submerge the hoses in water. Other than that, StarSan has been great - I will never go back to iodophor.

Just started using Star San rather than bleach. It is much easier to use because it has a no rinse characteristic.

It does dry out my hands a bit , but no worries there. I don't have any plans on hand modeling anytime soon.

I started out with one step, then used iodophor and am now using star san. iodophor and star san are about equal in my book.

I guess it's off to the LHBS tom. then. I guess it's good, I can pick up the Irish Moss and Crystal I forgot to order.

desertbronze said:

I submerged some vinyl blowoff hoses from a couple of corny kegs in StarSan for a week or so. The submerged portion of the hoses turned cloudy. So now I just submerge the hoses in water. Other than that, StarSan has been great - I will never go back to iodophor.

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Mine will turn cloudy from plain water as well. It goes away when it dries out.

I did accidentally spill some SS on my Black Kitchen Counter and yep there is a small stain. I have just mixed SS with my local tap water and so far it has lasted about 5 months. IT is truly a gift of the gods

How does StarSan compare to 'L.D. Carlson's OneStep No Rinse Sanitizer'?

Onestep is a cleanser, not a sanitizer (although unfortunately some home brew shops sell it as a sanitizer). It's basically oxyclean, and to my knowledge cleans via hydrogen peroxide (or a similar, unstable oxygen molecule). Although it will probably (maybe) sanitize your stuff, it is not nearly as effective when compared to star san.

Talloak said:

How does StarSan compare to 'L.D. Carlson's OneStep No Rinse Sanitizer'?

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I posted a bunch of info on the differences here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/?highlight=sanitizer+question

There's a lot of good info and tips for using either iodophor or starsan in there...

Thanks for the help! Glad I asked before I used one-step as a sanitizer. If it uses OH- I would assume it will work, but after learning more it sounds like star-san is the thing with some experimentation to be done with idophor as well (thanks Revvy).

Beware this post is hot if heated, sharp if sharpened, and should not be put into the anu$ without lubricant.

BrewOnBoard

BrewOnBoard said:

Thanks for the help! Glad I asked before I used one-step as a sanitizer. If it uses OH- I would assume it will work, but after learning more it sounds like star-san is the thing with some experimentation to be done with idophor as well (thanks Revvy).

Beware this post is hot if heated, sharp if sharpened, and should not be put into the anu$ without lubricant.

BrewOnBoard

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Glad you found the info helpful...

I keep thinking of your questions in terms of "extreme brewing," you don't know where you will be when you want to brew...that's why I suggest getting a handle on iodine based sanitizers...you can get Iodine anywhere in the world, where as Starsan is a more difficult product to get...Though you can oder it by the gallon which if you are careful it can last for a long time...



So Now you just have to decide to sail here to Michigan to participate in the Port Huron To Mackinaw Race...

I usually rinse... do people really not rinse and let/drink the chemicals in their beer?

astyler said:

I usually rinse... do people really not rinse and let/drink the chemicals in their beer?

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Yes we do...at the proper dillution the chemicals are safe...in fact starsan becomes yeast food...

They (starsan and iodophor) wouldn't have passed FDA approval as a NO RINSE SANITIZERs safe for food if they weren't safe....

If you rinse you are defeating the purpose of the sanitizer...and you are negating the sanitisers efficacy should any microorganism touch it after you rinsed it off...You basically cut it's power to protect your beer in half and by rinsing you open yourself up to re-infecting you beer...

No-rinse really means no-rinse....All that info is here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/?highlight=sanitizer+question

I have a question that is on topic here. My hoses are very cloudy. I think this is from spraying StarSan thru them. Can this hurt anything?

impatient said:

I have a question that is on topic here. My hoses are very cloudy. I think this is from spraying StarSan thru them. Can this hurt anything?

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No it won't hurt anything...but it's funny, usually oxyclean and hard water cause vinyl hoses to get cloudy and or develop a scale...but starsan and vinegar (weak acids) clear them back up...

+100 on what Revvy says. Don't fear the foam. Rinsing defeats the purpose. It's safe and doesn't affect the beer when diluted according to the directions.