Sanitizing Bucket/Water Used??

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medic20

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Hopefully this isn't too dumb of a question, but I'm coming up on getting to work on my first brew and I want to make sure I sanitize properly.

Would I be able to get away with using the bottling bucket to mix up my sanitizing solution before boiling and primary fermentation, then use the primary bucket to mix the solution come bottling day while the brew is in the secondary?

Also, I'm planning on using gallon jugs of water from the grocery store for the wort. Anything I need to keep in mind when buying the water, I know tap is pretty much a no-go, so I want to make sure bottled water doesn't cause any problems either.
 
Bottled spring water works well.

Don't quite follow the sanitation situation. BTW what are you using for a sanitizer?
 
Yeah I figured I was being confusing with that. I'm going to use One-Step, and I want to fill the bottling bucket with the solution in order to soak all of the utensils I'll be using on boil day, as well as to pour into the brew pot and fermenting bucket to sanitize each of them.

Then come bottling day I want to use the fermenting bucket as a place to mix the solution and soak utensils and such.

This is basically all a scheme for me to avoid getting any other kind of bucket to mix the solution in.
 
You don't really have to worry about sanitizing your brew pot, just make sure it is clean. The hour long boil will sanitize it. Are you asking if you can reuse the solution from boil day to botttle day? I'm not famliar with one step, does the package give any shelf life info after it's mixed? I know StarSan can be kept for months and reused. As long as the sanitizer you use stays good for a month I think you'll be fine.

Here's a pretty good article on cleaning and santization. I've yet to figure how to insert links correctly but if the page doesn't come up it will give you the option to continue to the intended website.

http://http://baderbrewing.com/store/product.php?printable=Y&productid=22858&cat=396&page=1

Not sure I helped you much with your question.
 
Hopefully this isn't too dumb of a question, but I'm coming up on getting to work on my first brew and I want to make sure I sanitize properly.

Would I be able to get away with using the bottling bucket to mix up my sanitizing solution before boiling and primary fermentation, then use the primary bucket to mix the solution come bottling day while the brew is in the secondary?

Also, I'm planning on using gallon jugs of water from the grocery store for the wort. Anything I need to keep in mind when buying the water, I know tap is pretty much a no-go, so I want to make sure bottled water doesn't cause any problems either.

1...tap water is just fine for brewing IF you live in an area with good quality soft tap water that isn't too chlorinated. since those areas are shrinking...spring water will do just fine. my local grocery store sells their name brand of water in 3 gal containers for $2.59 i think. "better" brands are not necessary.

2...I think I follow your sanitization question....you said (essentially)

on brew day, i want to use a bucket to make a solution to sanitize my equipment.
on bottling day, i want to use a bucket to make a solution to sanitize my equipment.

My point in being repetitive is that it doesn't matter what vessel you use to make a solution in as long as it is clean and you make enough. it doesn't matter what the bucket is called...be it a bottling bucket or primary fermenter. they are all just buckets waiting, yearning to be used to make beer.
 
I saved up and bought a $5 bucket and lid from Home Depot that I keep my sanitizer in. The way you want to do it, you will have to keep mixing up sanitizer when you brew/bottle which will quickly add up to more than the cost of a dedicated bucket. Mix some up, then keep as much as you can to reuse.
 
I saved up and bought a $5 bucket and lid from Home Depot that I keep my sanitizer in. The way you want to do it, you will have to keep mixing up sanitizer when you brew/bottle which will quickly add up to more than the cost of a dedicated bucket. Mix some up, then keep as much as you can to reuse.

I do the same. Bought a cheap 5 gallon bucket and lid for $7 bucks and keep 3 gallons of distilled water mixed with star san in it. Lasts for months.
 
Thanks, this answered similar questions I had as I too embark on my first brew this weekend. Just to clarify one detail, however, if I'm using bottled spring water, do I still need to boil it or is it ok to use out of the bottle?
 
If you're using the spring water in the wort that you will be boiling, no need to boil it prior if that's what you're asking.
 
Should be good right out of the bottle, but you can boil if it makes you feel better. I used bottled as top off water without boiling and never had an issue. Welcome to HBT cheers:)
 
How long can you keep it before you have to make more? Does it ever go bad/ineffective?

I've kept it for months with no issues. I should test its Ph more often though. After every time I use it, I have less and less. I just work with what I have until the bucket gets about 1/2 full. Then I top the bucket off with water and add the appropriate amount of star san, so I tend to have 1/2 'fresh' and 1/2 'old'. About every 6 months, I'll just make a fresh/full bucket. I also just use my tap water (well). No fancy spring water for me.

Here is a good/short thread on it...
 
I would change the 'one step' for StarSan to sanitize with. IMO (as well as many others here) it's one of the best (if not the best) sanitizers you can get/use. It also keeps, in a covered bucket (or spray bottle) for a long time. I usually mix up about 2.5 gallons of it at a time, to use when I bottle off of tap/keg, or need to sanitize something. I also make sure my spray bottle always has some in it (it's about 1/2 full now, next batch I mix up, I'm changing it). StarSan is a true no-rinse sanitizer that's effective while the item sanitized is wet with it. So don't rinse, or dry, off the items.

You really only need to sanitize anything that comes into contact with the wort/brew post boil. While you can give things a dunk/spray with StarSan while you're making the brew, there's not much benefit/point to it.
 
Already e-mailed the company to request a cancellation so I can change my order to Star-San :rockin: .

Now I keep seeing everyone saying not to let it dry, this seems really confusing to me. Wouldn't leftover sanitizer effect any aspect of the brewing process?
 
Wouldn't leftover sanitizer effect any aspect of the brewing process?

Nope... What little you have left on/in the sanitized item will have little (if any) impact. The foam is consumed by the yeast too. :rockin:

Don't fear the foam...

My normal fermenter sanitation process includes putting 2-3 quarts of StarSan solution in it, capping it and shaking the hell out of it to get StarSan everywhere inside. I then drain back into the StarSan bucket, so we can use it for other things on brew-day. I just cap/cover the opening on the fermenter until I'm ready to fill with chilled wort. A clean towel, or paper towel, soaked in StarSan is a good barrier against anything unwanted going into the fermenter. :ban:

If you have a chance, check out PBW for cleaning. I use it to clean all my hoses that I use while brewing. I also typically give smaller parts a good soak in it to get them clean. It's not cheap, but IME, it does a great job.
 
That was another question I had, can I use regular dish soap for cleaning? I know this is in the FAQs section, but some clarification would be good.
 
You really only need to sanitize anything that comes into contact with the wort/brew post boil. While you can give things a dunk/spray with StarSan while you're making the brew, there's not much benefit/point to it.

My sanitization list:

1. Fermenters
2. Fermenter lids
3. Airlocks
4. Auto siphon
5. Vinyl tubing
6. Thief

At bottling:

1. boil kettle (I use it as a bottling bucket)
2. Auto siphon
3. vinyl tubing
4. thief
5. bottling wand
6. bottles
7. caps
8. thief (for taking FG)

Now I keep seeing everyone saying not to let it dry, this seems really confusing to me. Wouldn't leftover sanitizer effect any aspect of the brewing process?

If I'm in a hurry, I'll rinse. But usually I just let the Star-San dry in place. It's a no-rinse sanitizer, and it has no effect that I've seen on the beer as long as you don't get any wet into the wort.

That was another question I had, can I use regular dish soap for cleaning? I know this is in the FAQs section, but some clarification would be good.

I wouldn't. Regular dish soap can be a beeyotch to rinse out, and you HAVE to get that rinsed out. Also, if it has fragrances, it can come out in the beer.
 
That was another question I had, can I use regular dish soap for cleaning? I know this is in the FAQs section, but some clarification would be good.

Not a good idea... You need to rinse REALLY well if you do. Better to use PBW, oxyfree, or even Bar Keeper's Friend (if you have stainless pots/kettles). My normal kettle cleaning process has been to scrub the inside of the kettle until as clean as I can get it, then fill with about 8 gallons of PBW solution and soak as many items as I need to in that. I even submerged my plate chiller in there last time.
 
don't fear normal dish soap in a pinch...it cleans dishes you eat off so it isn't bad. just use very small amounts and rinse well.
 
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