What happens if Straight-A is not rinsed?

I use Straight-A sanitizer (a rinse sanitizer similar to OxyClean--I think) and occasionally I'll forget to rinse something off after sanitizing. I've looked long and hard for a "straight" answer (pun intended) on what the effect of this is. The company's website says "You should always rinse after using Straight-A because it is an alkaline product and it might throw off the acid balance of your beer or wine." Anyone know what the implications of this are?

Googling Straight A, as well as the website shows me only straight A cleanser, not sanitizer. (Oxyclean is also a cleanser, not a sanitizer btw.)

So neither of them santize, just clean. You still should use a sanitizer such as iodophor or starsan....

Here's a good thread from awhile back, that discusses it the difference. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54932

I'm almost positive the label says "Cleanser/Sanitizer", but I'll have to check it again when I get home. I found a description online here ( I think it's the same stuff)...

THey say cleanser there as well.... I explain the difference in terms of the "definitions" of CLeansers and Sanitizers in this post on the thread I reffered you to. Here's the single post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=555591&postcount=2

I don't know what it is--that site actually says "Combination cleaner and sanitizer", but I'll take your word for it.

At any rate, any idea what effects it could have on the beer if it's not all rinsed off?

Somewhere I had posted the kill ratios of cleansers and sanitizers, and the FDA designation. But can't find it.

With the no-rinse sanitizers there's no effect (in fact Starsan residue becomes yeast food.)

With the cleanser type products I think the biggest problem would be a funky, soapy taste in your brew...and if you didn't rinse the bottles thoroughly it would kill head retention.

The worst case would be that the acidity might tank the yeast...but it seems to me if you followed the dillution ratio of the product, you'd probably have to dump your beer into a couple inches of cleanser in the bottom of your fermenter, not just the residue before it would do any damage.

Ah, that's what I was looking for--thanks!

I've been wanting to switch to Star San, I just can't find a good deal on it from any of my normal online merchants.....too many $$$.

maltMonkey said:

Ah, that's what I was looking for--thanks!

I've been wanting to switch to Star San, I just can't find a good deal on it from any of my normal online merchants.....too many $$$.

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If you decide to switch to iodophor instead, you can find a gallon of the same concentrated Iodine for between 8 and 20 bucks in a farm and feed store. Only it's used to sterilize cow's udders and milking equiptment. A lot of people on here have been using it. And a gallon of concentrate lasts for years.

Revvy said:

If you decide to switch to iodophor instead, you can find a gallon of the same concentrated Iodine for between 8 and 20 bucks in a farm and feed store. Only it's used to sterilize cow's udders and milking equiptment. A lot of people on here have been using it. And a gallon of concentrate lasts for years.

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Great tip....I will have to look for that. We have plenty of farm & feed stores in Kansas

I didn't know iodophor is made out of iodine!
My local medical store carries iodine.

Think of Star-San as a one time investment. You can reuse it. I haven't bought new Star-San in almost 9 months of brewing and that was with me throwing out the first couple of batches before I knew I could reuse it.

maltMonkey said:

Great tip....I will have to look for that. We have plenty of farm & feed stores in Kansas

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Hey where in KS are you? I lived and went to ministerial school for a couple years near KC MO. I used to go to Lawrence on occasion as well as Overland Park.

That's cool--I'm in Wichita. I have a lot of friends in KC and I make it up there several times a year, but I went to college at K-State so I did/do a lot more hanging out in Manhattan instead of Lawrence.

straight-a can be used as a sanitizer it just needs to be rinsed it is a little different than one step.