One Step caused Off Flavor?

Hey,

I recently switched to One Step sanitizer when i ran out of C-Brite and bleach is just the bane of my homebrewing existence. For my first use, i transferred my continental pilsner to secondary. On bottling day, i used the one-step to sanitize everything from the autosiphon to my bottling bucket and everything in between. I took a paper towel and dipped it in sanitizer then wiped down the whole inside of the bottling bucket. After that, within 15 minutes i bottled. I think there was still a decent accumulation of sanitizer on everything but figured it was a no-rinse solution so went with it.

Within one week of bottling a continental pilsner, it had a taste that i can only describe as salty and the texture was all wrong. I couldn't possibly find the words to describe it, but it tasted somewhat like one-step smells when you get it on your hands. Has anyone else had an issue with one-step?

Now i changed my procedure and yesterday, i dipped all of my bottles in sanitizer and let them dry on the bottle tree for over 2 hours to ensure they were dry (and introduce bacteria) We'll see how the double IPA comes out in two weeks.

Sorry to hear that. I use PBW or Oxiclean for cleaning and Starsan for all my sanitizing. Starsan rocks and has never affected my beer even when I rack on a bucket full of bubbles and the sides still wet. In fact, what's there just dilutes and becomes food for the yeast.

Funny, I've used 1 step for years and never had an off flavor, but then again I rinse after use.

I only use one step and never rinse and never had a problem. I never heard of applying it with a paper towel before, though. I just mix up a gallon (1 tablespoon per gallon of warm water) and use it. I put some in a spray bottle and spray the items that I can't dunk in it. I mix it up in the primary bucket (or bottling bucket) and shake it around alot with the lid on to get all the surfaces. I pour it through the siphon and tubing and make sure everything is coated well. I don't let it dry much, but it is fairly dry by the time I siphon into the bucket and then bottle.

I'm with YooperChick on this one. I've only used bleach (yeck) and one-step, and I dry my stuff (especially at bottling) for about 2 minutes before I go ahead and use it. I do however make absolutely sure that all the granules are dissolved before I go ahead and call it "ready to use".

I've also never done the paper towel thing. I just run everything through my autosiphon (for the hoses) and all my gear. I also shake the heck out of the carboy and use a soft brush (carboy brush) to spread the liquid around.

The only "off-flavor" I've had so far (4 batches only, so not much, but hey) is LME twang.

Otis The Drunk said:

Funny, I've used 1 step for years and never had an off flavor, but then again I rinse after use.

Click to expand...

Then you are using 2 Step.

rinsing One-step is like taking a sterile syringe and dipping it in mud before use. DON'T DO IT.

I used One-step 8 years ago when I quit brewing, and I started back up brewing with one-step this time, though I've added star-san to my arsenal now.
never had a single problem with one-step and off flavors, and I never rinse it.
my 1st batch back into brewing is just hitting 3 weeks in the bottle, and it was entirely one-step sanitized, including bottles, bottle bucket, filler hose and bottle filler wand.
tastes great, no off flavor or texture.

if you had actual granuals of one-step in your bucket or bottles that hadn't dissolved (and thus didn't pour off when you were done sanitizing...) I could see it.

Also, one-step needs a couple minutes of actual contact time. so the paper towel trick would require probably 3 wipings, 60 seconds apart.
I usually just make 3 gallons of solution, put the lid on, and shake it a few times. then i pour it to another bucket for sanitizing everythign else, and put the lid back on to keep the primary (or bottle bucket) from acquiring any wild spores.

I'm not sure why this no-rinse sanitizer threw off the flavor of my beer. But on the bright side, that first bottle at 1 week tasted like one-step and butt. At 3 weeks, the sanitizer taste seems to have mellowed a little. It's definitely more drinkable. This whole ordeal caused me to jump on AHS and purchase the 33oz of Iodophor.

I don't want to stir up that can of worms again, but if everyone is raving about Starsan so much, maybe i'll move from Iodophor to Starsan when i run out.

efreem01 said:

I'm not sure why this no-rinse sanitizer threw off the flavor of my beer.

Click to expand...

I generally use one step, don't rinse and have used carboys while still plenty wet with one step..no off flavor issues. Unless you had undissolved granules or a large amount of solution mixed with your beer, I would keep looking for your off flavor issue.

Once my Iodophor is gone I'm moving to StarSan. `Oxyclean Free` tub from costco to clean

I know this has been said several times, and I'm only a newbie, but I've used One Step for all of my batches (only 8 so far), and I definatley leave everything wet. I haven't had a problem with off flavors yet.

I have used One-Step to sanitize all of my equipment, and myself at times, for a year and a half now. Only recently (within the past 6 months) did I begin to notice a more chemically taste to my beers that I didn't want there AT ALL.

I began to do some experiments with the last of my 1-Step (literally like 2 tablespoons left): Any beers that I bottle, I make half rinsed, half unrinsed, and I swear, the beers that are in the RINSED bottles taste better. Maybe it's all in my head, but either way I'm going to try a new sanitizing solution.

So what's the BEST solution?

5gB

Star-San is REALLY popular. It's flavorless, odorless, can be stored and reused (as long as the pH remains low), and only requires 1 min for contact. Most people go with this sanitizer over other options....iodophor might be next on the list.

BTW, 5gBrewer- I see you're looking at going into business...Star-San may prove much cheaper than other sanitizers due to the fact that you can store and re-use it after it is in solution. You'd have to do the math to prove it though.

Yeah, I kinda remember one of the brewmaters over at Highland Brewery saying that they used the Iodophor, but I think I'm going to try out the StarSan 1st.

Star-San is good stuff! I'm thinking about trying iodophor soon though, because I'm a nurse and have "unlimited access" to the stuff....if you know what I mean

5gBrewer said:

I have used One-Step to sanitize all of my equipment, and myself at times, for a year and a half now. Only recently (within the past 6 months) did I begin to notice a more chemically taste to my beers that I didn't want there AT ALL.

I began to do some experiments with the last of my 1-Step (literally like 2 tablespoons left): Any beers that I bottle, I make half rinsed, half unrinsed, and I swear, the beers that are in the RINSED bottles taste better. Maybe it's all in my head, but either way I'm going to try a new sanitizing solution.

So what's the BEST solution?

5gB

Click to expand...

I would try a different sanitizer in your situation though what you lay out there sounds like you could have something else going on.