General sanatization question

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Elfmaze

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About to start my runs of cider and working on the sanatization method and solution. For my carboys i was going to soak in a light bleach solution Overnight, pour out and let dry upside down before adding juice. Do i need to rinse or can that introduce bacteria from tap water? The stopper and airlock will get the same treatment in a light bleach solution. letting them airdry before going into use.


The equipment, being the autosiphon(racking cane), Hydrometer, wine thief. Can they be treated the same way? I have seen people pull the hydrometer and wine thief out of a bucket of sanatizer and go straight to the carboy. will the little bit of sanatizer left on the instruments effect the must? What type and method would you(as an experienced master of the fermenter) use?

Dan
 
About to start my runs of cider and working on the sanatization method and solution. For my carboys i was going to soak in a light bleach solution Overnight, pour out and let dry upside down before adding juice. Do i need to rinse or can that introduce bacteria from tap water? The stopper and airlock will get the same treatment in a light bleach solution. letting them airdry before going into use.


The equipment, being the autosiphon(racking cane), Hydrometer, wine thief. Can they be treated the same way? I have seen people pull the hydrometer and wine thief out of a bucket of sanatizer and go straight to the carboy. will the little bit of sanatizer left on the instruments effect the must? What type and method would you(as an experienced master of the fermenter) use?

Dan

Most of us use a branded no-rinse sanitizer such as Star-san or Iodophor. I've used one-step in the past, also with good results. Another good sanitizer for wine and cider equipment is potassium metabisulfite, too. (Also known as campden tablets, or k-meta). I wouldn't use bleach, but I know some others do. If you're using bleach, you have to rinse super, super well so that absolutely no odor of bleach remains on the equipment. That might be tough for plastic, but it works ok for glass.

When you've seen people pull stuff out of the sanitizer and use immediately, it's because they are using a no-rinse sanitizer.
 
+1 We are using Star-San and it is great! Stores well too! I would vote for going with that over the bleach solution. It is fantastic to just let your equipment soak in it and then use it after letting it drip out. Easy and sanitary. :)
 
I would recommend listening to the podcast (BB)with Charlie from 5 Star. I believe that he said that 1 once of bleach in 5 gallons of water does not have to be rinsed and will not affect the flavor of your beer at that level. I am not going to recommend adding the vinegar as I do not want to be the cause of anyone being fumigated by the chlorine gas.
 
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