Iodophor concentration?

How much iodophore are you guys using to sanitize your equipment? I just tasted my first batch after a 12 yr layoff and it has a kind of mild cleaner aroma to it. I used Oxyclean(nonscented) to clean out the keg and iodophore for all my sanitization. I was using about 2 capfuls for 2.5 gal of water. I'm worried that I either didn't get a good rinse of oxyclean out of the keg or my iodophore solutions were too strong. I didn't let any of the equipment dry out after iodophore either. I was told that you could basically just shake it off and go ahead and use it. As I was talking to my wife after she tasted it I realized that it kind of had a honey characteristic to it too. Now, this may be good as it was a honey pale ale. I used 3 lbs. of honey for the 5 gal batch at boil. It's almost too sweet too. Some of it could of also been that I got impatient and tasted it out of the keg after only about 12 hours of being hooked up to the CO2. It had a nice head but it was still really flat. I'm hoping that once it gets nicely carbonated it'll cut some of the sweetness in the flavor. But I am really concerned about the cleaner type aroma. The only word my wife could come up with was that it smelled kind of like chlorine. I never used any bleach so it can't be that. She was trying so hard not to dissapoint me. After she tasted it she said, "Well, I don't love it."

thanks for comments/suggestions/ideas.

I'm hesitant to give you direction since there are a few manufacturers of the stuff. Read the label and use that amount.

For the stuff I have, I believe it's 1/2 capful for 2.5 gallons of cool water (or 1 capful for 5 gallons).

the stuff is pretty nasty in its full concentration, and I believe most homebrewers WAY over concentrate their solution - read the label and see how nasty the stuff is.

This is another example of the American way not being better (i.e. if 1/2 capful is good - 4 capfuls must be GREAT!)

My bottle of BTF Iodophor lists directions for two different strengths: 12.5 ppm and 25 ppm. What I remember from some podcast interviewing the manufacturer, 25 ppm is a STERILIZING strength that MUST be rinsed afterwards and hence not what homebrewers are looking for.

12.5 ppm is a no-rinse SANITIZING strength that is suitable for our use. I believe that this is one capful for every 2.5 gallons, but that's why it's one the bottle. I have to read it every time I use it.

I also recently had off-flavors that seem cleaner or medicinal that I'm thinking was either sanitizier buring bottling, or a chloramine in the water problem.

Good luck on next batch, hope you get rid of the bad.

My bottle says 1tsp per 1.5 gallons of cool water for home brew cleaning. Twice that for hard sanitizing but must be rinsed. I just use the 1tsp amount.

2bluewagons said:

My bottle of BTF Iodophor lists directions for two different strengths: 12.5 ppm and 25 ppm. What I remember from some podcast interviewing the manufacturer, 25 ppm is a STERILIZING strength that MUST be rinsed afterwards and hence not what homebrewers are looking for.

12.5 ppm is a no-rinse SANITIZING strength that is suitable for our use. I believe that this is one capful for every 2.5 gallons, but that's why it's one the bottle. I have to read it every time I use it.

I also recently had off-flavors that seem cleaner or medicinal that I'm thinking was either sanitizier buring bottling, or a chloramine in the water problem.

Good luck on next batch, hope you get rid of the bad.

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2blue, that 's the stuff I have, BTF Iodophore. In my recollection it was 1 capful for 2.5 gals too. But the other poster said 1/2 capful for 2.5 gals. I've heard some people say 1 tablespoon per 5 gals. You know, I rinsed out the oxyclean with cold water, not hot. I wonder if that couldn't of made a difference? I tried to rinse it real thoroughly though, I think I rinsed it twice.

Beavdowg said:

2blue, that 's the stuff I have, BTF Iodophore. In my recollection it was 1 capful for 2.5 gals too. But the other poster said 1/2 capful for 2.5 gals. I've heard some people say 1 tablespoon per 5 gals. You know, I rinsed out the oxyclean with cold water, not hot. I wonder if that couldn't of made a difference? I tried to rinse it real thoroughly though, I think I rinsed it twice.

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I'm pretty sure it says 1/2 oz per 5 gallons, and a 1/2 capful is a 1/4 oz (meaning 1/2 capful for 2.5 gallons, 1 capful for 5 gallons).

but heck, either way - read the label! Not only that, the EPA or FDA could swoop down and arrest you if you use it not according to label.

What water did you use for the brew?

I had an experience with unfiltered tap water once where the trace amounts of chlorine reacted with the yeast to yield a chlorophenol off flavor. It tasted like ambesol. I've filtered every drop since.

-chuckwheat

Well, I'm in a Portland, Oregon suburb so the water here is pretty good. I've only brewed in Oregon and never had a problem with the water before.

I've read a tremendous number of threads about Iodophor the last couple of days. I posted about it, but here's the link
:
IODOPHOR

Beavdowg, I think if you read the link in the above thread, it will be helpful.
Luck - Dwain

Dwain,

Thank you for that article, it was very helpful as you had predicted!

Just for clarification, as the above linked article stated, 1 capful of BTF iodophore contains 1/4th oz. 12.5ppm is effective as a sanitizer for brewing so 2 capfuls of BTF iodophore in 5 gals of water is the recommendation for sanitization.

Back to my beer. I tasted it again today after work and now that it's much more carbonated it tastes way better. It still has a sweet smell to it but I am thinking that it is because I doubled the amount of honey recommended in the original recipe. I used 3 lbs. instead of 1.5 lbs. Also, I think it may be a tad underhopped. As I think back, and I'm no brewmaster, but I'm surmising that doubling the amount of honey would call for some additional amount of hops. Maybe even dry-hopping it would make it nicer. It's definitely drinkable, just not an award winner. Even my wife said she couldn't detect as much of that "cleaner" or "chlorine" smell as she could before and she thought it tasted better too. Who like flat beer anyways!

Next batch....my first all-grain. Still deciding what to brew.

thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I love this website!

Pretty straightforward directions on the bottle. 1/2 cap full for 2.5 gallons... works for me, no off tastes, no infections. Even at 4 times the concentration if you allowed it to drain well I doubt that would be the cause of your off tastes. That seems to be the results of the test referenced by Dwain.

btw - Portland water has too much chlorine . . . tastes awful to me unless filtered.

I just looked at my bottle to make sure I wasn't seeing things....

B-T-F Iodophor

1/4 oz in 2.5 gallons water = 12.5 ppm (1/2 capful = 1/4 oz)

so, 1 capful for 5 gallons like I originally said

EDIT: samc beat me to it, even though I had already said it

AZ, I beg to differ with you. I will try and post a pic of my bottle. It says 1 capful is 1/4oz so you would need 2 capfuls in 5 gals of water to get the 12.5ppm they recommend. Again, I'll try and post the pics tonight. I know the pic of the bottle instructions didn't turn out very good but we'll see if it lends some clarity here.

Pics as promised. Actually, I guess I can't post pics on this forum. Anyway, I'd take a second very close look at your bottle of BTF. Mine says 1 capful is 1/4 oz. And 1/4 oz. in 2.5 gals. is 12.5ppm. So therefore, it would take 2 capfuls in 5 gals. of water to reach a 12.5ppm concentration.

Is the reason I can't post pics because I'm not a paying member?

What size bottle are you looking at? Different bottle sizes must have different sized caps. 16.9 oz size is 1/2 cap = 1/4 oz

Could be the tubing putting off a plastic aroma. I have seen alot of post complaining about the first pull of beer having off flavors.

samc said:

What size bottle are you looking at? Different bottle sizes must have different sized caps. 16.9 oz size is 1/2 cap = 1/4 oz

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SAMC,

You could be right. I'll look at my bottle tonight when I get home from work. You may have something with the bottle size.

BargainFittings said:

Could be the tubing putting off a plastic aroma. I have seen alot of post complaining about the first pull of beer having off flavors.

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Bargain,

Thanks for the idea. The slight "cleaning solution" smell is in every serving out of the keg, not just the first couple pulls. I've probably poured at least 10 pints out of the keg and they've all had the smell. Since my tubing is probably 13 years old it wouldn't hurt to replace it. What kind of tubing would you suggest and where do you recommend I get it?

thanks

Use 3ml per gallon for 12.5ppm & 2 minutes contact time the no-rinse strength, it's not too hard to find an eye dropper calibrated in milliliters. You don't have to submerge for santizing so you can put a gallon or two in a carboy and swish it around for a couple of minutes then drain that into something else and continue using it till the solution has no amber tint.

GUYS there are different sized bottles of BTF I started with the little 4 oz one that came with my first kit it was 1 cap full per 2.5 gallons . I then bough a bigger I believe the 32 oz size the directions on that one said 1 cap full per 5 gallons ... Cap was bigger .

samc said:

What size bottle are you looking at? Different bottle sizes must have different sized caps. 16.9 oz size is 1/2 cap = 1/4 oz

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Beavdowg said:

SAMC,

You could be right. I'll look at my bottle tonight when I get home from work. You may have something with the bottle size.

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springer said:

GUYS there are different sized bottles of BTF I started with the little 4 oz one that came with my first kit it was 1 cap full per 2.5 gallons . I then bough a bigger I believe the 32 oz size the directions on that one said 1 cap full per 5 gallons ... Cap was bigger .

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winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Maybe I'm just too anal-retentive, but I couldn't feel comfortable with "capfulls" so I got a small graduated cylinder at a local lab supply, and (using water) tested my ability to measure an "accurate" capfull -- not too good.

My measurements range from 8.5ml to 10.25ml with the majority being 10ml giving me an accuracy between +2.5% and -15% from what appears to be a 10ml "correct" measure.

From them on, I've been using the graduated cylinder and I'm able to make batches as small as a Quart when I just need enough to sanitize some bottles and don't want to waste the rest of a gallon.