Clumpy Star San?

[RobertHSmith]

I just opened my new gallon of starsan and poured an ounce to sterilize a carboy and noticed that it had a clumpy viscosity. When I mixed in the water it was instantly milky. I've been using using starsan for 4 years now and I've never seen this happen with starsan before

Has anyone had a similar experience?

 

[Sea]

Never seen it that way either. They say that it's no longer effective when it turns cloudy, so maybe you got a bad batch?

 

[Revvy]

Never seen it that way either. They say that it's no longer effective when it turns cloudy, so maybe you got a bad batch?

This is NOT entirely true. If it TURNS cloudy after being clear for a period of time, i.e. a couple days, the ph has changed and it is no longer good.

If you MIX it with water and it is cloudy initially it is usually fine, and is only reacting to minerals in the water. The ph most of the time is still in the safe zone. It is recommended that you verify this with ph test strips. But usually the starsan is still good.

 

[Gregscsu]

I just opened my new gallon of starsan and poured an ounce to sterilize a carboy and noticed that it had a clumpy viscosity. When I mixed in the water it was instantly milky. I've been using using starsan for 4 years now and I've never seen this happen with starsan before

Has anyone had a similar experience?

If nothing in the process changed except the bottle of star-san, maybe you got an "old" bottle or something. I would write or call the manufacturer to inquire further.

 

[Revvy]

If nothing in the process changed except the bottle of star-san, maybe you got an "old" bottle or something. I would write or call the manufacturer to inquire further.

I'd contact them too. Chuck Talley is open to talking with customers. I'm wondering if it's possible for starsan to freez and maybe freeze thawing caused stuff to seperate.

 

[brewingmeister]

Never had a clumpy viscosity but I have had it regularly go from clear to cloudy in seconds. I could pour it in and as it was diluting I could see it going cloudy. Within seconds of pouting it in water it would start to cloud up and in about a minute it would look like thin opalescent milk. I hear people saying they keep it for weeks, months, indefinitely but I never kept it longer than a few hours.

-cheers

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Never had a clumpy viscosity but I have had it regularly go from clear to cloudy in seconds. I could pour it in and as it was diluting I could see it going cloudy. Within seconds of pouting it in water it would start to cloud up and in about a minute it would look like thin opalescent milk. I hear people saying they keep it for weeks, months, indefinitely but I never kept it longer than a few hours.

-cheers

Mix with distilled and then try.

 

[Hermit]

This is NOT entirely true. If it TURNS cloudy after being clear for a period of time, i.e. a couple days, the ph has changed and it is no longer good.

If you MIX it with water and it is cloudy initially it is usually fine, and is only reacting to minerals in the water. The ph most of the time is still in the safe zone. It is recommended that you verify this with ph test strips. But usually the starsan is still good.

I have hard water and it turns cloudy. I put some in an airlock and the CO2 bubbling through it clears it right up.

 

[brewingmeister]

Mix with distilled and then try.

I was relating to the OP's concerns of a quick cloud. My experience, I should have mentioned, was with florida tap water. I suspect tap water is causing his cloudiness as well.

I don't regularly mix up large batches anymore, I just use distilled in a spray bottle and call it a day. Buying gallons of distilled water to fill vessels isn't a realistic option for me.

-cheers

 

[FisherDan]

Robert, post a message on the Garage Brewers board. Someone had a problem with a new jug of Star San but I cann't remember who it was.

Dan