Starsan in wort

[Math0]

I read everywhere that starsan in beer wont alter the taste and is a no rinse sanitizer. What I do when I sanitize my fermentation bucket is just put about 1 liter of my solution (1oz with 5gal of water), I shake well enough and I empty the whole thing. My question is: is there a quantity of starsan that can be bad for a wort at pitching time? Or the bubbles, even if there is a lot wont affect in any way the final product?



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[Jipper]

I've never had an issue with StarSan or the bubbles, and tend to use just a little more than the recommended amount. I have a feeling if you dump 32oz into 5 gallons you may get some bad side effects, but haven't ever tested that theory!

I'd say just stick to the recommended amount and you'll be good to go!

 

[DoWBrewer]

Star San is basically an acid. As you add wort it becomes diluted and has very little effect on your wort. If you left a lot of Star San in you bucket, I guess it could drop your PH and have some negative effect, but I would have to be a lot.

 

[blakelyc]

Starsan works by lowering the pH. If you just have bubbles in there, then there is t really enough starsan to affect the whole batch. If you have actual starsan solution in there, I suppose it may be possible. I tend to be liberal with the starsan and not terribly diligent about dumping leftover foam, and I have never had a flavor problem that I can attribute to that.

I think the bigger issue might be foam stability. Starsan also has a fairly powerful surfactant that I have heard (on BN podcasts) can affect foam stability.

 

[Math0]

Starsan works by lowering the pH. If you just have bubbles in there, then there is t really enough starsan to affect the whole batch. If you have actual starsan solution in there, I suppose it may be possible. I tend to be liberal with the starsan and not terribly diligent about dumping leftover foam, and I have never had a flavor problem that I can attribute to that.

I think the bigger issue might be foam stability. Starsan also has a fairly powerful surfactant that I have heard (on BN podcasts) can affect foam stability.

Are you saying that if I have about 1gal of foam at the bottom, its not a problem then? I was always shaking it to have the least amount


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[Doctor_M]

Are you saying that if I have about 1gal of foam at the bottom, its not a problem then? I was always shaking it to have the least amount


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You would probably be fine, like others have said it may affect head retention some but even that would take a fair amount of left over Starsan. 1 gallon worth of foam would be a lot of foam though.... I'd be willing to bet if you let the foam settle you'd be left with a lot less then you think you have.

Btw unless your using your ferm bucket to dunk other brewing equipment in to sanitize your wasting a lot of sanitizer. You can use 1 or 2 gallons of water with a bit of Starsan (like a 1/4 oz) in your bucket then swirl it around make sure all of the bucket gets wet and that should do it. In a podcast it was mentioned by Charles Talley (maker of Starsan) that he's required by the epa to say it needs a two minute contact time. It's really more like 30 seconds...

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/...Session-03-19-06-Sanitation-w/-Charlie-Talley

 

[SeeAliceBrewery]

Don't fear the foam....I know it seems weird...but more true words have rarely been spoken!

 

[Math0]

Yeah well 1gal of foam is probably like 50 ml of starsan. Thanks guys!


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