Sanatizing Bottling bucket

New problem.
Had a Red Ale go sour in the bottle. Tasted great before bottling.
Now a Porter two weeks in the bottle getting a sour taste.

To sanatize my bucket (2 gallon paint bucket) I pour a few cups of StarSan in and using a wash cloth that has been soaking in the 4 gallons of StarSat I wipe the sides, bottom and rim of the bucket. I drain the bucker by opening the valve and letting the StarSan flow through it. While all this is going on the bucket lid and all parts of the air lock are soaking in the 4 gallons of StarSan.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

Remember that StarSan will SANATIZE, but it won't CLEAN. Especially most of the things that cause souring problems aren't really phased by acid cleaning, they require alkaline cleaning.

I would give your bucket a good cleaning with some BLEACH (high alkaline cleaner!) using the same method you used above, soaking everything in the bleach water for a few hours before scrubbing everything down. That'll kill anything that might be hanging on in your bucket.

The thing with bleach is it will stick around unless you rinse the everliving crap out of it, like flushing the entire thing (spigot included) with warm/hot water about 5-6 times.

After you've done all that, THEN sanatize with StarSan in preparation for the next batch.

 

How about OxyClean? Sub for BLEACH?

 

nope bleach

 

Also, make sure you're using the proper dilution, not just a bucket of bleach. I THINK you need 5 tablespoons for 5 gallons...but look that up...

 

Bleach will sanitize but won't necessarily clean. Oxyclean to do the cleaning.. rinse very well.. then StarSan.. Bleach will also require a lot of rinsing, IMO. Use preboiled water or you may have lost your sanitizing.. That's why Star San is so nice. No rinse.

 

i had the same problem with a few batches and i did as topherM suggests and had a bleach fest with all of my plastics in the bathtub. i ditched the hose for my auto siphon and bought a silicon hose that i boil before each use, never have had another sour beer.

 

Have you removed and disassembled the spigot? i was going to use mine this last week and saw some discoloration at the nut that holds the spigot in. took it apart and the nut was gunky.

Make sure that you take the spigot completely apart including the 2 gaskets. Soak it in hot water for a couple minutes and the valve can be popped right out. Make sure when you put it back together that both washers go on the outside of the pail. They conform to the curvature better and get you a good seal.

 

This. No need for bleach. A good cleaning ( no scrub pads!) with Oxi and super hot h2o followed by a really good rinse and then starsan. All you'll need.

 

Was just thinking this when I hit submit on my last post. Very important to disassemble and clean the spigot every time. Never did the washers on the outside thing and I never had leaks.

 

Good idea, No I have not taken the spigot out. Funny I do take it out of my cooler that I mash in. Duh!

 

Just opened another brew. Brewed and bottled after the two infected ones. This is a smoke Porter. Hmmmm good, needs to stay in the bottle till Dec 1st but no infection in this one. Three more fermenting. Hope they are as "clean" as this.

But I will do a much better cleaning/sanatizing for this weeks brew.
This sour beer is messing up my pipeline.