Sterilizer Question

The sterilizer that I get at the local home brew shop lists the active ingredient as 3% hydrogen peroxide. Can I simply use hydrogen peroxide from the local chemist/pharmacy? (It's a lot closer & easier to get to.)

 

I can't say with any certainty as I'm not a chemist, but the sanitizers that you can purchase at a homebrew shop should be food safe. Since some amount of it is going to end up in my beer, I'm much happier knowing that it a)will properly sanitize the equipment and b)not be poisonous to my family and friends that will be drinking it.

 

Hydrogen Peroxide requires over 10 minutes of contact time to sanitize at room temp when it is UNDILUTED. That means you would need gallons of the home use stuff to sanitize, you can't dilute it with water and it still be effective. Then, you will find difficulty rinsing the stuff.

StarSan is the industry standard. A 16 oz bottle costs $16.00, and lasts me about a year brewing about 25 batches a year, including sanitizing serving kegs in between. If you can't afford it, brewing might not be the hobby for you.

You DO NOT want to cut corners when it comes to sanitation. It is pretty much the #1 most important variable in the entire brewing process.

 

Iodophore or Star San. And the better you clean, the more useful your sanitizers become. I've been brewing for 3 years and not one infected batch.


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Now I'm wondering what the heck they sold me...

Thanks for the info.