a couple of questions

[shaggy727]

I'm getting ready to start my 3rd batch and a few small questions. First, I bought some star san (the yellowish one) and wondered how long it is good for after it is diluted. Can I make a batch up and use as needed or should i toss it after that brew session? I obviously won't reuse the used portion. Secondly, how much room should I leave in a bottle for air when I bottle my brew? Last, what is the best method to mix priming sugar without aerating to much? It seems like siphoning into a bottling bucket/carboy with the sugar mixed with desolved in a little water in the bottom would not get it mixed enough but I don't really know.

 

[BlackGoat]

May people re-use starsan. My understanding is that if you keep it sealed it should be good for awhile. If you use distilled water, apparently it can be good for months. As for bottling, you should use a bottling wand, they are cheap and make bottling more precise. You just push the bottle up onto it, and when it hits the bottom of your bottle it starts to fill, when the beer reaches the top of the bottle you gently pull it down and stop the flow. When you remove the wand, the volume that was taken up by the wand now becomes the headspace. I'm sure there are youtube videos demonstrating this that would make it more clear. Generally for a 12oz bottle the headspace is about a 1/2" or so, but I wouldn't just eyeball it. My preferred way of mixing priming sugar is to pour about half the mixture in before siphoning, then when its about halfway done putting in the other half. Then I usually take my brewing spoon and give it a couple slow gentle swirls. No need to go crazy and stir the whole thing up into a froth. Good luck!

 

[TopherM]

I reuse 5 gallon buckets of StarSan for about a month. The length of time it is effective is directly related to the StarSan solution maintaining it's acidic PH, and the acidic PH lowers slightly the longer you use it, but I find a bucket of StarSan is plenty effective for over a month, so that's my rule of thumb.

 

[Hawaiibboy]

I reuse 5 gallon buckets of StarSan for about a month. The length of time it is effective is directly related to the StarSan solution maintaining it's acidic PH, and the acidic PH lowers slightly the longer you use it, but I find a bucket of StarSan is plenty effective for over a month, so that's my rule of thumb.

Do you keep your starsan sealed after use? I am just using my kettle lid to cover a bucket of starsan...

 

[unionrdr]

I make a gallon of starsan at a time with enough starsan up 3/4's of the way to the 1/4oz mark on the bottle measure to a gallon of water. It lasts me a couple months easy. As long as the PH is 3 or less,it's good. PH test strips will conferm this. & cloudiness has little to do with it's effectiveness. Craigtube did a video about this very subject.

 

[Cyclman]

I have had starsan last 3-4 months, confirmed with a Ph strip.

 

[BigFloyd]

I have had starsan last 3-4 months, confirmed with a Ph strip.

Yeah. That stuff lasts longer than most people think. I've re-used mine (which I store in my bottling bucket and in one-gallon plastic jugs) several times.

One thing that helps is for you to rinse stuff off before you dip in in Star-San so that you won't get a bunch of gunk in it.

Get yourself a new spray bottle and keep it filled with Star-San. It comes in very handy.

 

[Hawaiibboy]

I really like the spray bottle idea. Gonna have to hit up the dollar store for a few! They also had some small 2.5qt buckets that would be perfect for keeping all the small stuff in on brew day (bungs, air locks, thermometer) so I don't have to go sticking my arm all the way in a 6.5gal bucket.

Thanks for the help and ideas!

 

[BlackGoat]

I use a spray bottle for my idophor and a 1gallon bucket. Both are perfect for everything on brew or bottling days, I no longer need to have a full bucket full of sanitizer.

 

[shaggy727]

That's kind of what I figured but I didn't really know. Thanks everyone.