Alright, really, no rinsing of Star San foam?

[eddie]

I buy mine from NB. You may be able to find it at your LHBS. If they don't carry it, ask them to.

 

[adx]

Still wish they would use a different surfactant but I am probably being anal.

When Charlie was on, he said that at the time Star San was formulated that was the best he could get his hands on. They've thought about changing it up, put don't want to have to go back through EPA testing on the new formula.

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

When Charlie was on, he said that at the time Star San was formulated that was the best he could get his hands on. They've thought about changing it up, put don't want to have to go back through EPA testing on the new formula.

Smart man. The EPA is bullsheet about the "inert" ingredients like this. Really pisses me off when they should focus in on the active portion ( which is so well proven ). You have to pony up somehting like $ 100 +k for this type of BS.

Id rather have my teeth pulled without pain killers , put back in and then pulled back again than deal with the EPA on these silly things.

 

[budbo]

The foam doesn't bother me but the directions on the bottle recommend you air dry before use.

Bacteria fall, so if you have it in a carboy dryer facing down you should be fine, plus the foam should keep the bacteria out, give i a shake to get the last of the foam out and go.. or just ignore the foam it goes away quick once the beer goes in

 

[olllllo]

HBT: Come for the foam, stay for the Kool-Aid.

 

[Beerrific]

The foam doesn't bother me but the directions on the bottle recommend you air dry before use.

I think that means allow to air dry as opposed to any other method or rinsing.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

That's nice. Are you gonna put that on your Christmas cards?

 

[DraconianHand]

You can die from drinking too much water as well. In it's diluted form, Starsan poses very little health threat.

Which is why I always dilute my drinking water.

 

[cubbies]

There is nothing to worry about with the foam. Something I do though to limit it in my carboys is when I drain it, turn the carboy completely upside down and swirl it to create a whirlpool. This causes it to drain faster and gets more of the residual foam out. The walls of the carboy are still coated, but the bulk comes out.

and I personally doubt the ramifications of rinsing it. I dont think that tap water is so full of bugs that rinsing off the foam would be counterproductive. I bet it would still be sanitary. What do I know though?

 

[bradsul]

...and I personally doubt the ramifications of rinsing it. I dont think that tap water is so full of bugs that rinsing off the foam would be counterproductive. I bet it would still be sanitary. What do I know though?

I wouldn't bet my own beer on it, but to each his own.

 

[Beerrific]

and I personally doubt the ramifications of rinsing it. I dont think that tap water is so full of bugs that rinsing off the foam would be counterproductive. I bet it would still be sanitary. What do I know though?

Potable drinking water is not, in general, sanitary so rinsing would leave the item unsanitary. But, would leave any/enough bugs to hurt your beer? Don't know....don't want to know.

 

[Beerthoven]

Potable drinking water is not, in general, sanitary so rinsing would leave the item unsanitary. But, would leave any/enough bugs to hurt your beer? Don't know....don't want to know.

Before I learned to Love the Foam I routinely rinsed it out with tap water. No infections resulted.

 

[olllllo]

IMO, anything you do to the vessel post Starsan adds risk of contamination.
The risk could be minor but in the worst-case scenario, the outcome is a failed batch. Therefore; anything extracurricular better be important in the brewing process.

Rinsing, again IMO, does not add to the brewing process.

 

[Chriso]

Which is why I always dilute my drinking water.

With beer?

 

[cubbies]

I wouldn't bet my own beer on it, but to each his own.

Dont get me wrong, I wouldnt, nor do I, risk my beer on it. I am just saying that I doubt it would be a problem if it did happen. I am sure there are many a brewer who rinse 'no-rinse' sanitizer and are not getting infections.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

There are thousands of people out there who have done partial boils and use regular old tap water to top off the fermenter with, without boiling or otherwise sanitizing it first, and I'm sure that the vast majority of them have successfully brewed beer that way without infection.
The risk of adding several gallons of tap water to your fermenter has got to be a lot more significant than giving your equipment a quick rinse with tap water after sanitizing, and yet people seem to freak out a lot more about the latter. (Not trying to say either is a good idea)

But what's the excuse for using tap as top-off water? More often than not, I think it's that pre-boiling and cooling your tap water is a hassle, and buying bottled water costs money. It's not a GOOD excuse, but it's a common one. Experienced brewers warn against it, but people still skip it.

But rinsing after sanitizing with starsan is practically the opposite. It requires more effort, there is no benefit, and if anything it increases risk of infection (even if it is by some probably negligible amount). Experienced brewers warn against it, but people keep doing it.

I think the moral of the story is that sometimes people just don't want to listen to advice
Personally, I'm one of those who runs around with a spray bottle full of starsan and uses it on everything, and never rinses after sanitizing - I can't understand why anyone would expend MORE effort to be LESS sanitary - to each his own. But I also acknowledge that rinsing is not very likely to cause problems - again, to each his own.

 

[olllllo]

To me, it's not the water, it's the (IMO) unecessary step that may lead to an (albeit 1 in 1000) error.

 

[malkore]

You can DRINK star-san. at worst, it tastes funny and will give you mud butt.

DO NOT FEAR THE FOAM. the foam sanitizes too.

 

[TheClosetBrewery]

I don't worry too much about the foam. If you're careful with how you pour your water out, though, and keep the flow out of the fermenter more or less laminar, you don't end up with too much foam. Same thing works when you're sanitizing your bottles, incidentally.

 

[toasted]

How about bottling?

Is it ok to have some foam left on the bottles before you pour the final product into them to bottle condition?

 

[Got Trub?]

How about bottling?

Is it ok to have some foam left on the bottles before you pour the final product into them to bottle condition?

That is fine too.
Don't fear the foam.

GT

 

[D2T]

Foam is your friend. I just did my first batch using Starsan yesterday and I can tell you that my IPA is bubbling away happily.

 

[MOSFET]

Ok, I'm in the minority. I have always rinsed with hot tap water, whether rinsing diluted bleach or Star San. A giant cascade of Star San foam, though beautiful, has no place in my beer. Public water supplies are chlorinated and well-regulated. I can't say for sure I'd rinse if I were on a well, but I've been rinsing for many years and have never had an infection. But, as usual, there are people who report success with both approaches, so relax, don't worry. Both ways work.

 

[PhlyanPan]

Chlorinated water has no place in my beer.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Public water supplies are chlorinated and well-regulated.

Which is why several brewers on here have to either use bottled water for brewing or have to alter the makeup of their water for brewing. Just because it's regulated by the gubment, doesn't make it great!

OP-
Why do you feel one more thread about not fearing the foam is going to convince you? If they first 900 didn't, I don't think 901 will. Do a test. Brew up a batch then split in in primaries. Leave the foam in one, rinse one. See if you notice any difference good or bad.

But really, don't fear it.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

OP-
Why do you feel one more thread about not fearing the foam is going to convince you? If they first 900 didn't, I don't think 901 will.

To be fair to the OP, he posted this back in December 2007! Back then, there were probably only 400 "don't fear the foam" threads.

 

[MOSFET]

Chlorinated water has no place in my beer.

Absolutely. I have a filter for the brew water and just use the tap for rinsing. It comforts me both to smell a little chlorine from the tap and to smell none from the filter.

 

[conpewter]

I have drank star-san and it does have a little bit of bite to it, but not bad

Also I always have my spray-bottle of star-san. My wife actually has one now so she can sanitize the countertops.

 

[SCARYLARRY]

How about bottling?

Is it ok to have some foam left on the bottles before you pour the final product into them to bottle condition?

I pull my bottles right of of the bucket of Star San, empty and fill. Nice little foamy monsters come out of the bottles.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Also I always have my spray-bottle of star-san. My wife actually has one now so she can sanitize the countertops.

A spray bottle full of Star San is a brewer's best friend, but be careful if you've got marble or granite countertops. It can etch the polished finish.