Alright, really, no rinsing of Star San foam?

[PhlyanPan]

Quick Question... after you mix up a batch of StarSan solution, how long is it good for? Could you reuse it for any given length of time? Or does it loose effectiveness?

I've been told it keeps as long as the PH remains within a specified limit. (though I can't remember what that limit is) I think as long as you keep it in a closed container you're fine for quite a long time.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I've been told it keeps as long as the PH remains within a specified limit. (though I can't remember what that limit is) I think as long as you keep it in a closed container you're fine for quite a long time.

So long as the PH is below 3, it's still effective.

Many people find it goes cloudy immediately after mixing, due to minerals in their tap water. I can't remember who, but somebody on the forum did some really extensive testing, and found that the PH stayed well below 3 for much longer than expected, long after it had gone cloudy.

Ah, here it is! Star San cloudiness lab report

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Ah, here it is! Star San cloudiness lab report

Good to know...thanks for posting that link. I def waste too much...it just works so damn well as a soaker.

 

[Stef1966]

And if you religiously avoid soft drinks for the same reason, then you have a valid reason.
If you are pecking away on your keyboard while sipping a Coke, then your concerns are asinine.

Also, to everyone who has these "chemical" concerns, never ever buy ANY meat products, especially chicken. They all use an acidic sanitizer like StarSan on all of their equipment and conveyor systems and don't rinse.....
__________________

Very well said, and yes, i never drink soft drinks.
I would use star san, but i would still rince it personally.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Well i tihnk this thread is concluded.

Nothing bad can happen from not rinsing
Rinsing is most likely not going to cause a problem but takes away the sanitizing efforts of the starsan there fore wastig the time and money you spent on it and using it.

If you want advice start a thread, if not don't.

Can we just close this already?

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

You have all been very infoamative. Eh? eh.

chris.

I LOL'd

 

[Canada_Eh]

Yep, there are even legends recounting tales of people racking onto an inch of Starsan in the bottom of a fermentor with no ill effects.

until they get cancer of the brain from drinking too much sanitizer...

 

[j1n]

My only issue with the foam is when i go to fill a keg with beer. I use starsan to sanitize the keg and there a bunch of foam. The reason i fear it is cause the bubbles have oxygen in it and when i vent the keg it wont get the o2 out of the foam so i vent like crazy hoping that the bubbles fade and any o2 is purged out.

 

[nitz146]

I'm one of those people in the minority that does not feel comfortable ingesting a no-rinse sanitizer. I have actually switched from using star san which one of its ingredients is Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. I'm sure the studies say that its fine to ingest but the benzene ring in there just freaks me out a little. So now I use saniclean which has phosphoric acid just like starsan (which i'm totally ok with as its in every soda that we drink) but instead of Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid it has Sulfonate oleric acid. Sulfonate oleric acid is a fatty acid derivative and our bodies are made to process fatty acids. I know this is extreme overkill but I also rinse the keg out with a little bit of beer first, dump that out then rack over the rest to the keg. I keg in 3 gallon kegs but I brew 4 gallons knowing that a gallon will be lost after racking, rinsing etc. Anyway that's my 2 cents.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'm one of those people in the minority that does not feel comfortable ingesting a no-rinse sanitizer. I have actually switched from using star san which one of its ingredients is Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. I'm sure the studies say that its fine to ingest but the benzene ring in there just freaks me out a little. So now I use saniclean which has phosphoric acid just like starsan (which i'm totally ok with as its in every soda that we drink) but instead of Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid it has Sulfonate oleric acid. Sulfonate oleric acid is a fatty acid derivative and our bodies are made to process fatty acids. I know this is extreme overkill but I also rinse the keg out with a little bit of beer first, dump that out then rack over the rest to the keg. I keg in 3 gallon kegs but I brew 4 gallons knowing that a gallon will be lost after racking, rinsing etc. Anyway that's my 2 cents.

With such heightened concern, I'm surprised you drink alcohol?


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[nitz146]

With such heightened concern, I'm surprised you drink alcohol?


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

Haha seriously. Its probably because I work in a stressful job and I have two small kids at home. I need something to take reality away a little.

 

[Cape Brewing]

(shakin' my head at all you silly sonsabtiches)

If you are worried about starsan foam (and I admit it... I'm not a big fan of it. I know it's harmless but it just bothers me).

Spend the freakin' $3.50....

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermcap-s-1-oz.html

Leave the carboy full of starsan until just before use. Then, add two drops of fermcap, shake and.... IT'S MAGIC!!!! NO FOAM!!!!

... and then dump it out.

Fermcap is sanitary and then you can put two more drops in your wort when you rack to the carboy and then... no blowouts!!




... ya goofy bastids.

 

[beerme70]

.... but I also rinse the keg out with a little bit of beer first, dump that out...

That, sir, is alcohol abuse!

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I love Starsan! I put it in my coffee!

 

[bja]

(shakin' my head at all you silly sonsabtiches)

People are afraid of what they don't understand...

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I use StarSan as an aftershave...............

 

[SnakeRidge]

I'm one of those people in the minority that does not feel comfortable ingesting a no-rinse sanitizer.

So, I take it you've never ever ever even once eaten in a restaurant? Because if you have, I can guarantee that you've ingested no rinse cleansers, no rinse sanitizers and probably a good bit of bleach.

 

[Brettomomyces]

So, I take it you've never ever ever even once eaten in a restaurant? Because if you have, I can guarantee that you've ingested no rinse cleansers, no rinse sanitizers and probably a good bit of bleach.

It depends on the operation...but when my dishmachine is operating functionally it doesn't use any chemical sanitizers, instead relying on a final rinse temp of 190-195F to heat sanitize everything.

When the water heater isn't working at full blast, we use a sodium hypochlorite based sanitizer, which is basically bleach.

 

[evanmars]

It depends on the operation...but when my dishmachine is operating functionally it doesn't use any chemical sanitizers, instead relying on a final rinse temp of 190-195F to heat sanitize everything.

When the water heater isn't working at full blast, we use a sodium hypochlorite based sanitizer, which is basically bleach.

And you don't wash down your food prep surfaces....

 

[Brettomomyces]

And you don't wash down your food prep surfaces....

? Of course we do. We use a quaternary ammonium based sanitizer for all food contact surfaces, prep tables, sinks, etc, in addition to a plain soap and water scrub. I was just pointing out that not every dish machine uses an actual chemical sanitizer for small wares that food is going to be served in, instead relying on heat to sanitize.

 

[mattdc26]

i usually just rinse out the foam with a bit of water then rack, seems to work just fine that way.

 

[WissahickonBrew]

(which i'm totally ok with as its in every soda that we drink)

Anyone stating concern about what they drink who admits to drinking soda is interesting!

Not busting your balls, just poking fun!

I recently had a chance to help on brew day at a commercial brewery and was shocked to learn they rinse their ferm tanks with hot tap water AFTER sanitizing with starsan. That goes against all conventional wisdom I've read about sanitation practices but the head brewer claimed he has NEVER had a problem with infection, ever.

When you think about it, if you put tap water in a jar and placed it in your fridge, when do you think you would see microbial infection begin? Maybe not for a very long time. That's not to say there is NO activity , but it might be negligible. Seeing a pro rinse the starsan rocked my sanitation thoughts to the core!

 

[stpug]

On the same token I would think buying a cheap fifth of vodka; swishing it throughout your fermenter; and recapturing the vodka for next use would be just as efficient. It may even cost less in the long run.

I, however, will stick with starsan

 

[WissahickonBrew]

What's in it? Sounds counter intuitive to suggest adding another chemical to deal with the current chemical.! 'jus sayin'

(shakin' my head at all you silly sonsabtiches)

If you are worried about starsan foam (and I admit it... I'm not a big fan of it. I know it's harmless but it just bothers me).

Spend the freakin' $3.50....

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermcap-s-1-oz.html

Leave the carboy full of starsan until just before use. Then, add two drops of fermcap, shake and.... IT'S MAGIC!!!! NO FOAM!!!!

... and then dump it out.

Fermcap is sanitary and then you can put two more drops in your wort when you rack to the carboy and then... no blowouts!!




... ya goofy bastids.

 

[mattdc26]

i mean everyone has their own opinion on contamination and for the most part i think people can tend to go way overboard. The foam is safe and rinsing it is gunna be fine too so do whatever makes you warm and fuzzy. Most of all enjoy the final product!

 

[cannman]

i usually just rinse out the foam with a bit of water then rack, seems to work just fine that way.

I think this defeats the purpose.................

 

[bja]

I think this defeats the purpose.................

Interjecting logic into this thread is only going to confuse everyone.

 

[dkevinb]

(shakin' my head at all you silly sonsabtiches)

If you are worried about starsan foam (and I admit it... I'm not a big fan of it. I know it's harmless but it just bothers me).

Spend the freakin' $3.50....

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermcap-s-1-oz.html

Leave the carboy full of starsan until just before use. Then, add two drops of fermcap, shake and.... IT'S MAGIC!!!! NO FOAM!!!!

... and then dump it out.

Fermcap is sanitary and then you can put two more drops in your wort when you rack to the carboy and then... no blowouts!!




... ya goofy bastids.

Ah, but Fermcap-S contains silicone and everyone knows how poisonous that stuff is. The FDA says you have to filter it back out of your beer.

 

[Brettomomyces]

(which i'm totally ok with as its in every soda that we drink)

Anyone stating concern about what they drink who admits to drinking soda is interesting!

Not busting your balls, just poking fun!

I recently had a chance to help on brew day at a commercial brewery and was shocked to learn they rinse their ferm tanks with hot tap water AFTER sanitizing with starsan. That goes against all conventional wisdom I've read about sanitation practices but the head brewer claimed he has NEVER had a problem with infection, ever.

When you think about it, if you put tap water in a jar and placed it in your fridge, when do you think you would see microbial infection begin? Maybe not for a very long time. That's not to say there is NO activity , but it might be negligible. Seeing a pro rinse the starsan rocked my sanitation thoughts to the core!

Do you know what temp he was using to rinse? I suppose if you were blasting 195 water down your tanks you would be sanitizing as well as rinsing, but using extra time and energy to accomplish the same thing.

 

[cannman]

I, for one, am actually finding StarSan foam threads warm and inviting to read on these increasingly cold day...