Anyone else out there hate starsan?

[fartinmartin]

I think starsan is terrific, I think you should modify your technique toward easy use of starsan like the rest of us do, be a little bit flexible, maybe different techniques from what may be your norm.

 

[Zuljin]

I second the comment about rehydrating dry yeast. There is evidence out there against making full on starters with dry yeast, but just rehydrating is a great practice. If nothing else, starsan or not, it's easier to mix in rehydrated yeast than dry yeast.

 

[biertourist]

Yea, StarSan is the worst!... Except for every other sanitizer out there...


At the end of the day you have to use something. Some sanitizers leave residue behind, some need to be rinsed, many leave terrible off flavors for batches and batches to come if you use them in too high of a concentration (iodine and chlorine taste BEYOND TERRIBLE even at insanely low concentrations), some sanitizers aren't recommended on stainless, others aren't recommended on aluminum; some don't store very long. Some require a long soak time to work. Professional santizers are insanely dangerous and scary in their stored concentrated form and some smell intensely like vinegar long after you've finished using them.

StarSan just works and via two methods; can be sprayed on and works within seconds. The foam is an added bonus, IMHO as it keeps the vessel in contact with the sanitizer longer. It's SUPER safe and works on everything without rinsing. It even breaks down to become yeast food. It turns cloudy when it's no longer working properly.

The cost is the only issue, but as long as you use it properly, it should last quite a while; even longer if you have super soft water like mine so that it stores well even after being dilluted.



IMO, the only problem with StarSan is it's cost.


Adam

 

[mboehm]

Obviously use what ever works for you but as far as the OP's complaints about starsan, he/she must doing it wrong . The only real drawback to starsan is that it cannot be pumped because of its foaming action. Possibly also a skin reaction in some people but I've never had any problems with direct skin contact in its dilute state. Dilute starsan is safe to drink a pint of. A couple ideas:

Make transfers with a siphon and don't use a funnel ESPECIALLY after primary is complete. Use less starsan solution to sanitize your vessels. It is a contact sanitizer and you don't need much for it to be effective. Be more gentle with it, don't shake shake shake, just swirl it around; the time for being aggressive was when you were cleaning. Let the foam settle for a while and dump off what collects after this period of rest. Calibrate your vessels so you know how much volume you are transfering BEFORE starting rather than trying to eyeball it in the keg. I have sprinkled dry yeast onto remaining starsan foam both in the fermentor with beer and in a jar with water for rehydration. Neither instance affected yeast health in a way that was perceptible in the fermentation. Just a couple ideas.

Starsan is awesome and I will never switch back to iodophor.

 

[shelly_belly]

StarSan is the best thing since sliced bread. And it's so cheap. I still have 1/3 of the quart I bought 6 years ago. Vinators are wonderful too.

 

[sumbrewindude]

The foam is a good thing IMO, sanitizes or re-sanitizes what ever it touches. Never had any chemical burns, it is food grade unlike iodophor. Any residual is food for the little yeasties. And what a time saver. Used both bleach and iodophor in the past. No need to go back to that..

But as many have said use what works for you. One of the best things about homebrewing is there are many ways to get from kettle to bottle/keg.

Salute!

Idophor is food grade. It's used all the time in the milk industry as well as other food processing enviroments - not to mention hospital enviroments.

Idophor is good to go if used in the correct concentration.

:rockin:

 

[chawn]

Wow. I've been using B-Bright that came with my original starter kit as a no-rinse sanitizer. My LHBS told me to do so. It leaves A LOT of residue. Perhaps I should consider using something else.

 

[hunter_le five]

Wow. I've been using B-Bright that came with my original starter kit as a no-rinse sanitizer. My LHBS told me to do so. It leaves A LOT of residue. Perhaps I should consider using something else.

While B-Brite does have some sanitation capabilities, it is generally considered as more of a cleaning agent than a sanitizer. And yeah, the residue is pretty bad.

I started off using B-Brite, then bleach, then idophor... After I tried Star San, I've seen no reason to use anything else ever again. It truly is a great product, and indispensible.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[troy2000]

The first time I walked into my LHBS, I had 'sanitizer' on my list. I asked the owner, and he pointed to a shelf holding Star San and IO Star: "I only carry two kinds. Personally I use the one on the right; I hate the way the other stuff foams." I've been using IO Star ever since.

At an ounce to every five gallons of water, I can't complain about the cost; a quart bottle of it will make 160 gallons for about eight cents a gallon. And I normally use a squirt bottle instead of a bucket... yeah, it turns my vinyl tubing a little orange if I make it too strong, but I don't care. I usually replace the tubing regularly anyway, because I keep cutting it for one reason or another, losing it, or swiping it for other projects.

 

[mattd2]

Idophor is food grade. It's used all the time in the milk industry as well as other food processing enviroments - not to mention hospital enviroments.

Idophor is good to go if used in the correct concentration.

:rockin:

Generally other sanitisers are more commonplace nowdays in food processing. I have seen a report that New Zealanders are actually more iodine deficient since the milk industry switched to nitric / peroxide based sanitisers since the trace iodine from the iodine based santisier is no longer in the milk!

 

[2drunk2]

Starsan killed my father. I must avenge his death.

 

[passedpawn]

Starsan killed my father. I must avenge his death.

Look for the man with 6 fingers. He killed your father, Inigo.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Look for the man with 6 fingers. He killed your father, Inigo.

"That man shot my paw!", said the three legged dog.