Anyone else out there hate starsan?

[HopHound12]

I may be in the minority here but I literally hate starsan. After using iodophor for sanitation for over three years with no infections whatsoever I decided to give starsan a try. This was a big mistake...here are a few of the things that I dislike about it:

1. When filling my kegs all of the foam prevents me from seeing where the beer level is.
2. When filling carboys about 4 gallons in the foam starts to back up into the funnel preventing the beer from flowing into the carboy resulting in obnoxious bubbling over. The "bubble over" gets all over the carboy and then I have to clean it off and my floor as well.
3. One time when using dry yeast I forgot to put the yeast in before filling the carboy with the wort and now it was literally stuck on top of all of the foam.
4. It makes a huge mess everywhere.

All of this for just so I don't have to rinse? NO THANKS

Does anyone else feel the same about it??

 

[sportpak]

I think the foam helps me believe it's properly sanitized. I've never used anything else. Maybe it's a me thing? Use what you like man.

 

[govner1]

I may be in the minority here but I literally hate starsan. After using iodophor for sanitation for over three years with no infections whatsoever I decided to give starsan a try. This was a big mistake...here are a few of the things that I dislike about it:



1. When filling my kegs all of the foam prevents me from seeing where the beer level is.

2. When filling carboys about 4 gallons in the foam starts to back up into the funnel preventing the beer from flowing into the carboy resulting in obnoxious bubbling over. The "bubble over" gets all over the carboy and then I have to clean it off and my floor as well.

3. One time when using dry yeast I forgot to put the yeast in before filling the carboy with the wort and now it was literally stuck on top of all of the foam.

4. It makes a huge mess everywhere.



All of this for just so I don't have to rinse? NO THANKS



Does anyone else feel the same about it??

You should consider using a smaller volume of StarSan and using it sooner so that the foam settles and allows you to empty more from your carboy.
Also, why are you using a funnel for racking your wort? You might be better served transferrin w/ tubing so you can avoid too much splashing.


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[dysphoria]

I am also not a fan of starsan for most things. I do find it somewhat handy to keep in a spray bottle for sanitizing that spoon that I may have dropped, or the pipette I use to take samples when checking for FG. Since it's fairly stable for long periods in sealed containers,it does have an advantage in that regard over iodophor.

But.. I hate it for bottles, carboys, kegs, for the same reasons you've stated. I definitely fear the foam. Also, whenever I've used it on carboys I can never get my damn stoppers to stay in - so I end up rinsing them, and drying the top opening of the carboy(which kind of renders the whole sanitizing routine useless).

It also fries the skin on my hands really bad, which iodophor doesn't do. Which brings me to another gripe about it - it is serious stuff in full concentration, to a point where it burned a permanent white mark into our kitchen floor and left a ring on our countertop. Iodophor may leave shirts and equipment stained, but I've never had it ruin countertop/floor. Stains on hard surfaces will usually scrub off with a little bar keepers friend.

Starsan works for a lot of folks though. Both work equally well as a no-rinse sanitizer, and both have their share of potential downsides depending on your brewing process.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Use a spray bottle, It won't foam up as much.


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[Zuljin]

Don't inhale it. It burns.

I usually use BEST. Starsan was on sale. So far, so good. Except for the burning if I breathe in some spray.

I've always rinsed. Chlorinated tap water is very clean.

 

[Cyclman]

My skin hates it, for sure. Never had an infection, though...knock wood and pray I didn't jinx myself.

 

[GABrewer1426]

I have always used Iodophor. Never had a problem. Running low on the big bottle and was seriously considering switching (to try something new). After reading all this, I think I'll stick with what works for me and get another big bottle.

On a side note, I ran into a fellow home brewer that is allergic to iodine. So it's good there are alternatives for people.

 

[NoahBeach]

I love it, but I love the bubbles. Way I see it is if I have a keg/carboy full of bubbles any bug that floats in past my starsan soaked paper towel will land on a nice pillow of DEATH.

As far as not seeing keg fill below bubbles, I always cold crash, so I use the "frost line" on the keg as a marker as I fill.

Never had an issue with it damaging my skin.

 

[MaxStout]

Hmmmm...I've never had a problem with too much Starsan foam remaining in my carboys prior to racking.

 

[sumbrewindude]

Used Idophore for a long time, only thing I didn't care for was that it was a one use mix - so if I made 3gal, I usually pitched it and then had to make for sanitizing something else later on. Not a huge deal, but I didn't like the waste.

I'm currently trying an acid sanitizer that similiar to Starsan, but it's non-foaming. I think the trade name for it is TriSan. Not something you want to fool around with in concentrated form, diluted it's not bad at all.

The good thing is, it's a contact based acid sanitizer that has no taste at all and is clear. The bad thing is, it's got Nonic acid in it which stinks to high heaven - like baby puke stink. That smell doesn't show up in the beer, but man oh man did it have me worried I trashed a keg of beer.

The main reason for finding a non-foaming, acid sanitizer for sanitizing was to run it through the keg washer when processing kegs so I can have them primed and ready without a foam explosion in the keg/pump/tub. The fact I can hang on to it in a spare PET carboy for a while is nice too.

I picked up a gallon of it for 16 bucks, so I'm set for a long time if I still feel like using it.

YMMV.

 

[SeeMont]

I like Starsan. I agree it is hard on the skin, I use rubber gloves when sanitizing and regularly dip my hands in solution. If the foaming is a problem, there is a non foaming version called Saniclean made by the same company as Starsan. I have used it for about 2 years with not a problem. Before that I used bleach, now that stuff is nasty.

 

[luvinit]

never tried it I have always used one step no rinse and havnt had a prob

 

[Queequeg]

I think the problems your having with as is in the nature of how you work. The foam is an issue because carboys are narrow necked and can't drain easily. Your yeast should be rehydrated prior to pitching which fixes the other problem. I always use gloves, and would do regardless of what sanitizer I used. Ss isn't bad it just not optimal for your current practices

 

[MagooBrew]

I have used Star San for years with not a single problem. If iodophor is what you use and have great results with, why change? Being an engineer by heart and trade, my next statement goes against everything I practice. "If it aint broke dont fix it"

 

[boicutt]

Hahha I have to agree with the stopper issue. I get so angry when the stopper won't stay. Any tips guys?

 

[ArcaneXor]

If you want the advantages of StarSan but do not like foaming, you can use SaniClean instead. Just note that the dosing is different.

StarSan is my favorite sanitizer out of the three most commonly used ones (StarSan/SaniClean/Io-Star). The foam doesn't bother me.

 

[grittanomyces]

If you don't like the bubbles, then rinse a little bit just like you would with rinse sanitizer (or really much less than you'd have to rinse to still feel safe about it being sanitized)

I have a sanitized water jug with water I use to add small amounts and pour out of the carboy, taking most of the foam with it.

Also I assume you're adding the star San to the water afterwards? If you add it first it will foam like crazy.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I have always used Iodophor. Never had a problem. Running low on the big bottle and was seriously considering switching (to try something new).

I also have only ever used Io-san, and while it always does the trick, I can't get over the staining of my equipment. All of my buckets and hoses take on a light orangey tint after I sanitize. I usually let them soak in Oxyclean free afterward to try and get the stains off, but it's still a pain every time. And as stated before, each time I use it, I have to dump it after, so if I fill a bucket with 2.5 gallons of water and io-san, not only does it stain my bucket, but I also have to dump out all the sanitizer when I'm done. I too am interested in switching to sanstar, just to give it a try.

 

[ejluttmann]

I just bought some saniclean to try with my keg washer, not that I mind the foam in the keg so much, but with the washer the foam in the basin starts overflowing and I have to wait for it to settle before continuing.

 

[FiddlersGreen87]

I got a mouth full of StarSan water on Sunday. Don't ask how, but I wasn't thrilled about it. The foam on the other hand doesn't bother me at all. If anything, I like that I can see it all over everything, it tells me everything is in direct contact with the solution.

I've never had skin issues with it either. I routinely dip my hands in my 5gal starsan bucket when brewing.

Whatever works for you, I actually had an infection after using Iodine, and while I fully admit it was probably more likely due to my own experience at the time, I've not had any issues with Starsan. I also like starsan's measuring cup on the bottle.

 

[flars]

I like Starsan, but not a big fan of residual foam. The foam that does not pour from my carboys, I will spray out with my Starsan filled spray bottle. The spray breaks up the foam and it drains right out.

 

[fuelish]

I switched over to Starsan, love the convenience (used to use bleach water, which had never been a problem with a good heavy hot water rinse and dry) Foam is very rarely an issue, likely due to old habits - I'll sanitize my carboy, let it dry inverted on a carboy drain stand and let my sanitized bottles dry on a bottle tree....only foaming issue is when I don't plan ahead and sanitize on the fly, but no big deal.....and properly diluted, does not affect my skin at all, but...my hands are like leather...heh

 

[LAHammer]

I had a problem with the Starsan foam until I read a comment here on HBT. If you don't shake it up, it doesn't foam. I know some of the pump cleaning systems can't avoid that but for my process, I mix about a gallon (1/4 oz. Starsan) in the container (FV or keg) I'm sanitizing after it's clean. Then swish around without creating foam. Pour it out and you're done.
I don't have a problem with occasionally rinsing something that's been sanitized with clean tap water. I'm always sanitizing right before the vessel is being used.
And it is phosphoric acid, so be careful with the undiluted stuff.

 

[HopHound12]

I think my problem is that I like to shake the heck out of my carboy a couple times to make sure it is bug free. Being able to re-use it is a plus that i left out but besides keeping some in a spray bottle this would not be too practical for me.

 

[jekeane]

I think you're using it wrong personally... You certainly don't need to be filling a whole carboy with starsan. Put .5 gallon or so in the gently roll the carboy letting the star San hit everything the dump the star san back into your sanitizer bucket. For kegs full it with 2.5 gallons of water .5 oz star san then shake it up and let it sit a minute. Pour of sanitizer into your bucket. Shake out extra bubble if there are a ton. (Which is only the case if you don't let it sit for a few minutes... I usually pump the sanitizer through the dip tube into a bucket and have minimal foam. As for the yeast problem imo you should be rehydrating it anyways and this wouldn't ever happen.

 

[HopHound12]

Thanks for the tips I guess will attempt a gentler rolling technique while I finish off this bottle of starsan.

 

[fatcop]

I have never had the foam problems which you have described my friend. I do not use heavy glass carboys however. I take my plastic fermenters and remove the foam with a whipping motion until I feel satisfied that I have removed enough, I do not rinse. I don't think rinsing will hurt at all, however. I have never had an infection from using top-up water right from the sink. You could even rinse with a bit of cheap vodka if you wanted to.

 

[ChrisinKc]

I only use starsan and don't have an issue with the foam. But as previously mentioned, full strength will damage counter tops. Got lazy and didn't put away the starsan after mixing up a batch. Had a leaky bottle and now I've got damage
to my formica bar top. It doesn't stain but actually penetrates and raises the texture and bleaches the color. not happy about that.

 

[grainbill]

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!