Best use for OneStep?

[Puddlethumper]

I have a 5# tub of OneStep and have used a little of it. But being a new brewer have learned that the combination of PBW followed with StarSan is the best way to make sure everything is both clean and sanitary.

I know it says it is a cleanser on the label and some people say it is also a sanitizer too. But after an infection ruined several batches (before I bought the OneStep), I have gotten increasingly paranoid about sanitation. So now I'm using the PBW/StarSan combo and have this tub of OneStep on the shelf and would like to get some use out of it. I have used it to soak bottles (removes labels great) before baking them to sterilize before storage.

If you have used OneStep in the past, how did you use it and what results did you have?

Thanks in advance for any input on this product.

 

[Revvy]

Use it as a cleanser an not a sanitizer. I put a lot of info about that in this thread I wouldn't use it for sanitizing.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Use it as a cleanser an not a sanitizer. I put a lot of info about that in this thread I wouldn't use it for sanitizing.

Thanks for the link Revvy. Finally had time to read it all the way through. I've come to the decision that the best use of OneStep is in bottle cleaning. It removes labels great and does a good job of cleaning inside the bottle, too. Since I've started putting a foil cap on my dried bottles and then sterilizing them at 340F for 1 hour in the oven I don't worry too much about the sanitizing aspect of this product.

 

[skagit991]

Bottles in the oven.....??? Have you tried Star San yet? Moving hot bottles in and out of the oven sounds like a pain in the arsss.

 

[ziggityz]

I use my left over 1 step to clean bottles... I put about 1/8 tsp in the bottle and fill it to the brim with warm water, 24 hrs later no gunk at the bottom, this is with freshly empty bottles though.

 

[63belair]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind regarding what to use it for.

That being said, I made plenty of great batches using only one step before I learned about star san. I still use one step for cleaning and then everything gets a blast of star san from my spray bottle.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Bottles in the oven.....??? Have you tried Star San yet? Moving hot bottles in and out of the oven sounds like a pain in the arsss.

Yup. Got the idea from Palmer's book. I wash them really good in OneStep, rinse and drain. When they are dry I put a little wrap of tinfoil on the tops and put them in the oven. Preheat to 340F and when the oven is up to temp I set the timer for an hour. Timer goes off, turn the oven off and forget them, usually until morning. Then move the sterilized bottles into their cases and they are ready to go on bottling day, even if bottling day comes 6 months later.

The bottles aren't just santized where most of the bugs are killed, they are sterilized where everything is killed. The foil wrap keeps them sterilized indefinitely.

Oh, and btw, OneStep is awesome at lifting lables off beer bottles!

...

 

[Puddlethumper]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind regarding what to use it for.

That being said, I made plenty of great batches using only one step before I learned about star san. I still use one step for cleaning and then everything gets a blast of star san from my spray bottle.

I've been doing a bunch of reading since I started this thread. A lot of guys have had great results with OneStep. My battle with a "bug" that got to my beer has gotten me pretty jumpy about what I use and how I go about sanitizing everything in my operation. And yes, I think StarSan is indespensable in getting everything sanitary before it comes in contact with beer.