Cheap sanitzer in bulk?

[SanPancho]

so hopefully somebody with some chemistry knowledge can take a look at this and tell me if this is legit or not. i was in tractor supply and randomly started to talking to a guy in front of this stuff, "milkstone remover and acid rinse". he mentioned that you can use it in place of star san. whole lot cheaper.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/dairyland-sterosol-milkstone-remover-acid-rinse-1-gal


its 42% phosphoric acid (56% at 75% solution) with some "surfactants" dye and water making up the rest.

acid lowers the pH, soap breaks the cell wall and you kill the nasties. seems legit, no other random/scary ingredients.

any educated opinions out there?

 

[Rxbrewer16]

1) shopping for brew supplies at TSC is an awesome alternative (especially in rural NE)
2) http://www.stearnspkg.com/consumer-brands/farm-sanitation-products.raw?task=download&fid=530
this is the safety data sheet for this particular product - does not recommend swallowing, and if that happens you are to contact a poison control center.... additionally the directions state to rinse with other various sanitizers and hot water after use (at a dairy)
verdict: I wouldn't probably use this as an alternative to star-san, etc.

 

[The_Bishop]

Pretty sure they're talking about swallowing the undiluted product.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

1) shopping for brew supplies at TSC is an awesome alternative (especially in rural NE)
2) http://www.stearnspkg.com/consumer-brands/farm-sanitation-products.raw?task=download&fid=530
this is the safety data sheet for this particular product - does not recommend swallowing, and if that happens you are to contact a poison control center.... additionally the directions state to rinse with other various sanitizers and hot water after use (at a dairy)
verdict: I wouldn't probably use this as an alternative to star-san, etc.

FYI, Idophor and Star San have similar warnings on swallowing because undiluted...bad.

The rinsing part would require research as some surfactants would be very detrimental to things like head retention.

In general, if it is a safe no-rinses detergent or sanitizer for the dairy industry is safe for brewing but not always a good idea.

 

[SanPancho]

maybe ill pass. he might not have been specifically referring to this brand, he said they'd use "foaming milkstone" cleaner. this one just says milkstone remover and acid rinse.

interesting. its the only one i saw at tractor supply, maybe there are other brands/versions out there?

 

[IslandLizard]

For all the money and time we spend on brewing (that includes being on HBT!), that relatively small investment in Starsan is a simple peace of mind, at least for me. It's truly no-rinse, imperceptible, and (allegedly) safe. It also works far beyond its own specs.

A 32 oz bottle of Starsan lasted me 7 years for the cost of $20. I never have to think about it being active, since I know it always works (pH <3.0), even when cloudy. A working solution lasts 6 weeks and longer. I've always had at least 5 gallon spread over 2 buckets ready for use any day.

Last year I finally finished that original quart jar, then splurged by buying a gallon jug, and promised myself not to be so chintzy with it anymore. What a relief! I now dump the old every 3-4 weeks before making a new working solution. I can live with that.

Why would anyone be shopping for anything else?

 

[kh54s10]

So that is $12.99. I don't see if it gets mixed with water or to what degree. Starsan is currently about $18 for 16 ounces. I am still on the first bottle that I bought over 6 years ago.

If there are any savings by that it is not very significant.

Why mess with something that is proven and is a very insignificant portion of your brewing budget?

 

[dlettow]

A 32 oz bottle of Starsan lasted me 7 years for the cost of $20.

Starsan is currently about $18 for 16 ounces. I am still on the first bottle that I bought over 6 years ago.

Glad to hear starsan lasted this long for you two. I bought a 32oz bottle over a year ago on sale, thinking it was a deal. I don't know if I waste less than I used to or what, but I've only used about 5 oz of it so far. It'll probably be 5+ years until it is gone. I was worried it wouldn't last that long once opened.

 

[Yooper]

I'm on my second bottle of star-san, but this time I bought a large bottle and refilled the smaller bottle as needed so I don't think I'll ever need star-san again in my lifetime!

I use keg lube that is actually a food-safe lubricate in a gel form that is designed for use in dairy equipment, so I'm sure that many industrial cleaners/sanitizers are safe. I would make sure it's truly a "no rinse" product before using this dairy cleaner/sanitizer. With surfactants in it, I don't imagine it could be but I really wouldn't know.

 

[Transamguy77]

There is many things I would look to get on the cheap in brewing but sanitizer is not one, in the 7+ years I've been brewing I have only used 2 4oz bottles, I make 4 gallons at a time and it lasts for months.