Cheapest Sanitizer

[triangulum33]

I've been a StarSan user since I started brewing a few years ago, but I'm wondering if there is a cheaper/better alternative.

Besides bleach, what is your favorite/cheapest sanitzer?

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I use both star san and iodophor. I use star san on anything plastic and use iodophor for everything else. Iodophor is way cheaper than star san, and I like it becasue I can mix up 5 gallons or so and fill whatever I'm sanitizing to avoid the whole shaking or rolling on the floor bit. Plus it doesn't foam up (lets not get into the whole "Don't fear the foam thing.") But, you need a longer contact time with iodophor and it stains just about anything except for glass and metal. Also, when I mix up star san, I only make enough for what I'm doing. When I'm racking or brewing, I'll mix up 1.25 gallons (1/4 of the instructed usage). If I'm making starters, I'll mix up 1/8 of the reccemmended usage. If I'm sanitizing a beer line, I'll make up a couple cups worth and just guess at the concentration. I brew a lot of beer, and one big bottle of star san lasts me between a year and a year and a half. A big bottle of iodophor lasts me a couple three years.

 

[Monster Mash]

32oz container of Starsan costs about $17 and it lasts me almost two years using 1oz per batch. The price is worth the piece of mind.....

 

[JonK331]

Yeah it's really all about star san. A small price to pay for the convenience. You can always mix up less and to the whole shake thing. Spray bottles work well too.

 

[mpcluever]

Star San all the way. You only need a tiny bit so it goes a long way. I only use 1/2 oz per batch and that gets reused to sanitize carboys and everything else for a couple weeks.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Star San lasts me forever it seems, I only mix up a half gallon at a time, so 1/10 of an ounce, swirl / shake it around the inside of a keg. I keep thinking to get a spray bottle and some distilled water, on my list....

 

[triangulum33]

I'll stick with SS, then.

I mix up 5G in an old bottling bucket. I can dispense it out quickly from the spigot into a tray to soak stuff in on brewday, and pour it back into the bucket if it doesnt get too dirty. Its nice to have a large amount readily accessible when I have friends over on a group brew day.

 

[Fizzycist]

I use iodophor and was under the impression that iodine sanitizes on contact and star san has to sit. Had no issues so far just swishing it around.

 

[triangulum33]

Iodophor has to sit for a couple minutes too.

 

[BrewBeerBlog]

From my experiences, Amazon has been the cheapest place to get cheap Star San Sanitizer. Be sure to get the larger 32oz version because there is nothing more important than Sanitation! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O7YFA/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0064O7YFA&linkCode=as2&tag=brbebl-20

 

[Surly]

Mix up your starsan using distilled water.

Clean everything with cleaning chemicals, rinse and sanitize with the Star San.

Return the Star San to a glass container and reuse for almost ever.

Every now and then check the PH level. If your gut says dump it, do so.