Do I have to sanitize my brew kettle?

[kryznic]

It's a stainless steel pot. I don't have anything to sanitize it other than bleach which I know you cannot use. I will be using bleach on my plastic stuff though.

Will the boil work for sanitizing it? Or should I get something to sanitize it? I have never used it or any of my new equipment yet. Hope to brew my first batch some night this week.

Thanks,

-Chris

 

[azscoob]

the boil will take care of any sanitizing duties required on the brew kettle, as for using bleach on your other equipment make sure to rinse the heck out of everything, you dont want that stuff in your beer. I use star san for all my sanitizing needs, its is a no-rinse sanitizer, never had an issue while using it.

 

[kjjohns5]

Just boil. It'll kill all contaminates. Everything else though, that doesn't touch the boil, I sanitize in star san.

 

[wyzazz]

You technically are sanitizing it by boiling for 60 or so minutes, that only takes 20mins at 170F if I remember correctly. You however do need to clean it (I use OxiClean Free) before use, to get all the gunk out of it.

And save yourself some time, and pick up some StarSan. It's pretty cheap and works very well!

 

[gunner65]

I did my first brew a month ago with only bleach and water everything turned out great. As others said you do have to rinse the bleach. Papasian recommends bleach in "The art of Homebrew". Nothing wrong with it but I have since moved to oxyclean free for cleaning and Starsan for saintizing.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

I'll agree with those saying bleach is ok, you just need to do a little more work. Personally I only use it for items that have touched sour beers. A nice bleach bomb both for those guys!

 

[PanzerBanana]

I use a weak bleach solution for larger sanitizing tasks. I'm cheap, so I save my sanitizers for soaking and sanitizing all my tools on brew day, and my bottles for bottling day.

 

[gtpro]

You technically are sanitizing it by boiling for 60 or so minutes, that only takes 20mins at 170F if I remember correctly. You however do need to clean it (I use OxiClean Free) before use, to get all the gunk out of it.

Careful with the oxiclean in the brew kettle, its not recommended for use on metal.

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Yeah, an amazing, incredible amount of over-thinking going on here. Wash your brew kettle in Dawn,Joy, Palmolive, like you do every thing else in the kitchen. Hey, I'm all about drinking but sometimes it just requires thinking. IF YOU USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE, like if you rack into it then bottle, SANITIZE it. Otherwise just wash the damn thing and ignore the paranoia.

 

[kryznic]

So if I use bleach on everything else do I have to rinse with BOILED water or tap water? Won't tap water defeat the sanitization the bleach is doing?

Also can I use Oxi Clean on my plastic stuff? I looked for unscented dish wash stuff but I don't think they make it any more, I checked like 5 stores.

I am just so confused with cleaning and sanitizing, I've read the John Palmer book as well as some literature my local brew shop gave me and a small booklet that came with my brew kit and they mention so many different things.

The other thing is, I don't want to spend a fortune on sanitizers either.

At least I have my kettle issue out of the way now

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Kirbster]

First off, get a bottle of Star San. Use that on anything that the wort touches after the boil. It is no rinse and I use it on my transfer hoses, bottling bucket, bottles, fermentation vessel, airlocks, you name it. Anything that comes close to the wort after the boil is doused in Star San. I even spray it on my hands. I bought a small bottle of star san with my kit in September and I am only two thirds through the bottle. It is definitely worth it.

Secondly, you are looking for oxyclean free. It is in the laundry detergent section. It is sold at Target, if they do not have it at your Target ask them about ordering it. Oxyclean free will clean anything glass or plastic. Just let it soak overnight in a solution. A tub of oxyclean will last you for a long time. And it works wonders de-labling beer bottles.

I dont know about rinsing bleach because I have not used it before as a sanitizer. I picked star-san because it actually breaks down into a yeast nutrient in the correct dosage when you dont rinse it out.

 

[Calder]

Anything in the boil does not need sanitizing. The heat does that for you. Once the heat is turned off, that is the time to get anal.

When not in use I keep all my fermenters filled with weak bleach solution (about a tablespoon in 5 gallons - I don't measure, I pour a little in. When I need them, I just empty them and rinse with hot tap water. Need hot water to drive off the chlorine. I just add a little to the bottom, and swirl it around and empty it - then repeat. Providing you have a good water supply that does not require boiling drinking water, the risk of infection is low.

When racking/siphoning, I siphon the bleach solution through the lines works OK.

For bottling I use Idophor (works the same as Star San); no rinse. Rinsing bottles after soaking with bleach solution is just too much!

 

[mightynintendo]

no.

(and now i need to fill at least 10 characters to post this simple, simple answer)

 

[BigTexun]

For good measure, I usually spray a little star san on the outer lip of the pot and along the inside wall of the post where I'm going to be making my pour into the fermenter... I do this after the wort is cooled.

I doubt it is necessary but, I get a little worried about that wet surface sitting there exposed while the wort is being cooled. Star San, in my opinion, is cheap insurance.

BTW, I love star san. It is actually pretty cheap when you consider how far it goes.

 

[kryznic]

cool, thanks everyone I think I have the info I need to do this with confidence. I am just going to get the star san, it just sounds like it is the easiest, safest way to go.

 

[loxnar]

I did my first brew a month ago with only bleach and water everything turned out great. As others said you do have to rinse the bleach. Papasian recommends bleach in "The art of Homebrew". Nothing wrong with it but I have since moved to oxyclean free for cleaning and Starsan for saintizing.

wasnt that written in the 70s? =p im sure if he had star san he would praise it cuz its by far the easiest sanitizer for home brewing

 

[ddavis7426]

For good measure, I usually spray a little star san on the outer lip of the pot and along the inside wall of the post where I'm going to be making my pour into the fermenter... I do this after the wort is cooled.

I doubt it is necessary but, I get a little worried about that wet surface sitting there exposed while the wort is being cooled. Star San, in my opinion, is cheap insurance.

BTW, I love star san. It is actually pretty cheap when you consider how far it goes.

I was thinking the same thing because the upper part of the pot isnt being boiled- why not sanitize it then?

 

[firestem4]

I just skimmed this article so I apologize if I'm repeating something someone else has already said, but I highly recommend that you DON'T use Chlorine Bleach to sanitize any stainless steel equipment. Bleach causes pitting and staining, and to effectively sanitize equipment with bleach it requires prolonged exposure.

As everyone else has mentioned it's not necessary to sanitize your kettle, but you should obviously clean it very well. I often use my kettle filled with Saniclean to sanitize my other tools before I start working anyway, but that's out of necessity. I don't have too many large vessels that I can fill up to hold my tools so get them cleaned/sanitized.