Does Starsan have a shelf life?

[lmacmil]

I am assuming the concentrate lasts pretty much forever (correct me if that is not correct.) What about the diluted solution you sanitize with? I mixed up some in May for my last brew. I'm ready to brew again. Is it still good?

 

[starsailor]

The podcast in this thread

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/charlie-talley-five-star-chemicals-notes-brewcasts-58928/

has pretty much all the answers to any questions you have on Starsan, including how to tell if a stored mix of Starsan concentrate and water is still an effective sanitizer.

 

[Revvy]

If it's made with tap water, it can loose it's potency within a few hours, if you mix it with distilled, and especially if you keep it sealed when not in use, or stored in a spray bottle, it can lasts months, until the ph changes to the point where it's no longer viable.

 

[FSR402]

If it's made with tap water, it can loose it's potency within a few hours, if you mix it with distilled, and especially if you keep it sealed when not in use, or stored in a spray bottle, it can lasts months, until the ph changes to the point where it's no longer viable.

That is crap. Made with tap water it can last for months. As long as the Ph is under a 3 it's still working.

 

[Revvy]

That is crap. Made with tap water it can last for months. As long as the Ph is under a 3 it's still working.

Due to the minerals in tap water it's been shown repeatedly that the ph changes, in many folk's water AND the starsan turns cloudy often within 24 hours.....It's not crap, you can read that info all over the place, there's tons of threads talking about it.....why the hell do we recommend distilled water then?

That's why it's recommended especially with tap water to use test strips to watch the ph.