general sanitation

[centralpabrewer]

I use one step cleanser to sanitize my equipment on brew day. The stuff works great, in 25 batches, I've only had one go bad.

I'm curious though as to what other brewers do on off brew days. In other words, what do you all do if you want to take gravity readings or a sample after brew day? It's a hassle to have to mix up a batch of one step just to sanitize a hydromenter, refractometer or pippette. I don't think one step keeps in a bottle for very long.

How long does Star stan keep if you mix up a 1/2 gallon or so? Any other suggestions that may work.

thanks

 

[Chris_Dog]

Starsan lasts quite a while if you use distilled water (or if your water is low in minerals, mine is not and it goes south in a few hours). I keep some in a spray bottle for any quick sanitizing needs.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

I put 2 eyedroppersful (about 2ml) of Star San concentrate in a 1 qt spray bottle.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

+1 on the Star San in a spray bottle. When my bottle is running low I just fill it up with what I have mixed up on brew day.

 

[tgrier]

So what I am hearing ..
I recently purchased my first bottle of star san.

To make it last longer in the spray bottle...mix it with distilled water?

My water has a PH of 8

 

[ScubaSteve]

You are correct sir......

 

[menschmaschine]

One-step isn't a sanitizer... probably why your one batch out of 25 went bad. I think the most preferred/common homebrew sanitizers are Iodophor or Star San

 

[fratermus]

I'm curious though as to what other brewers do on off brew days. In other words, what do you all do if you want to take gravity readings or a sample after brew day? It's a hassle to have to mix up a batch of one step just to sanitize a hydromenter, refractometer or pippette.

I keep a syringe handy and mix up 3cc of iodophor with 1gal of water. Some goes in a spray bottle. I usually batch any jobs that require sanitizing and let the gear sit in the sanitizer while I do other stuff.

 

[menschmaschine]

For hydrometer testing and sanitizing little bits and pieces, I fire up the little electric kettle (which boils small amounts of water in like 2 minutes). I keep a big bottle of 70% Isopropyl alcohol on hand. I rinse the item down with alcohol, then pour near-boiling water over it to rinse off the alcohol. That should pretty much kill everything. If it's something plastic, I let the water cool a bit more.