Homebrew Part Deux

[EamusCatuli]

So with the sure-success of my first batch of Pale Ale in the aging process, I am going to head to my hobby shop and start my second!!! woo!!! :rockin:


Just a few questions that I would like to ask all you experts out there;


When I mix up the batch of No-Rinse cleaner that comes in regular kits, will it still be useful if left standing throughout the brewing process? For example, if I make a gallon solution can i keep going back to the solution to rinse off my equipment all I want or does the solution only keep its sterile properties for the first use? *just fyi, when i say brewing process im referring to the cooking portion*


Also, would it be safe to use an SOS pad to scrub fermenters with No-Rinse before I fill them? I would assume if I throw it in the microwave for a minute to kill all the bacteria *good trick, btw* then it should be fine.

Other than that stuff, Im stoked to get started on #2! Anyone have any advice as far as how many batches it takes until you learn to brew original recipes? I know its early in the game but its all I can think about!

Thanks!

Cheers

 

[Revvy]

Also, would it be safe to use an SOS pad to scrub fermenters with No-Rinse before I fill them? I would assume if I throw it in the microwave for a minute to kill all the bacteria *good trick, btw* then it should be fine.


Cheers

Don't use any kind of scrubby on your fermentor. You don't want to scratch the plastic and open yourself up to potential infections. I rinse with the hose on my sink, to take the biggest gunk off, then I fill by fermentor with warm water and a couple of scoops of oxyclean and let it sit overnight. Then rinse it thoroughly the next day.

I also have a dedicated sponge that I use if I feel the need to "scrub" something, but with oxyclean that is a rarity.

I also have a dedicated santizer sponge (a different color) that I drop into my bucket of sanitizer (I use idophor) if I need to sanitize my counter or anything.

No SOS pads!

Congrats on your first brew!

 

[Revvy]

Oh I forgot. Yes you can and should use the sanitizer throught the process, I have a 5-gallon soysauce bucket that I fill half with water and sanitizer, then I leave anything I'll be needing, hydrometer, wort strainer, winethief, big agitation spoon and a sponge soaking in it til I need it. I also dip my hands in on a regular basis.

Also the powder that came with your kit, may actually be a cleaner and not a true sanitizer (usually called One-step).

You'll wan to to get a true sanitizer like Idophor or Star San instead. I use Idophor which is iodine based, and you use 1 TBS per 5 gallons of water. I am considering giving Star San a try once I run out of Idophor.

 

[EamusCatuli]

Okay thats what I have been doing, ill have to double check on whether or not it is a true-sanitizer though. Where can you get Idophor? Is that solution still safe to dip your hands in?

Thanks!

 

[Revvy]

Okay thats what I have been doing, ill have to double check on whether or not it is a true-sanitizer though. Where can you get Idophor? Is that solution still safe to dip your hands in?

Thanks!

Most of the kit powders don't specify or may say cleanser/sanitizer, but evidently they don't kill as many beasties as the true sanitizers. You should be able to get idophor and/or Star San at the same store you buy your ingredients.

And it's actually cheaper in the long run than the powders. A small bottle of idophor is about 8 or 9 bucks and gives you a lot of gallons.

Idophor and starsan are both safe to dip your hands in when diluted. And diluted starsan is safe to drink as well. And you don't rinse either- even though with starsan there is foam. The foam actually becomes yeast food and helps fermentation. The same with any residual idophor.

The only think I've noticed about the idophor is that I suddenly become aware of EVERY tiny cut or nick on my hands after dunking them in.

Oh and don't worry about the iodine smell, I was put off at first, but you get used to it.

 

[Evan!]

I highly recommend the following cleaning/sanitizing regimen:

First, soak the dirty vessel in question in a solution of OxyClean. Rinse it well. Then, give it a soak (2 minutes should be plenty) in Star San. No need to rinse---in fact, rinsing could be detrimental because you're probably rinsing with tap water, which could be contaminated. So just pour the solution into another bucket for re-use (you can re-use star-san a bunch of times), and you'll end up with some foam in your sanitized vessel. As Revvy points out, that's fine---the phosphoric acid will break down into yeast food in such a diluted quantity. Also, Star San leaves a nice protective sanitized layer when it dries---it's not foolproof, but it's usually gotten the job done for me.

 

[riored4v]

Can you purchase StarSan at local stores?

We have no local brew stores in Vegas and I was hoping I could find some at places like Home Depot, Walmart, etc etc.

 

[Revvy]

Can you purchase StarSan at local stores?

We have no local brew stores in Vegas and I was hoping I could find some at places like Home Depot, Walmart, etc etc.

hmmm. I can't answer that. Maybe at a resteraunt supply shop for the idophor (It was originally formulated for the resteraunt/bar industry.) It is also labled BTF if you go to a supply shop.

If you go to a pharmacy and there's an older pharmasist there and you talk to him about it, there may be a concentrated iodine tincture there that you dillute. But don't quote me on this. It's just that Idophor smells a lot like betadine solution.

If you have no luck and don't want to order online, then I'd read up on the correct dillution of household bleach and water. Actually the chemist who invented Starsan raved about bleach and water on an interview he did on the http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio podcast.

Scroll down till you see these links.

March 29, 2007 - Sanitizing with Bleach and Star San
Charlie Talley from Five Star Chemicals tells us best practices in using household bleach and Star San in sanitizing equipment.


March 22, 2007 - Sanitizing with Iodophor
Murl Landman of National Chemicals talks to us about sanitization techniques in general and using Iodophor specifically.

They are both worth listening to.

 

[riored4v]

awesome.. thanks for your help.

i'm a bit weary of using bleach for the first time around so i'll check out some local restaurant supply shops. i probably should have just ordered some when i ordered my kit last week. doh!!