How long will Starsan last?

[00Seven]

I keep starsan mixed up in a spray bottle and use it frequently. I also frequently mix up 3-5 gallons of sanitation for my kegs and fermenters. I was curious if I could store sanitizer in a 5 gallon vessel that was left over from cleaning a keg? Would save a lot of money if it would keep for 3-4 uses. Could siphon from vessel back into keg or fermenter instead of just pouring it down the drain. Any input? Thanks

 

[Miraculix]

I keep starsan mixed up in a spray bottle and use it frequently. I also frequently mix up 3-5 gallons of sanitation for my kegs and fermenters. I was curious if I could store sanitizer in a 5 gallon vessel that was left over from cleaning a keg? Would save a lot of money if it would keep for 3-4 uses. Could siphon from vessel back into keg or fermenter instead of just pouring it down the drain. Any input? Thanks

Yes.

 

[mongoose33]

I keep it for a few months. I have Star-San in a 5-gallon bucket I just cover w/ a lid and it just sits. I use that for sanitizing fermenters and parts and such, and pour some into the fermenter to swish around and sanitize it. I pour it back into the bucket.

I also have kept one clean keg full of Star-San, which I would then use jumpers to push that Star-San, with CO2, into another clean keg. This would purge that keg of air (mostly, unless you take one or two extra steps to eliminate that). And it gives me a closed but sanitized keg.

I'd use that for 5 or 10 kegs worth. Eventually I feel guilty about reusing it and then replace it.

At one point, I was concerned about Star-San losing it's acidity over time; I actually tested some w/ a pH meter and found it held its acidity quite well. I no longer worry about it, and swap the Star-San in the bucket for new about every 3-4 months.

 

[SEndorf]

I do the same as mongoose.
I have a "clean" keg of starsan that I use for purges / transfers.
After about 5 kegs I dump it in the starsan bucket.
Eventually the bucket starsan gets a fair amount of shmutz in it.
Even though shmutzy starsan has sanitized shmutz, I usually replace it before it needs to.

 

[Sparkncode]

I buy 10L of distilled water from the supermarket as i don't trust the clouldyness our water causes with starsan but just open the container. Squirt in 16ml starsan with a syringe close container and shake a bit then label the bottle and write starsan and the date on the cap. I tend to make more about every two months as between transfers and use you lose some. Also topping up spray bottle etc.
Probably easier for those in the us where the measurment chamber on the container is useful.

 

[DownstairsBrewing]

Crap.

I wish I had seen this about 6 ounces of Starsan ago. I have been making a batch almost every time I brew, the only exception being when I make a second batch or some smaller experimental 1 gallon batches with a day or two.

 

[00Seven]

Awesome! Thanks. What about doing the same with PBW?

FYI you can get a 5 gallon plastic carboy from Walmart for cheap that would work well for this and also functions as an extra secondary if you needed it

 

[flars]

Star San is good as long as the pH does not rise above a pH of 3.0. You can use any potable non chlorinated water to make up your solution. I'll add a drop or two of undiluted Star San to refresh a solution when the pH seems to be above 3.0.

I'll often find a cat hair or a small piece of junk in a bucket of Star San solution after sanitizing. I just make it a point to leave a couple of ounces in the bucket when I pour back into storage jugs.

 

[stickyfinger]

i listened to a podcast with the main dude at 5 star several years ago. you can keep star san for months if you make it using distilled, RO or deionized water. It starts getting kind of gross, with hairs, bugs and other stuff perhaps, but it seems to work still. The problem with most tap water is that it is buffered too much and the star san will not be as effective after several hours or a few days - it may still work somewhat or may work well depending on your tap water i suppose.

 

[SEndorf]

Good point. I use RO.
Was that the podcast where he drank the stuff?
A bit of overkill displaying the point, "don't fear the foam"!!

 

[stickyfinger]

Good point. I use RO.
Was that the podcast where he drank the stuff?
A bit of overkill displaying the point, "don't fear the foam"!!

1oz per gallon total,or 1oz of each hop / gallon

lol! yeah, i think his name was/is Charlie? I think he was on an early episode of the Brewing Network, the main show. He said you can also use PBW over and over but that the "oxygen" component will be gone (sodium percarbonate i think or something similar in reactivity) leaving some other detergents that slowly get used up over time. i just switched over to using sodium percarbonate off of Amazon in bulk, but some people might save some cash by re-using the PBW solution - seemed gross to me!

To be clear, he said you can drink the diluted version of Star San. He did it at a homebrew club meeting to, i guess, show that he wouldn't just die on the spot! ha ha. anyway, never drink the concentrated form as it will burn your innards.

I make my Star San in a 6 gallon pail with a ratchet top. This eliminates the spiders and other bugs. I ALWAYS had dead spiders in my Star San when I had a loose top.

 

[NGD]

Probably a dumb question, but I've got lots of them so whats one more.

Does the acidity of starsan affect the inner surface of the keg at all over time? I've read a few places with people having their copper IC's eaten away over time. I realize some of the chemical differences between stainless and copper. Just curious if it might lead to pitting inside the keg if left for months.

 

[stickyfinger]

Probably a dumb question, but I've got lots of them so whats one more.

Does the acidity of starsan affect the inner surface of the keg at all over time? I've read a few places with people having their copper IC's eaten away over time. I realize some of the chemical differences between stainless and copper. Just curious if it might lead to pitting inside the keg if left for months.

i use star san to squirt down my QDs and picnic taps in the kegerator for several days/weeks while in use. it sometimes gets onto the kegs and doesn't seem to cause any corrosion. it does dry up between wettings though.