I think I messed up with Star San

[Dalorin]

All,

I could use some advice with something that I haven't seen addressed in any other thread, though one came close,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/starsan-plastic-107836/

This is the first time that I've used star san, and like a bonehead I added it to my fermenting bucket before the water. Consequently the undiluted star san landed straight on the plastic. I added water as quickly as I could, and I scrubbed the bottom of it the best I could but now I'm worried that acid may have eaten into the bucket and it's going to leach out into my brew and make me sick.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can someone please tell me if this is a problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Weezknight]

I really don't think you'll have an issue. That's the way I've mixed up a batch before, and I don't have any sort of pits or signs of disintegration on the bucket.

I probably wouldn't suggest leaving it undiluted on your bucket for a great deal of time, but the few moments it takes before you fill it with water should not pose any sort of problem.

 

[Doc Robinson]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but StarSan comes in a plastic bottle. Non...food...grade...plastic.

 

[Revvy]

You're fine...plenty of folks dump the starsan from the bottle into the bucket and then turn on the tap.....

 

[bigin31]

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/tech/starsan.pdf

You shouldn't have issues. It won't make you sick. The reason they tell you not to use on plastic is because it can melt plastic at high concentrations. No worries.

 

[Nurmey]

Welcome to HBT!

Your bucket is fine, no big deal with what you did.

I will point out that if you put your water in first and then add the Star San it doesn't foam as much and you can actually see your water level.

 

[Hoosier]

You may have scratched the hell out of the bottom of your bucket judging by how you describe the cleaning you gave it. This can harbor bacteria over time. You gotta be a little gentle with the plastic fermenters but it is no reason to panic at all. Get yourself a nice 6.5 gal glass carboy and you can use it for a lifetime...

 

[Dalorin]

Thanks everyone for the prompt and informative replies. My nut brown ale is in primary fermentation and hopefully I will see some bubbles in the airlock soon.

 

[Revvy]

Thanks everyone for the prompt and informative replies. My nut brown ale is in primary fermentation and hopefully I will see some bubbles in the airlock soon.

But something to realize, It doesn't matter if your airlock bubbles or not.
That's never an accurate indication of fermentation. It is a vent to release excess co2..not a fermentation gauge.

Your beer will ferment whether or not the airlock bubbles. If it's not bubbling it usually just means that doesn't need to release any EXCESS co2. Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years..

The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

So don't worry about whether or not your airlock bubbles, I have 9 different fermenters and I only have airlcok bubbling about half the time, but I have never had a problem fermentation.

 

[jpc]

All,

I could use some advice with something that I haven't seen addressed in any other thread, though one came close,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/starsan-plastic-107836/

This is the first time that I've used star san, and like a bonehead I added it to my fermenting bucket before the water. Consequently the undiluted star san landed straight on the plastic. I added water as quickly as I could, and I scrubbed the bottom of it the best I could but now I'm worried that acid may have eaten into the bucket and it's going to leach out into my brew and make me sick.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can someone please tell me if this is a problem?

Thanks in advance.

I wouldn't worry about it... I think you're worrying for nothing. HOWEVER:

One of the few things that I remember from Chemistry back in high school was that you ALWAYS add chemicals to water. This is extremely important in Chemistry, as mixing can be exothermic, and if water is added to acids or bases, it can cause them to splatter out and cause burns.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I wouldn't worry about it... I think you're worrying for nothing. HOWEVER:

One of the few things that I remember from Chemistry back in high school was that you ALWAYS add chemicals to water. This is extremely important in Chemistry, as mixing can be exothermic, and if water is added to acids or bases, it can cause them to splatter out and cause burns.

A.A.A.

Always Add Acid.

My dad decided to have fun once. He had one of those explosion proof boxes with the gloves in them. He quickly poured a small amount of water into pure HCL, (I think....either that or sulphuric?). Anyway, the entire glove box instantly filled with steam. Once it cleared, there were only shards of beaker left.

But yeah, you are just fine OP, I do that all the time, no worries. Look at it this way, even if there is concentrated Starsan in the plastic, it isn't much. And since you can DRINK starsan once diluted, the little bit that COULD leach out is no big deal. But I still think nothing is in the plastic, and nothing will leach out.

 

[12packabs]

your plastic buckets should be food grade anyway. so leaching won't be an issue.