Infected beer - again / bleach?

[don_bran321]

Fittings and pumps after the boil man. Check and clean them like crazy. I didn't realize how much nasty stuff was in my bk ball valve till I tore it apart the one time. (I used to just run hot cleaner through it before and after brewing) my little solar pump had some nastys in it too.
Never got an infection but definitely some off flavors

 

[doogster]

As for my thoughts on sanitizing...
People try to blame sanitizers for their contamination issues, but cleaning more likely needs to be addressed. Sanitizers don't substitute as cleaning agents.

Star San works perfectly fine; so does iodophor, and so do several others. Equipment needs to be properly cleaned, otherwise it simply can't be sanitized with a surface sanitizer.

What he said ^^^

Sanitizing solutions aren't effective if the equipment isn't cleaned first.

I use OXYclean free, or PBW to clean.... followed by StarSan for sanitizing. I no longer use bleach. Bleach is cheap, but you have to make sure you do a REALLY good job of rinsing because chlorine will cause off flavors in your finished product.

 

[brewbama]

How is Iodophor for people with Iodine issues? Does that stuff stain plastics?

Not sure about folks with iodine issues. Better check it out first.

I’ve read it can stain plastic.

 

[brewbama]

Fittings and pumps after the boil man. Check and clean them like crazy. I didn't realize how much nasty stuff was in my bk ball valve till I tore it apart the one time. (I used to just run hot cleaner through it before and after brewing) my little solar pump had some nastys in it too.
Never got an infection but definitely some off flavors

I got quick clean ball valves for that very reason.

https://www.brewershardware.com/1-2-NPT-Quick-Clean-Take-Apart-Ball-Valve.html