Not wasting Star-San?

[Dhelderman]

The title pretty much says it. I feel like I use an inordinate amount of Star-San for how much cider I'm making.

Here is my process: When I'm going to be racking or bottling, I generally make 2.5 gallons of sanitizer in a 6 gallon bucket. I then soak whatever I'm using (tubing, racking cane, wine thief, bottling wand, whatever...) in that bucket until I'm ready to use, of course making sure Star-San appropriately has adequate contact with whatever surfaces my brew will touch. I also keep a spray bottle full of Star-San that I use for spraying miscellaneous surfaces. I just finished my 2nd batch of cider (this makes 6 gallons total under my belt), so I'm pretty new at this.

Just wondering if this is pretty typical or if there's a better generally accepted way of not using so dang much Star-San. Thanks!

 

[Magnus314]

Just save it in that bucket and use it again next time.

I make 2.5 gallons and it lasts me months.

 

[Sammy86]

I'm pretty OCD about using star San as well however I have started reusing mine. You only need to us an ounce for a 5 gallons of water so if you start saving it it can last you awhile. Many people on here will tell you they keep it in kegs but personally I hold mine in empty 2 liter seltzer bottles. I read somewhere that it will eventually wear down the plastic so after using it twice I replace the bottle and recycle the old one.

Just my .02

 

[EcuPirate07]

If you are going to use it again within a couple days you can always store it until you need it again. If you do 2.5 gallon batches a lot then you only need 1/2oz per sanitation. So if you break that down 32oz of star San at $25 that's $.40 per use (32oz=64 uses $25/64=$.399 round to .40) I would say that's a fair price to pay for no infections compaired to what the cost would be if you had to dump it.

 

[passedpawn]

I have ONLY used the spray bottle mothod for years. One bottle of Star San lasts a ridiculously long time (years).

 

[1977Brewer]

I have ONLY used the spray bottle mothod for years. One bottle of Star San lasts a ridiculously long time (years).

I switched to @spray only" months ago. I'm at 3/4 of the original gallon.

 

[day_trippr]

Folks have to get over their first thought that this is always about cost avoidance.

I keep a five gallon carboy full of standard Star San mix for months - because it's convenient to not have to mix new every time I need some. And considering I'm brewing every 2-3 weeks, with batches progressing along the processing pipeline, it'd be a pita to not keep a batch on hand.

I use distilled water, rack off whatever slight sediment accumulates, add a gallon of mix to top back up, check the pH weekly, and dump if if it goes above 3.5 or gets even a hint of cloudy (it never does) or has been around for more than ~ 6 months...

Cheers!

 

[flars]

I keep my Starsan solution in one gallon distilled water jugs, and one spray bottle. Easy to move around and pour from. Use a funnel to pour back into from sanitizing bucket.

 

[bionut]

I also use distilled water, make 5 liters of star san solution and keep it for months. I never reuse it, i just use very small amount of solution for every batch.

 

[Dhelderman]

Folks have to get over their first thought that this is always about cost avoidance.



I keep a five gallon carboy full of standard Star San mix for months - because it's convenient to not have to mix new every time I need some. And considering I'm brewing every 2-3 weeks, with batches progressing along the processing pipeline, it'd be a pita to not keep a batch on hand.



I use distilled water, rack off whatever slight sediment accumulates, add a gallon of mix to top back up, check the pH weekly, and dump if if it goes above 3.5 or gets even a hint of cloudy (it never does) or has been around for more than ~ 6 months...



Cheers!

It's not about cost avoidance for me really. I realize Star-San is cheap. It just always struck me as silly to make a 2.5 gallon batch so I can rack a gallon of cider, then once it's racked, just dump out the Star-San. I may start keeping some in bigger sealed containers. I don't make a lot of cider but it's worth trying.

One thing I know is it's worth using however star-San it takes if you're keeping things clean and preventing infection...

 

[jrgtr42]

i too keep my star san.
I keep the main amount in a keg (this may change if / when I get a kegorator - a carboy will work just as good) I'll pour this out to use for soaking and sanitizing bottles, where a spray can't get.
I keep a couple of spray bottles for just about anything else - fermenters, anything that I can easily get to the surface that needs sanitizing.

 

[Maylar]

It's not about cost avoidance for me really. I realize Star-San is cheap. It just always struck me as silly to make a 2.5 gallon batch so I can rack a gallon of cider, then once it's racked, just dump out the Star-San. I may start keeping some in bigger sealed containers. I don't make a lot of cider but it's worth trying.

One thing I know is it's worth using however star-San it takes if you're keeping things clean and preventing infection...

Don't dump it. Put a cover on your bucket and reuse it. A long as it still smells like acid, it's still good. I keep mine for months without issues.

But Star-San isn't a cleaner, it's a sanitizer. It kills germs. For cleaning you need something else, like One-Step. Same comments apply.. cover the pail and reuse it till it gets nasty.

 

[MaxStout]

I mix a gallon or two, one quart of which goes into a spray bottle, and the rest into a small tub for soaking small parts. The sprayer is essential for sanitizing awkward things that aren't easy to dunk, like siphons, etc. I pour a quart or so into the carboy and slosh it around a few minutes to sanitize, making sure to cover the entire inside surface.

 

[beernutz]

The most I've ever paid for Starsan was under $1 per ounce and IIRC a 2.5 gallon solution requires only 1/2 ounce. An extra $.50 per batch is cheap peace of mind imo.