Potassium Metabisulfite & Beer Sanitizer?

[bechard]

Hey folks,

Am I safe to use Potassium Metabisulfite to sanitize my equipment? I need to take a gravity reading with my Wine Thief and hydrometer on Sunday, and was out of the no-rinse sanitizer I normally use. Local on-site brewing/wine only sells Potassium Metabisulfite.

Any tips I should know?

 

[Yooper]

It'll work to sanitize the equipment. Follow the package directions on dosage. It's different for sanitizing vs. adding it as a preservative/antioxidant to wine.

 

[davel57]

If in doubt, Walmart carries Oxyclean Free (at least ours does).

 

[Yooper]

If in doubt, Walmart carries Oxyclean Free (at least ours does).

But that's not a sanitizer- it's a cleaner. It's very much like One-step, though. It's nothing like k-meta, which IS a very effective sanitizer.

 

[bechard]

Thanks, I couldnt find Oxyclean Free here in Canada. I'll try this Potassium Metabisulfite and see how it goes. Says 1tsp per Litre.

 

[hector]

Thanks, I couldnt find Oxyclean Free here in Canada. I'll try this Potassium Metabisulfite and see how it goes. Says 1tsp per Litre.

I've heard that K-Meta can be harmful to the Beer Yeast .

Why don't you try Iodophor ?!

I think one possible Option would be that you buy " Povidone Iodine 10% " from a Drugstore and

use it as the sanitizer after dilution .

That's the way I always do for making a sanitizing Solution .

Hector

 

[emjay]

Why is it so critical that you take a reading on Sunday, anyways?

 

[malweth]

K-meta shouldn't be any more dangerous to beer yeast than it is to wine yeast... it's the same species.

In general, all sanitizer is dangerous to yeast. That's the point of it! The faster acting the sanitizer (and the higher the concentration) the more dangerous it is.

 

[bechard]

Sunday is my day 7 in primary, want to take gravity and compare to when I take it Wednesday on day 10. I like to be consistent.

 

[mc_eric]

K-meta shouldn't be any more dangerous to beer yeast than it is to wine yeast... it's the same species.

In general, all sanitizer is dangerous to yeast. That's the point of it! The faster acting the sanitizer (and the higher the concentration) the more dangerous it is.

Exactly. As long as you don't get an excessive amount of k-meta in your beer, the yeast will be fine. Just like star san or iodophor, it works as a no-rinse sanitizer. The little bit of sulfite that gets in to the beer from the small amount of liquid left on your equipment won't harm anything.

 

[Dr1nkBeer]

Just to be clear... is Potassium Metabisulfite a NO-RINSE?... if its not rinsed will it add any off flavors?

 

[emjay]

Jesus. K-meta is the same stuff as campden tablets, which people deliberately mix into their brewing water to remove chlorine. I don't think a bit of residual stuff on your equipment is going to make a difference at all...