Restaurant sanitation tablets: substitution for Star San?

[Evan!]

I have a friend in the restaurant biz, and he uses these little tablets, from Sysco, the big foodservice people, to sanitize his kitchen stuff. It's no-rinse, and pretty cheap from what I hear. Star San is nice, but for $10, I get like 8 carboys sanitized, which isn't cost effective.

I imagine it's the same thing---anyone know?

 

[the_bird]

How much Star San do you use?

I've been using Iodophor, I only need one capful for 2.5 gallons, and you don't need to fill the carboy to the brim (just swirl it around for a while). I've just started using it, but it looks to me like my little bottle ($4, I think) ought to be worth at least forty or fifty carboy sanitations.

EDIT: Maybe not that many, but at least twenty. This is the little bottle.

 

[user 4295]

I find that Star-San is very cost effective. It can be used over and over again. As long as the pH does rise above 3 it is still effective. I've kept batches of Star-San in 5 gallon buckets for upwards of 6-8 weeks.

John

 

[Orpheus]

Yeah Evan,

8 Carboys, you must be wasting the stuff like crazy. I've used my Star San over 4 batches of beer and I've only used like 3 oz. of the stuff.

I got the 32 oz. bottle and I'm sure it'll last me at least a couple of years at this rate.

 

[EdWort]

I fill a bucket with 2.5 gallons of water and add 1/2 oz. of Star San. I pour about a gallon into a carboy (Better Bottle) and slosh it around 5 or 6 times in a 10 minute period and then pour the Star San back into my bucket. The bucket holds my stoppers, air locks, hoses, etc. I then will pour some into my wallpaper tray where I sanitize my long spoon, wine thief, auto siphon, etc. and aftwards it goes back into the bucket. I can pour some into my spray bottle too. When I'm all done, I pour what's left into a 3 gallon water bottle for later use. Just don't let the PH drop below 3 and you are all good.

I can get the 32 oz. bottle for $14.95 from morebeer.com and it gives me at least 64 brewing sessions at a cost of less than a 24 cents per brewing session for sanitizing. I can reduce that even more by saving it.

Add the the fact that Star San is about the only Septic Tank Friendly sanitizer out there and I cannot find anything better or more cost effective that won't hurt my septic tank.

 

[kornkob]

If you're interested in beign frugal with your Star San, consider this: you don't need 5 gallons of the stuff every time you brew. In fact as little as 1 gallon of sanitizer would probably suffice.

However, if these tablets are a no rinse santizer and are cheaper than your other options, I say go for it--- and when you get them share with us the chemical name and brand.

 

[EdWort]

In fact as little as 1 gallon of sanitizer would probably suffice.

Yep, that's why I do 2.5 gallon batches. I have a nice 1/2 oz. measuring cup. Great stuff!

 

[user 4295]

Just don't let the PH drop below 3 and you are all good.

Forgive me for nitpicking, because this is probably just a typo on your part, but I think you meant to not let the pH rise above 3. Star-San is an acid based sanitizer and its pH must be below 3 to be effective.

FWIW, even if the solution's pH rises above 3 does not mean the whole batch must be disposed of. A little more concentrate can be added to "sweeten" it up and drive the pH back down below 3.

John

 

[EdWort]

Doh! Good catch. Thanks. Sometimes it doesn't matter whether you are above or below on certain things, but Star San is not one of them.

 

[apparatus]

If it is what I think you are talking about they are just chlorine tablets. When put in a gallon of water they give you a 50 ppm (parts per million) chlorine solution.
These are commonly used in restaurants that use a 3 sink method for washing and sanitizing dishes. One sink with soapy water, one sink plain water to rinse and one sink chlorine solution to sanitze. This does not leave a noticeable odor or flavor to food when allowed to air dry. You would still need to rinse well if you used this method for brewing. You would be just as well off to buy a gallon of bleach.

 

[kornkob]

If there is no noticible odor or taste, waht reason is there to rinse?

 

[apparatus]

If there is no noticible odor or taste, waht reason is there to rinse?

The rinse is before the sanitize to to get rid of soapy residue. You then dip in the chlorine solution to sanitize and air dry.
If you are asking why you would need to rinse after that in a brewing situation, I am not positve about this but I believe the 50ppm solution does not completely kill everything, but limits/lowers the dose of bacteria to a level that is not harmful if ingested. Also by completely air drying you eliminate the moisture medium that bacteria need to multiply. When food is served or prepared it is not held at room temperature for weeks allowing the rapid breeding/increase of bacteria. Food Service establishments also have to follow strict guidelines about keeping hot food HOT and cold food Cold. In brewing you create a perfect medium for bacteria to rapidly multiply during the ferment. I believe the concentration levels recommended for sanitizing brewing equipment to be a bit higher than the 50ppm and therefor would require rinsing.
Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Evan!]

Well, I rinse when I'm using Star San too, just because I'm anal like that, and even though it may just be a completely unreasonable placebo effect, I can't stomach racking my hard-earned wort onto some foamy chemical concoction...even though I know in my brain that it's safe to do so. I'll see how much the tablets cost for a bottle, and let you guys know.

Also, I wish I had known that you could reuse Star San. ****e. I'd use an ounce to sanitize a carboy, then dump it all down the drain. Grrrr. Where were you clarevoyent guys when I needed you? Oh well, no worries, I'm currently using the super-duper-cheap clorox that I get at Sam's Club.

 

[EdWort]

I'd use an ounce to sanitize a carboy, then dump it all down the drain. Grrrr.

I use about a gallon in my carboys. I put in a solid stopper and gently slosh it around covering all the surface area with the Star San solution, wait a minute or two and repeat. I do this about 6 times over 10 minutes and I'm done.

I used to shake it, but it foamed up quite a bit, so the gentle sloshing works much better. There is still a little form left in the bottle, but after reading here in the forum, I took the plunge and poured right on top of it.

Star San Rocks!

 

[Dave R]

Using Starsan, can't you just fill a spray bottle and spray all surfaces? It only takes 2 minutes contact time right? I don't see why you have to mix up a bucket full, or even a gallon or two if all it takes is the surfaces to be wet for a couple of minutes.

I don't know...just asking. I just bought a 32 oz bottle and this will be my first use of Starsan.

 

[pbowler]

5 mins.

and I mix up a 2 gallon batch then pour some in to a spray bottle.

in the primary I soak all my spigots, valves etc. the spray bottle is good for on the fly sanitizing, but for the main equipment I like to soak it

 

[Orpheus]

Actually, IIRC, the owner of Star San said in an interview I listened to online that contact time is actually only 30 seconds. He said that because of "regulations" he had to recommend 2 minutes, but that in their experience 30 seconds did the job right.

I love this stuff! Now I'll only use bleach to eat off tough kraeusen and trub stains from the inside of my carboys, but Star San to sanitize. I do keep a spray bottle full of the stuff. It's great for when I want to take a quick hydrometer reading. I just soak my thief with the spray, wait a minute, and get my sample. Perfect for those things you forgot to sanitize on brew day too, like spoons, etc.