Rubbing Alcohol question

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Does anyone use rubbing alcohol to sanitize brewing equipment? Is it possible to get off flavors if rubbing alcohol comes in contact with wort?

 

[mrkristofo]

Don't use it. Rubbing alcohol contains lots of real nasty stuff you don't want to be consuming (i.e. Benzene). Use cheap vodka.

 

[sirsloop]

sure... just make sure it all evaporates. IDK... I personally would just use one step. Safer and a no brainer.

 

[abracadabra]

If you are looking for a cheap sanitizer consider using unscented chlorine bleach or Betadine or an equivalent to Betadine (Iodine).

 

[Philip1993]

Forget the contaminants like benzene, rubbing alcohol in itself is a poison.

"Isopropyl alcohol is oxidized by the liver into acetone. Symptoms of isopropyl alcohol poisoning include flushing, headache, dizziness, CNS depression, nausea, vomiting, anesthesia, and coma. Use in well-ventilated areas and use protective gloves while using. Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation, or absorption."- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol

 

[Philip1993]

If you are looking for a cheap sanitizer consider using unscented chlorine bleach or Betadine or an equivalent to Betadine (Iodine).

Actually, when mixed as directed StarSan is about the same price as bleach.

 

[malkore]

Actually, when mixed as directed StarSan is about the same price as bleach.

and doesn't have to be rinsed. and is safe/non-toxic. and residue won't add off flavors to your beer. and the foam snake is funny after a few pints.

 

[Seabee John]

and doesn't have to be rinsed. and is safe/non-toxic. and residue won't add off flavors to your beer. and the foam snake is funny after a few pints.

Pardon my ignorance... but what is a "foam snake?"

 

[imasickboy]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=22852

That shows a good example of the foam snake.

 

[brewhead]

everclear - cheap and when you use it on those carboy bungs they won't pop out

 

[pjj2ba]

I use rubbing alcohol (70%) to sterilize my stir bars. I keep them in leftover White Labs yeast tubes. I just fill them half full with the alcohol and keep my stir bar in there. Then when I'm ready to make my starter I just tip the tube to drain it into another tube and keep the stir bar in the original tube. Then I dump it from the emptied tube into the starter. No touching of the stir bar.

I'm not worried about it at all, besides for me it is only a starter. Also, yes, acetone is not good for us, but it is something our bodies makes already in small amounts from fats. Normally this is not a problem, but in malnourished people, or people on very low carbohydrate diets, the body can make enough of this to start to cause problems. Being volatile, you can smell it on a persons breath.