Sanitation Strategies

[jrtoastyman]

OK, kinda new to this whole homebrewing thing, got our first batch into bottles, although I'm pretty sure there are plenty of things we could have done better, particularly from a sanitation standpoint. I'm frankly hearing a lot of conflicting info on how something should be sanitized, how long after it's been sanitized it remains sanitized, etc. Thought you all would be able to offer some definitive answers. I suspect that months from now, I'll look back at these questions and laugh at my idiocy, but I want to get this right, so here goes:

Also, we're using Star-San.

1. What exactly do you do with the equipment after removing it from the sanitizer? I know you don't rinse it with Star-San, but do you let it air dry, wipe it off, use it while it's still wet, etc.?

2. Is there any downside to just setting up a large bath of sanitizer and leaving everything in there on brewday until it's needed? If so, would a 5G Home Depot bucket work, or does it need to be something that is food grade?

3. After something has been sanitized, how long can it just be sitting out in the open before you have to resanitize it?

Anything else I need to know?

Thanks much for any guidance!

 

[Heavywalker]

1. Don't fear the foam, use it wet, it does not hurt anything.

2. I take a bucket and put a gallon or so of sanstar solution in there and place everything I need to use in side, slap a lid on, give it a quick shake and leave it until I need it. Once it is used it gets rinsed off (cleaned and then goes back in the bucket.

3. I assume that if it has been sitting out longer than it takes me to take it out of the bucket and use it, that it is no longer sanitized. I don't think there is a set amount of time that you could put on something staying sanitary, so error on the side of caution.

 

[BayAreaBrew]

I keep a filled up 5 gal Home Depot bucket with distilled water and my star san at all times. I've read that using distilled water (as long as the bucket stays covered) lasts indefinitely. I usually store my funnel, wine thief, and tubes in there, so I have them at my disposal. Haven't had any infection issue to date (knock on wood).

Keep calm on brew on

 

[stpug]

1. Star san works while wet. If your equipment is dry then it's not sanitized. Starsan only needs 30 contact time to be considered sanitized.
2. Nothing wrong with that at all. I use a planter window box and only need 1 gallon to keep most things submerged. The planter box makes no mention of food safe. This is one of those "you make the judgment call" situations.
3. If it's wet with starsan then it's considered sanitized. If it's dry then it's not. Then again, there's nothing wrong with giving it another quick dip to be safe.

BTW, starsan that hasn't been fouled can be used for 1-6 months depending on who you ask. I will keep mine around for 1 month, maybe up to 2 if it's been kept really clean.

 

[LovesIPA]

- Don't fear the foam. The only thing that makes Star-san a sanitizer is that the pH is so low that nothing can live in it. If you get a small amount of it in your beer, all that will happen is it will cause a minuscule drop in the pH level of the beer. Unless you manage to put so much of it in the beer that it dilutes it then you have nothing to worry about.

- I do exactly what you're thinking. I keep a home depot 5 gallon bucket full of sanitizer on the back patio with my equipment. I'm not real picky about how dirty something is that goes in there and I end up dumping it out and changing it once a month or so. I use 5 gallons of hose water and 30ml of Star-san.

- As long as the surface remains wet it's sanitized. If something dries out then dust and other contaminants can settle on it.

Just keep in mind that sanitation doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to reduce the levels of bacteria and wild yeast to negligible levels, not to wipe them out completely. When you pitch the yeast, they will quickly overwhelm small populations of any other living organisms.

 

[jrtoastyman]

great info, very helpful. Thanks!