sanitation techniques

[Zeppman]

Hey everyone,

Had a few questions about sanitation. I use iodophor (after using a cleaning agent) and use a 5 gal bucket to soak everything in. My question is, should I wait for the equipment to dry when I pull it out? Or should I not worry and place it directly in contact with the wort?

Example - racking cane: After sanitizing the cane, I typically try and just hold it by the very tip (with clean hands) until a majority of the iodophor/water solution drips off. Then I place it in the wort. Could I just set it on a clean towel after sanitizing and before using it? Or can I just pull it out of the iodophor and stick it right in the wort? What do you all do?

 

[Pappers_]

Hi Zepp. Not only do you not need it to dry, you don't want it to dry. It will continue sanitizing as long as it is wet. After it dries, if a new bug drops in on the item, there is nothing left to kill it. You don't have to worry about the idophor harming your wort, as long as you are using the recommended dilution for no-rinse usage - with the brand I use, that is 2 teaspoons per 3 gallons of water.

I lay all my stuff on a clean towel after I've sanitized it.

 

[Revvy]

There's a lot of good tips and info on sanitizing in this thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/

 

[shortyjacobs]

I agree with Pappers, don't rinse, don't dry, but why place it on a towel? Your towel may be "clean" but it sure as hell isn't sanitized? Why not just have a big bucket full of sanitizer, (like I do), or a spray bottle, (like I also do), and just keep everything wet and IN sanitizer until you use it? Also, don't use "clean" hands, use "sanitized" hands....dunk your hands in that stuff before touching anything!

I use starsan, not iodophor, but the rules hold the same. A few drips here and there won't harm your beer at all...go directly from the sanitizer into your wort!

 

[Zeppman]

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

 

[josers]

Would this apply to bottling as well? I usually dry the bottles in the oven. The reason why i did this was on my first batch, i didn't dry them completely and could have sworn I tasted some iodine.

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

Yes, put the bottles in sanitizer before bottling. I used to be worred about the "drops" of sanitizer that remained in the bottle so I would empty them and set them up upside down..............

After a few bottling experiences I got over the sanitizer fear. I set the bucket of sanitizer next to my chair when I bottle. pull the bottles out of the sanitizers, empty them, and immediately fill with beer. No excessive shaking, leaving them inverted for five minutes, or anything like that...... just empty sanitizer, fill with beer.

 

[northernlad]

You can save yourself alot of sanitizer by investing in a spray bottle. Mix up enough to fill a spray bottle rather than 5 gallons every time. You can go forever on a bottle of sanitizer by spraying instead of soaking.