Sanitization (Wholegrain brewing)

[monkeyhands]

OK this is my first post on here so please don't shoot me down in flames if it sounds silly, also I have already tried searching the forums for an answer but got nothing, hence this post.

My question is this, how much of my equipment has to be sterile i.e free from bacteria. I have heard 2 theory's on this the first is that all equipment has to sterile and the second is that only everything that comes into contact with the wort after the boil has to be sterile on the basis that any bacteria picked up during mashing etc will be killed off during the boil therefore there is no need to make everything sterile prior to the boil part of the process.

I have done 3 whole grain brews now (have been using kits for years prior to this) and on each brew I have cleaned then sterilized all of my equipment for every part of the process i.e mash tun, sparging equipment, spoons, filters etc, as you can imagine this uses quite a lot of sterilizing chemicals so I was hoping to cut the sterile part down to just the equipment that comes into contact with the wort if possible.

Thanks for the help.

 

[ncbrewer]

Boiling kills the nasties present at that point. so post boil is where sanitization is critical. The valve on the kettle can be a problem also since it might not get hot enough. Pre-boil, it should be clean. Be careful about grain dust. Crushing and any handling of the grain that releases dust should be done away from the post boil area. I even changed clothes after doughing in when I did all grain. (I don't think most brewers do that.)

 

[Kent88]

Keep everything clean, and keep everything that comes into contact with the wort after it cools below 160F sanitized.

I'm not busting your chops about this, just for future reference around here I believe there is a difference between sanitized and sterilized. In the context of homebrewing "sanitized" means things are free of spoiling bacteria and undesirable wild yeasts and micro-organisms. From what I understand "sterilized" means that there isn't anything living on there, whether it can/will spoil your beer or not.

Typical things to have sanitized on brew day are the fermenter, funnel, siphon and tubing, thermometer, test jar and hydrometer, anything you use to filter after cooling, and maybe one or two other things. As you are pasteurizing the wort by heat during the boil, temperatures above 160F kill or greatly inhibit lots of micro-organisms, and it takes more than a few hours to spoil/sour wort, you don't have to be concerned about sanitation until after the boil.

 

[m00ps]

Everything on the "hot side" you are pretty much good with sanitation. You cant leave stuff like spoons and wort chillers in the boil for the last few mins to sanitize. Anything on the "cold side" is where you need to be careful about sanitation. Below 180F or so, the sugary wort is very susceptible to bacteria until it starts to become alcoholic

what sanitizer are you using? I use starsan, its very cheap per amount you need. Also, you can resuse it a number of times

 

[Gavin C]

@monkeyhands

Welcome to HBT!

On a brewday using starsan I sanitize

• Carboy
• Carboy Cap
• 3 piece Airlock
• 4x4" square of aluminum foil*
  
• Yeast pack & Scissors and jar for rehydration (if using dry yeast)
• Small funnell (for adding yeast to carboy)
  
• Oxygenation stone/wand/tubing

I have no need to sanitize anything else as nothing else touches or might touch* the cool wort after the boil.


Mash-tun, test jar, hydrometer/refractometer, spoon, mash paddle, shoes, socks, kids etc. Just keep these clean in the brewery.

Previously I would sanitize a SS turkey baster for taking a sample post boil. One day the penny dropped that I can and should be taking this from the boiling homogeous wort right at the end of the boil. It does not need to be sanitized.:smack:

 

[monkeyhands]

Thanks for the help guys, in answer to the question of what sanitizer i use i am in the uk so may not have access to the same brands as you guys, in any case i use ordinary baby sterilizing tablets the kind you would use to sterilise a formula bottle etc i have never had any problems with using these you just have to rinse well after and they are really cheap too

 

[IslandLizard]

How to Brew Click on <Enter> button to get in. Or better yet, buy the book.

Specifics on Cleaning vs. Sanitation.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks for the help guys, in answer to the question of what sanitizer i use i am in the uk so may not have access to the same brands as you guys, in any case i use ordinary baby sterilizing tablets the kind you would use to sterilise a formula bottle etc i have never had any problems with using these you just have to rinse well after and they are really cheap too

Should be no problem getting Starsan. Seems to available in the UK.