Sanitizer efficiency

[ab4uk74]

I am a very new brewer. I am starting my second batch today. I was wondering if there are any tricks for making my sanitizer go a little farther. Any ideas?

 

[Sardoman]

What kind of sanitizer are you using? Star San can be stored for awhile, but I would not risk using any less of any sanitizer than the manufacturer recommends. I think of sanitizer as insurance. The use of sanitizer is a small cost to protect against the potential major loss of a batch of beer.

 

[unionrdr]

If you're using starsan,mix it into a gallon of distilled water. 3/4's of the way up to the 1/4oz mark is perfect. Then,when it gets to the point where it's looking cloudy,you can use a coffee filter in a funnel & filter it into another container till it's finished filtering. Clean the jug & pour it back in. That clears out much of the stuff that made it cloudy,ime.

 

[BrewHound]

About a year ago I started using Star San liquid sanitizer. It takes some getting used to when handling it because it foams up when agitated. Helps it get into nooks and crannies tho. I read somewhere that you can keep and reuse it for about 30 days so long as its sealed up but have never tried that.

 

[Daybis]

I have used two different methods for using and storing my sanitizer (starsan). I make up a 5 gallon batch in a lowes bucket and just use what I need out of it. The second method I use is using a sprayer from lowes (Shop Chapin 1-Gallon SureSpray Poly Plastic Tank Sprayer at Lowes.com) I make up a gallon of sanitizer and it's ready whenever I need it. I've had sanitizer last months in the sprayer. I also use pH strips to measure the pH of sanitizer to make sure it's still good to use.

 

[unionrdr]

Ph strips are the best way to tell if it's still good. Cloudiness means nothing in that regard. Craigtube did a little video experiment about this that's quite conclusive in this regard.

 

[ab4uk74]

I wasn't clear in my question but thank you for the feedback. I am using easy clean no-rinse sanitizer. I am trying not to use 5 tbl to sanitize a 5 gallon fermenter. Can I put it in a spray bottle and just spray the bottom and sides of the fermenter? Not talking abut storage but about using less on brew day. Thanks again.

 

[MuchoGusto]

I wasn't clear in my question but thank you for the feedback. I am using easy clean no-rinse sanitizer. I am trying not to use 5 tbl to sanitize a 5 gallon fermenter. Can I put it in a spray bottle and just spray the bottom and sides of the fermenter? Not talking abut storage but about using less on brew day. Thanks again.

You can use a spray bottle to get the job done. You don't have to soak a 5 gal bucket in 5 gallons of sanitizer to be good to go.

 

[Crito]

I use a 5 star PBW, rinse then I use San Star.

I go a little overboard on it. I just use one gallon of distilled water. I mix it with the san star. then I replace the san star in my spray bottle (new one, do not reuse one that had household cleaners in it).

I just use one gallon of it on my brewing stuff and 5 gal bottles. As long as I let the equipment remains wet for 10 minutes plus... I figure it is clean.

 

[unionrdr]

I hope your not mixing the 1oz for 5G with 1 gallon. 3/4's of the way up to the 1/4oz mark is the proper dilution amount for 1 gallon. And 30-60 second contact time is enough. But I'll sometimes go more with the FV's.

 

[baldben]

Just listened to the BBR podcast with the StarSan creator. He says that it can be used for months if you use distilled water. (The minerals in tap water will raise the ph over time).

 

[Crito]

i do the math and make it a one gallon.

:fro:

Man, that would be bad to see the stainless getting eaten up.

 

[ab4uk74]

Awesome! Thanks guys.