Sanitizer

[Erhodes121]

Hello

I am as new as new can be to brewing. I got a one gallon kit as I gift recently so I am in need of more sanitizer. I see that starsan seems to be the most popular. I understand that the main ingredient is phosphoric acid at 50% also containning 10% isopropyl alcohol and 15% dodecylbenzene sulfuric acid. My question is, I have access through my work to nu calgon ice machine cleaner which is simply 75% phosphoric acid . Would this be acceptable to use as a sanitizer if diluted or are the added ingredients in starsan vital.

Thanks

 

[eluterio]

The big thing with starsan is that its a no rinse solution. You can use what ever sanitation solution you can thing of and use it. However, sometimes that said solution if not rinsed properly can be introduced into your beer. Also to consider the material in which is being sanitized. If the material gets corroded by the said sanitation mixture it might not be a good thing. By two pennies.

 

[kh54s10]

I don't really have an answer to your question but although Starsan is 50% phosphoric acid it is diluted 1 ounce to 5 gallons of water so it ends up being no where near 50%. Since the main ingredient is phosphoric acid it seem your solution would work though I don't know what the other ingredients add or what the dilution would be.

A cleaner might be quite different than a no rinse sanitizer.

Starsan does not cost that much... I am still on my first bottle (16 ounce) that I bought 4 years ago.