Save Sanitizer

[Dark_Ale]

I have looked all over, walmart lowes, etc, and I cant seem to find what i am looking for. I need something that is long enough to completely submerge my auto siphon. Long enough for the auto siphon, about 4 inches deep but not very wide so it does not take so much sanitizer to get the job done. I have used the plastic tubs at walmart they work great for bottling or brewday. Some have said a wall paper tray, but the ones I have found won't work or they are not long enough. I thought about using some 3 inch pvc and just cap one side, and cut it long enough to completely submerge my auto siphone, dip tubes for kegs, etc.

 

[McKBrew]

Sounds like you have the perfect solution. I've considered it as well.

 

[brewt00l]

The pvc pipe isn't a bad idea...I use the fabled wallpaper tray from the MAB and I would imagine it is a bit easier to dip things/take them in an out.

 

[Beerthoven]

You know, I've never completely submerged my autosiphon, racking cane, or wine thief. I keep a 5-gallon bucket of Star San mixed up at all times. I put one end in, let it sit for a few minutes, turn it over and put the other end in. Seems to work pretty well, with no extra trays or tubes needed.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

As long as all of the part that will touch the wort is covered, I don't see a real need to submerge the rest. Plus, with starsan, all it takes is a quick spritz with a spray bottle to cover the part that doesn't get submerged anyway, just to be on the safe side.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sherwin Williams has larger trays but, I too am a meber of the spritz to coat camp. The only thing I ever submerge is hoses. Saves a ton on sanitizer.

 

[brewt00l]

Sherwin Williams has larger trays but, I too am a meber of the spritz to coat camp. The only thing I ever submerge is hoses. Saves a ton on sanitizer.

I use starsan so it just gets siphoned back into my storage container when I am done with the tray

...till it's time for a new batch.

 

[Anthony_Lopez]

During the holiday seasons, a lot of "super stores" sell wrapping paper containers. They are fairly tall (3 foot or taller) and thin enough that you could use it for your siphon, racking cane, brewing supplies, etc. and not use more than 1 oz of star san.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Correct me if Im wrong but you cant use Star San in PVC because it will eat away at it an create Cl gas.

 

[malkore]

I never submerge my auto siphon either. I keep a spray bottle of star san and just mist it down, wait 30 seconds...sha-zam!

 

[EricK The Red]

I use a corny keg, it's plenty deep and it needs to be sanitized anyway.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

Try a window box from your local gardening center.
I have one that's 27 L x 4 W x 6 H.
It's longer than any of my racking canes.

Since I'm using that one to de-rust flea market saws,
I'll have to buy another for sanitizing long stuff.

 

[idkid]

You know, I've never completely submerged my autosiphon, racking cane, or wine thief. I keep a 5-gallon bucket of Star San mixed up at all times. I put one end in, let it sit for a few minutes, turn it over and put the other end in. Seems to work pretty well, with no extra trays or tubes needed.

+1 on this method. I use it without any problems either!

 

[carls47807]

why not just throw it in your carboy when you sanitize that? put the hose and everything in there, and siphon some of it through just to be safe.

 

[brewt00l]

FWIW, I sanitize more than just the autosiphon in the tray....just about everything outside of the fermenter gets a bath in the tray and it's rather convenient.

 

[Blackhawkbrew]

I had a quick question about sanitizer storage. I've read on here many people talking about keeping a spray bottle filled with sanitizer, or a 5 gallon bucket. How long will the solution remain effective? I'm using One Step now, but plan on getting Star San when the One Step runs out.

 

[enderwig]

I never submerge my auto siphon either. I keep a spray bottle of star san and just mist it down, wait 30 seconds...sha-zam!

+1 on the spray bottle technique, I have the same bottle of star-san from when I started brewing because of the spray bottle!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

FWIW, I sanitize more than just the autosiphon in the tray....just about everything outside of the fermenter gets a bath in the tray and it's rather convenient.

I'm with you...once the boil is going, I put everything that I'll be needing into my wallpaper tray. Autosiphon & hose, funnel, airlock, turkey baster, carboy cap, thermometer, spoons, etc. Then I swish a gallon of sanitizer around in my carboy, and pour it into the tray. Now, whatever I need is waiting for me, sanitized and ready to go. If I'm dismantling/cleaning a keg as well, the posts, poppets, lid and diptubes will end up in there as well. Should I need anything else sanitized, all it takes is a quick dip and 30 seconds.

If the Starsan still looks nice and clean when I'm through, I'll strain/funnel it back into a gallon bottle for next time.

The spray bottle is a handy thing to have around, but I've yet to find one that will stand up to Starsan for more than a few weeks. Every bottle I've tried, eventually the Starsan corrodes the little spring inside the sprayer, and it sprays no more. I may just fill a sprayer with vodka...that way I can use it to "freshen" my breath as well.

 

[bigben]

...Plus, with starsan, all it takes is a quick spritz with a spray bottle to cover the part that doesn't get submerged anyway, just to be on the safe side.

Same with iodophor. Woot!

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I use a garden sprayer that has never held anything other than water and Star San solution. It works great for sanitizing everything in my brew closet - fermenters, tubing, bottles, large surfaces, etc...

 

[lustreking]

I thought about using some 3 inch pvc and just cap one side, and cut it long enough to completely submerge my auto siphone, dip tubes for kegs, etc.

I use exactly what you're talking about, except I use 2 inch pvc:

 

[lustreking]

Slow morning, so I threw together a quick writeup.

http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/sanitube.html

 

[conpewter]

I'm just using an old windex bottle (yes I cleaned it out well, and a little windex in your beer wouldn't kill you anyway). an It's had star-san solution in it for 8 months now (refilled a few times) and the spring is going strong.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I'm just using an old windex bottle (yes I cleaned it out well, and a little windex in your beer wouldn't kill you anyway). an It's had star-san solution in it for 8 months now (refilled a few times) and the spring is going strong.

Good to know, the next time I finish off a bottle of Windex, I'll give it a try.

 

[conpewter]

Yeah bout that.... I had two bottles of windex.... I now have one pepsi bottle full of windex one spray bottle of windex and one spray bottle of star-san.... I know we'll eventually use up that spray bottle of windex and can then pour in the blue pepsi... I hope I'll remember

 

[enderwig]

I bought one of the $4 or $5 high quality spray bottles at lowes, and have had no problems with mine. They are made to hold cleansers and whatnot, and are holding up well.

 

[BeerCanuck]

I use a garden sprayer that has never held anything other than water and Star San solution. It works great for sanitizing everything in my brew closet - fermenters, tubing, bottles, large surfaces, etc...

+ for Yuri_Rage
I went out and purchased a 1 Gallon sprayer after seeing it in one of Yuri's videos;

It saves on sanitizer and is convenient

Cheers
BeerCanuck

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I use exactly what you're talking about, except I use 2 inch PVC.

For the price of that, you could probably buy a garden sprayer.

 

[lustreking]

For the price of that, you could probably buy a garden sprayer.

I'm not entirely sure that I could find a garden sprayer for less than $10, but if I could, it still wouldn't do the same thing. I do have a spray bottle from the dollar store that I keep filled with StarSan, but I don't use it to sanitize racking hose.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I'm not entirely sure that I could find a garden sprayer for less than $10, but if I could, it still wouldn't do the same thing. I do have a spray bottle from the dollar store that I keep filled with StarSan, but I don't use it to sanitize racking hose.

Not to be argumentative, but to present the option to others:

Here's one for $9.99.

Because the sprayer is pressurized, you can easily use it to sanitize tubing - I sanitize all my tubing, including up to 10' lengths of 1/2" ID that way.