star san problem
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Yes. Mine clouds up immediately too when I mix it. I think it has to do with the mineral content of the water. The pH is the most important factor, not the "look" of the solution. If you still have doubts, get some cheap pH strips to double-check.
tasq
Well-Known Member
Cloudy starsan will go bad very quickly, it reacts to the metals in the water. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes (takes some time for the ph to stableize) and I believe you will find the ph is above the 4.0 limit. Always use distilled water with starsan! and it will last a long time. I mix 5 gallons at a time and it stays good for months. Google "use starsan with distilled water" and you will get alot more articles saying the same. Also check out the pod cast of brewstrong about sanitation, they interview the owner of 5 star and he goes into the proper uses for and mixing of starsan.
VB
VB
StMarcos
Well-Known Member
My water is very soft and star san stays clear for quite awhile. However, if I leave some aluminum foil in it, it turns cloudy overnight and the foil gets slimy. I understand that Al corrodes in even mild acids, but the slimy part has got me stumped.
Since most people use some form of stainless, this is kind of a silly statement. Star-san is nothing compared to bleach residue on your stainless kettle.
Is this 1 step the same as One-Step? The stuff that I purchase at my LHBS is basically powdered hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is NOT TO BE REUSED it is broken down by organic compounds and requires fresh batches each time. Again, if the "1 step" you are referring to is another product then ignore this second comment.
Welcome to the forums by the way!
I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable as a newcomer, but I'm not sure if this statement is 100% correct.
I've used starsan on my stainless kegs (yeah, it's not a soft metal) and my aluminum brew kettles (soft metal) with no issues, and I have never heard of such issues with starsan (maybe I am wrong, and please correct me if I am).
The back of my bottle of starsan states nothing about not using on metals. It does state: "General Precautions and restrictions: Do not use on wood cutting boards, unglazed porcelain, or other such porous materials."
A note about 1 Step
Northern Brewer.com Home Brew News mailing "One-step: One-step releases oxygen into solution in a way that forms hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria and other infectious organisms. Hydrogen peroxide then degrades into water
and oxygen and the only residue is a thin film of minerals that are
naturally found in most water supplies. One-step is not labeled
as a sanitizer because the producer has not chosen to apply with
the FDA for that designation. One step is mixed at one tbsp. per
gallon of warm water. One-step should not be used with hard water
(over 200ppm total hardness). One step has no listed contact time,
but in our experience 2 minutes is effective."
When you mix 1 step, use it and throw it out. It is basically hydrogen peroxide, an oxygen cleaner like oxy-clean. They package hydrogen peroxide in a bottle that lets NO light in, any light at all will break it down and render it useless, it will not last more than a couple hours...Starsan FTW!!!
VB
Northern Brewer.com Home Brew News mailing "One-step: One-step releases oxygen into solution in a way that forms hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria and other infectious organisms. Hydrogen peroxide then degrades into water
and oxygen and the only residue is a thin film of minerals that are
naturally found in most water supplies. One-step is not labeled
as a sanitizer because the producer has not chosen to apply with
the FDA for that designation. One step is mixed at one tbsp. per
gallon of warm water. One-step should not be used with hard water
(over 200ppm total hardness). One step has no listed contact time,
but in our experience 2 minutes is effective."
When you mix 1 step, use it and throw it out. It is basically hydrogen peroxide, an oxygen cleaner like oxy-clean. They package hydrogen peroxide in a bottle that lets NO light in, any light at all will break it down and render it useless, it will not last more than a couple hours...Starsan FTW!!!
VB
