Star San questions

[BK_BREWERY]

well a couple questions, first i measured the correct ammount of star san as recommended should the sanitizer be slightly cloudy? also when items come out of the sanitizer should it be slightly filmy/slimy from the sanitizer?

also i sanitized my keg before racking from secondary and i pressure flushed the system and it left very frothy bubbles in the bottom which i couldn't see because of the CO2 gas, when the keg was filled i saw it floating on top of the brew, is that ok? should i have rinsed this "no rinse" sanitizer out first or is all this ok? just want good tasting brew!

 

[Clonefarmer]

Don't fear the foam .

 

[GreenwoodRover]

If you're not using Distilled or R.O. water the star san will cloud up on you.
Don;t worry about the foam. That is what kills the bad stuff. Starsan is a wet contact sanatizer. It needs to be there to do its' job and it WILL NOT hurt your beer.
If an item you sanatized with starsan becomes dry or you wipe it dry consider it no longer sanatized.

 

[cdburg]

Star San can be cloudy sometimes. I believe it depends on the chemistry (e.g. hardness) of your water. There can be a slight film, but it won't hurt anything.

Racking onto the foam is totally fine. It breaks down into components that are harmless to beer. In wort, the form actually provide nutrients for the yeast when it breaks down.

This should give you even more information about Star San:
The Brewing Network.com - :

 

[BK_BREWERY]

If an item you sanatized with starsan becomes dry or you wipe it dry consider it no longer sanatized.

hmmm i usually wipe dry the stoppers so they stick in the carboys otherwise they just keep slipping out after pressed in. how do you sanitize the stopper, or is there a way to make sure the stoppers seal while sanitizers is still on them?

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

Use alcohol to sanitize stoppers.
StarSan'd stoppers wont stay.

 

[BK_BREWERY]

Use alcohol to sanitize stoppers.
StarSan'd stoppers wont stay.

what kind of alcohol? how long soak till sanitized with alcohol?

 

[bull8042]

I would sanitize with StarSan first. Then a quick dip in rubbing alcohol will provide you with a dry surface quickly that you don't have to wipe. Wait just long enough for the alcohol to begin to dry, then stick it in the carboy.

 

[rico567]

Color or cloudiness (turbidity) can't be taken as an index of Star San's effectiveness. SS is an acid sanitizer, therefore the only reliable measurement is pH. I keep a tube of inexpensive pH papers on hand. I test the Star San before each use (takes about 5 seconds) and if the pH is >3, I discard the solution and mix a new batch.

 

[SumnerH]

Color or cloudiness (turbidity) can't be taken as an index of Star San's effectiveness. SS is an acid sanitizer

Star San is an acid-anionic sanitizer; the acid doesn't do the sanitizing, it just brings the pH in a range where the anionic surfactant can do its work.

But yeah, ph>3 = ineffective.

 

[malkore]

And, fresh paper towels are surprisingly sanitary. This is why tattoo shops use paper towels and will advise you to dry a freshly washed tattoo with paper towels instead of a bathroom towel which is usually full of germs, etc.

so, a dip in star san for 30 seconds, then a quick dry with a fresh paper towel.
I've had zero issues doing it this way.