Star-San vs. Iodophor - FIGHT!

[The Happy Mug]

I've got the complete BlackAdder DVD collection. Great stuff.

And, back to the topic on hand, I'm option 3: The bleachwater guy. The Iodophor article kind of had me, and I might switch.

Hey, how come we didn't get option 3? Is is my breath?

Oh, wait, this is a fight between the two. I'm the drunken idiot getting involved in somebody else's quarrel. Soon, it's gonna be a big bar brawl. Sorry.

 

[rewster451]

I like the fact that once Waldo posted that link, nobody had anything to say about the topic. I know what I'll be using from now on. (Still a One-step user at the moment).

Edit: Just to be clear, it's iodophor from here on out. Come to think of it, I grew up on a dairy farm, and maybe somebody knows, but was the "old" iodophor purple? Or is that just straight iodine. Very early childhood memories, y'know, just wondering.

 

[Cheesefood]

I'd like to recast my vote to Iodaphor. I realized a very important reason why it's tits:

If you use it in a bucket, it will tell you where you need to scrub. Good old high school biology, reminding me that iodine changes sugars to a bluish color. You can quickly see where you need to wipe your bucket with a soft rag to remove the crud.

Take that, "Star San".

 

[Ivan Lendl]

Iodophor is sexier than star-san. And cheaper, and i like the fact that it stains buckets, it gives one a reason to go glass..

 

[budbo]

I use Iodophor exclusively.

I have used both, and I hate Star-san because of the foam. It takes forever to get it off (say in a glass carboy) and for the pros already mentioned in Iodophor, that seals the deal for me. I won't use anything else for my brew equipment.

And now for something completely novel invented just for Dude.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=16025

 

[Levers101]

I use Star San. I've never used Iodophor, and I don't see that I'll switch. I use a lot of Star San (read: many batches not over concentrated) because I don't trust it to sit in a bucket for the length of a whole batch so I make a batch on brew day and one at secondary day which gets used for bottling as well, and I don't see that I can trust Iodophor for that either.

If it is only 15 cents per batch more expensive than Iodophor I don't see any reason to switch. I frequently spend $2.00 or more for a pint of beer at bars hanging out with friends, so while I guess 15 cents adds up, to me it doesn't add up fast enough to switch when we are talking $0.30 difference over a whole batch. I brew for the enjoyment, not because it saves me money. Also, I spill stuff all over my clothes, so I'd probably have half of a closet of Iodophor stained clothes, and thats the biggest reason why I strayed from it when I first started out.

 

[Genghis77]

I had a half notion to vote for Clorox Lemon Scented Bleach. But that sanitizer has been outvoted a long time ago.

 

[Beer Snob]

Well I have Star San. Usually I use it on carboys, but use One Step with just about everything else.... just out of curiousity. Just what will happen if you happen to spill Star San or Iodophor on your carpet... or kitchen floor or counter top for that matter? Well the intense dark color of Iodophor has really been a deciding factor in my using it. If I spill One Step you know what will happen.... bout nothing outside of being wet.

 

[SwAMi75]

And now for something completely novel invented just for Dude.

http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=16025

Heh....he has since declared "bubbles be damned" and become a diehard StarSan convert Converted me, too, although I still have some Iodophor on hand. I'm not afraid to use it, but StarSan is just easier.

 

[RichBrewer]

I'm currently using Iodophor but I would like to switch to star-san. I need to use up what I've got which means maybe in about 12 years I'll make the switch. I little iodophor goes a long way!

 

[hungsolo]

I've used both quite a bit. I prefer star san by a slim margin.

They both work fine but star san tastes better when you are siphoning it and accidentally get it in your mouth.

 

[budbo]

Heh....he has since declared "bubbles be damned" and become a diehard StarSan convert Converted me, too, although I still have some Iodophor on hand. I'm not afraid to use it, but StarSan is just easier.

But after reading his "bubbles be damned post" they made a low bubble version for him. I still use Idophor for sanitizing carboys only because I have a bunch left

 

[Monster Mash]

I use Star San because:

1) unlike Iodophor it is non toxic.

2) the foam is good.

3) it is non staining and if SWMBO finds stains in her natural stone I'd be DEAD.

4) the foam is good.

5) very short contact time.

6) the foam is good.

 

[Dude]

I originally voted Iodophor but have since been converted. All it took was to listen to Charley Talley talk about the stuff (Star-san) on the Brewing Network and I was hooked.

 

[boo boo]

Star-san all the way.
Don't fear the foam.
How can anyone say it is expensive when it can be used indefinatly as long as the ph is 3 or lower. I have 3 8oz bottles that I bought last year and I still have 1 oz from my first bottle left over.
Iodophor... I have some still but don't want to use it due to it staining my plastic primarys.
Don't fear the foam. Low contact time and no-rinse.

 

[The Happy Mug]

It's all star-san in my brewery now. Up yours, bleach. You've started too many arguments on these forums!

I do hate that foam, however. Does rinsing star-san away have any detrimental effect? Like if I give my carboy a quick rinse to get rid of the foam before I rack into it? Or do I really need to let everything dry completely?

 

[Spyk'd]

Before I started using Star San I did some research and found that many people don't allow for any drying time and rack right on top of the foam, have been doing it for years, and state that there are no off flavors. If you let the foam settle completely (not sure it will ever be all gone) if could take hours and possibly negate the sanitation process.

I am like you and was concerned with the excess sanitizer so I adopted a middle of the road approach. I let my fermenters dry but no longer than about an hour before I'm going to fill them. This way all the liquid is gone and very little of the foam remains. In the years I've been using this method, I've had no sanitation issues.

I wouldn't rinse the remaining foam out either. I think you're better off with a little extra sanitizer in your brew than what might be in your water.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

I've used one step since I started brewing and despite one (self inflicted) incident, have had only good results.

 

[Genghis77]

Irridation with Cesium 135, kills off the nasties

 

[DAAB]

Surley having to wait for the foam to dissapate or at least partialy diassapate negates the advantage pf minimal contact time. Properly diluted iodophor can be shaken from the sanitised article and used imedeately and even if you allowed it it drip dry it takes very little time.
I really wouldnt fancy racking something I intend on drinking onto the residual foam of a sanitising solution.
If I was pressed to do that i'd use bleached rinsed with water followed by a neutralising rinse with a (no rinse) sodium metabisulphite solution, at least thats regularly used in beer as a preservative.

 

[Lost]

I don't understand what y'all think is so wrong with a few bubbles? How are a few good air bubbles/foam going the affect the flavor of the beer any more than the solution itself would?

BTW, I've been using star san for over a year now and I don't rinse and rack right onto the foam and whatever residual sanitizer is in there and I have no problems/off flavors.

 

[alemonkey]

Here's my .02 - I know two professional brewers, and they both use star san exclusively. I figure if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me.

As for the foam issue, I just shake out what I can and don't worry about the rest. That gets the vast majority of it out. As long as it's at the proper concentration you won't have any off flavors.

 

[Kaiser]

I originally voted Iodophor but have since been converted. All it took was to listen to Charley Talley talk about the stuff (Star-san) on the Brewing Network and I was hooked.

I was about to post that too .

Since star san is a cleanser, it will break up, and sanitize, gunk that that Iodophor cannot reach. This doesn't mean that you don't have to clean your equipment when using star san, but you have a better chance in case it's not perfectly clean.

I'll be using star san once my Iodophor is gone.

Kai

 

[bikebryan]

I was about to post that too .

Since star san is a cleanser, it will break up, and sanitize, gunk that that Iodophor cannot reach. This doesn't mean that you don't have to clean your equipment when using star san, but you have a better chance in case it's not perfectly clean.

I'll be using star san once my Iodophor is gone.

Kai

Huh?

Everything I've read says that although Star-San is an excellent no-rinse fooe grade sanitizer, it has virtually NO cleaning capabilities.

 

[AHammer16]

how do you guys determine your ppm for idophor? I am not sure what the color should look like in a carboy at the approp. strength.

 

[Beer Snob]

Here is the Five Star web site:

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/

 

[Kaiser]

how do you guys determine your ppm for idophor? I am not sure what the color should look like in a carboy at the approp. strength.

I measure mine with a syringe and add to 5 gal.

Kai

 

[Kaiser]

Huh?

Everything I've read says that although Star-San is an excellent no-rinse fooe grade sanitizer, it has virtually NO cleaning capabilities.

This information comes from Five Star. Looks for the Sanitation show in the archive of The Brewing Network (thebrewingnetwork.com)

Kai

 

[tcaddoo]

I use Star San. The foaming kinda sucks, but I have racked many beers and wine into a carboy loaded with the foam and have noticed no off flavors. Evidently there is Saniclean Sanitizer that has similar characteristics to Star San but does not foam. Has anyone used it? It is about the same cost, but you have to use 2 oz per 5 gallons and it needs a two minute contact time.

 

[bikebryan]

This information comes from Five Star. Looks for the Sanitation show in the archive of The Brewing Network (thebrewingnetwork.com)

Kai

I've been to the Five Star website. The tech sheet indicates that StarSan is good for sanitizing, but also specifically mentions that first the item must be cleaned thoroughly BEFORE applying. That pretty much implies that StarSan is not a cleaner!

I'm a PBW man myself, and prefer Iodophor for sanitation, but whatever floats our boats makes us happy.