Starter Kit purchasers beware!

[Ramathorn937]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to put this out here as a friendly warning to anyone looking to purchase a starter kit. A lot of starter kits out there are missing what I understand to be a very important item.... sanitizer!

I ordered the Platinum Pro Starter Kit from Midwest Supplies and looking through the list today I realized the kit comes with oxygen wash, but does not come with any sanitizing solution. I confirmed this with their customer service chat and then ordered some PBW, Star San, and extra Bottle Caps (the kit comes with 60 so possibly won't be enough if I fudge a few).

Hopefully this helps someone else out, so they don't have to pay shipping twice and can have a wonderful start to the hobby.

 

[brewprint]

Thanks for pointing this out but it's likely that sanitizer is not needed. I remember my first couple of kits and I thought I was using sanitizer but it was more of a cleaning agent. No infections and still none to date.

However now I use starsan because it's so convenient. Never can be too careful

 

[Ramathorn937]

Thanks for pointing this out but it's likely that sanitizer is not needed. I remember my first couple of kits and I thought I was using sanitizer but it was more of a cleaning agent. No infections and still none to date.

However now I use starsan because it's so convenient. Never can be too careful

I don't know from experience yet but I'd much rather be safe than sorry, I'd REALLY hate to pour out 5 gallons of beer...

 

[Subdivisions]

Mr. Beer kits do the same thing. When your equipment hasn't been used yet is when it's the most sanitary (providing you at least wash it with the cleaner they supply). It's after many brews when stuff starts to build up that you get a better chance of infection if you're not vigilant with cleaning and sanitizing.

 

[DocScott]

Sanitizing is as important on the first batch vs the 100th. New brewing equipment is not sterile or sanitized during its manufacturing. You may not get a contaminated batch if you don't sanitize, but your chances certainly increase. Please, sanitize!!

 

[max384]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to put this out here as a friendly warning to anyone looking to purchase a starter kit. A lot of starter kits out there are missing what I understand to be a very important item.... sanitizer!

I ordered the Platinum Pro Starter Kit from Midwest Supplies and looking through the list today I realized the kit comes with oxygen wash, but does not come with any sanitizing solution. I confirmed this with their customer service chat and then ordered some PBW, Star San, and extra Bottle Caps (the kit comes with 60 so possibly won't be enough if I fudge a few).

Hopefully this helps someone else out, so they don't have to pay shipping twice and can have a wonderful start to the hobby.

Although not labeled as such, oxygen washes such as One Step can be used as a sanitizer as well as a cleanser. I'm not going to claim it's as good as Star San or Iodophor or the like, but there are countless brewers out there that use only One Step successfully.

The biggest reason why One Step (and other oxygen washes) aren't labeled as a sanitizer is label restrictions (cost, red tape, etc.). As an example, you'll find many bottles of bleach that aren't labeled as sanitizers, yet bleach is most certainly a sanitizer (though not good too good for brewing). One Step is even listed under sanitizers at Midwest Brewing and other large online shops.

From Northern Brewer:

Cleaners

Cleansers remove surface grime and particulates. Cleansers are essential to allow sanitizers to do their job. You can’t sanitize a surface if it’s not clean of grime and debris, which is where cleansers come in. These products should be used on bottles, fermentors, and other equipment which has extended contact with beer. Cleansers should be rinsed after use. Don’t soak your equipment in a cleanser solution for longer than the time recommended on the packaging.

Sanitizers

These kill microbes and surface bacteria and make equipment safe to use with beer. Arguably the most important component of the brewing process. Without sanitizers beer would be full of other organisms that turn beer sour and undrinkable. A key feature of these sanitizers is that they’re “no-rinse” so your equipment can be soaked in sanitizer and then immediately used for brewing which reduces any risk for re-contamination. A note: some sanitizers are not classified as such by the FDA (like Easy Clean and One Step), but for brewing purposes they work as well as those that are. For some reason, many include the word “clean” in the name. However, all the above mentioned products are effective sanitizers.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...aning-chemicals-equipment/sanitation-cleaning

 

[lowtones84]

I used "one step" for my first dozen or so batches because I didn't know any better. Only got one infection, and it was either due to a bad pack of Nottingham yeast or poor handling of the yeast on my part as a beginner. Fermentation didn't take off, and once I got to re-pitching it was too late.

I use star-san now, but one-step was pretty effective in my experience. If you plan to continue brewing, I would suggest star-san for sure.

 

[unionrdr]

When We ordered the Cooper's Micro Brew kit, I also ordered an extra glass hydrometer & their cleaner, Sodium Percarbonate, that when mixed, smelled a lot like bleach solution to me. It took a lot of rinsing to get the smell out of the FV, etc. Then this little packet of white powder JW Dover gave me to clean & sanitize with after the fact. Turned out to be PBW & the next batch came out fine...luckily. So I started buying PBW by the pound jar & an 8oz bottle of Starsan, which I still have 1/4 of left. Starsan is just to quick & easy to use too try anything else, & PBW will clean just about anything!

 

[Subdivisions]

Sanitizing is as important on the first batch vs the 100th. New brewing equipment is not sterile or sanitized during its manufacturing. You may not get a contaminated batch if you don't sanitize, but your chances certainly increase. Please, sanitize!!

What I meant by my post is that it is absolutely clean of any wort residue that bacteria or wild yeast could breed in. This is a bigger problem with older equipment (mostly plastic). If you use the onestep cleaner they provide then you shouldn't have a problem. In the future though you should jump up to star san. Nowhere in there do I say or imply to not sanitize.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Sanitization is always important. Yes, it is possible to get away with poor sanitization practices, but do you really want to risk it? Your beer will be ever so slightly infected, probably unnoticeably so, but eventually the nasties that have lined the insides/nooks/crannys etc of your cold side equipment will become noticeable when you end up getting a full blown infection in fermenter or bottles start blowing up.

One step and such are not labeled as sanitizers. Mainly because they do not want to pay to go through the process of getting labeled as one. There are many threads that debate just such a question
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23791
I bought a container of StarSan when I started brewing back in Nov of 2010. I just finally used the last of it a week ago. You can reuse it for a while as long as the ph stays low. It is very cost effective and is a good for peace of mind. I could have stretched it much further too. Go ahead and continue using the One Step you got and make your own decisions. It is accepted for sanitizing, though I like the warm fuzzies given by the certification.

 

[fuelish]

Starsan for the win.....as noted above, it's good for quite a period of time as long as pH stays in accepted range. 1 oz dilutes in 5 gallons, so.... a little goes a long way.....but then again, I never had a problem when I used a diluted bleach solution, either, but had to rinse well and let stuff dry....the price of bleach is right, but, too time consuming....Normal cleaning products for cleaning and Starsan for quick thorough sanitizing, here

 

[tim_s]

My starter kit came with Starsan.

 

[treacheroustexan]

My best batch of beer that I have ever brewed was just cleaned with hot water, no star san I do use starsan for everything now though.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Starsan for the win.....as noted above, it's good for quite a period of time as long as pH stays in accepted range. 1 oz dilutes in 5 gallons, so.... a little goes a long way.....but then again, I never had a problem when I used a diluted bleach solution, either, but had to rinse well and let stuff dry....the price of bleach is right, but, too time consuming....Normal cleaning products for cleaning and Starsan for quick thorough sanitizing, here

Sorry for the well, actually... but
well, actually although bleach is effective at killing nasties bleach loses potency over time. Also, bleach needs to be rinsed. Well. And unless you bleach with pre-boiled sanitary water, you are just re-infecting your equipment with the rinse water. I find bleach is better for deep sanitization and smell/stain removal, then rinsing and setting out in the sunshine to deodorize before sanitizing as normal prior to use.

 

[fuelish]

I haven't used bleach in some time, but post bleach rinsing, at least with quality municipal water, never harmed a thing, in my experience...ymmv depending on water source, I presume.

 

[citizenkoehn]

I know you all were talking about sanitation, but I was curious what OP thought of the kit. I haven't found any reviews on it really, but it's on sale for $99 with no tax and $7 shipping. Is that a good deal?

I'm completely new to brewing, if you can't tell!

edit: I just realized you ordered your kit 4 days ago... Have you heard any reviews on the kit, and does the price seem good? Thanks!

 

[Ramathorn937]

I know you all were talking about sanitation, but I was curious what OP thought of the kit. I haven't found any reviews on it really, but it's on sale for $99 with no tax and $7 shipping. Is that a good deal?

I'm completely new to brewing, if you can't tell!

edit: I just realized you ordered your kit 4 days ago... Have you heard any reviews on the kit, and does the price seem good? Thanks!

Best price I could find around for what I'd call an 'all inclusive' kit.

Literally comes with every single thing you need to brew your first batch, and then you've got a week or so to get ahold of 60 bottles.

I planned mine ahead and started saving bottles early so this was no problem.

The money I saved on the kit I used to purchase Star San, PBW, some extra bottle caps, and the components to make my own DIY immersion chiller.

Also, the kit comes with a $20 off coupon code for your next order from Midwest, which means you can grab the extract kit for your second batch, or fresh bottles etc.

Good luck man, I'll let you know how my fist batch turns out here in a few weeks, first brew day is this coming Saturday.