Storing Starsan

[Lazlo]

So, this is probably elsewhere but pressed for time. What is recommended in terms of storing prepared Starsan? Specifically, is it ok to keep in a plastic fermentor for weeks at a time, or would a glass carboy be better?

 

[conpewter]

I keep it in a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a lid on it. Or in a corny depending on if I have an extra one. I just try to keep the dust and the dirt out of it.

 

[AnOldUR]

I was questioning the same thing. My main concern was leaving Star San in a corny for a month or so while waiting for my next batch the finish. I emailed Star San and got this reply:

Question:
Can Star San be stored in a stainless steel corny keg in a 300 ppm solution or will the acid damage the metal. Thanks

Answer:
Any liquid will damage the metal over a long period of time. Star San will not hurt the metal overnight, but if you leave this solution in the keg for multiple months, it could start to harm the metal. The best advice is to only make up what you need, when you need it. You should clean all equipment after you use it, and then sanitize the equipment just prior to brewing.

Jon Herskovits
Five Star Chemicals

Are they just being cautious or is there a real concern with this? Any personal experience good or bad?

 

[nathan]

Mine is in a fermenter bucket (cling wrap duct-taped over the airlock hole) with the convenient valve for filling up the spray bottle (except that much more than half a bottle needed requires venting the lid because of vacuum pressure).

I use the spray bottle 90% of the time, but mixing less than one ounce of star san (which dilutes with 5 gals water) seems inconvenient.

 

[Beerthoven]

I keep mine in a 5-gallon bucket with a lid.

 

[drunkatuw]

I split it up into plastic apple juice bottles. I'm sure most of you have some of those laying around after making some apfelwein.

 

[reshp1]

Plastic bucket has worked fine for me. It's a dedicated sanitizer bucket though, haven't tried fermenting in it after storing the Star-San. Probably wouldn't be an issue, but Star-San tends to coat plastics over time. Word of caution, if the solution turns cloudy, pitch it. This usually happens with hard water and once it turns milky, it's no good anymore.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

I have also emailed 5 star with questions about star san and gotten a similar answer. However, there is an interview with Charlie Talley (I think that is his name) one of the founders and inventors of star san on the brewing network sunday session archives. He gives a lot of info on star san not available elsewhere. Very informative.

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

I have noticed that the pH of the solution that I keep in a spray bottle went from 2.5 ish to 4.0 in 1 week. Normally it is Ok to keep for a month or so , but why bother?

It is so cheap and easy to make up fresh that I don't even waste my time.

 

[Brewsmith]

I keep it in a spare carboy. And another spare one with PBW.