Trying to use less star-san

[SDBreWs0624]

Thanks for all the good info. I'm going too be cutting way back i tell you that.

 

[boscobeans]

A little late on this one but:

1) anything before the boil doesn't need to be sanitized.
2) make up a spray bottle of solution. I use less than a quart on an average brew day.
3) reuse the starsan until the ph goes below 3.0
4) An immersion chiller can be put into the wort for the last few minutes of the boil to sanitize it.

I add 3 cc's or (ml's) to 1/2 gallon of RO. It is enough to sanitize everything needed to both brew a 5-6 gallon batch as well as bottle it.

Providing everything is CLEAN to start all you need is a spray bottle (wet down all surfaces with the mix) put some in the vinator and a some in a bowl for your caps.

Still have a spray bottle left over for kitchen use.


bosco

 

[kh54s10]

A little late on this one but:

1) anything before the boil doesn't need to be sanitized.
2) make up a spray bottle of solution. I use less than a quart on an average brew day.
3) reuse the starsan until the ph goes below 3.0
4) An immersion chiller can be put into the wort for the last few minutes of the boil to sanitize it.

Ah yes, I meant to say as long as the ph stays below 3.0 it is ok. Can I blame my error on it being late when I replied?

 

[Nic0]

Well I learned a lot from this thread! Hooray. Thanks to all who provided input. I'm a noob I guess, always been probably overkill on sanitization. I'm just paranoid about making someone sick I guess.

 

[Golddiggie]

Ah yes, I meant to say as long as the ph stays below 3.0 it is ok. Can I blame my error on it being late when I replied?

Nope... Same time zone here Hoss...

 

[SDBreWs0624]

Well I learned a lot from this thread! Hooray. Thanks to all who provided input. I'm a noob I guess, always been probably overkill on sanitization. I'm just paranoid about making someone sick I guess.

Same here, or just bad beer.

 

[Paulgs3]

Oh wow, good thread!! I've been using waaaaaaaayyyyy too much, and I've been griping about the price my LHBS charges me for it. Did the price like double in the past year?!

Just had an idea: http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...&gadtype=pla&gclid=CP6x0t2Xp7QCFe1xOgodoFsAbw

Seriously, I was going through like ten gals (formulated) each brew session and for awhile I Was brewing every other week.

 

[Golddiggie]

Oh wow, good thread!! I've been using waaaaaaaayyyyy too much, and I've been griping about the price my LHBS charges me for it. Did the price like double in the past year?!

Just had an idea: http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail...&gadtype=pla&gclid=CP6x0t2Xp7QCFe1xOgodoFsAbw

Seriously, I was going through like ten gals (formulated) each brew session and for awhile I Was brewing every other week.

I think I used maybe 7.5 gallons, total, since September. The combination of a spray bottle and using enough to coat is what really makes a difference. You don't need to fill something with solution in order for it to be sanitized. Unlike cleaning solutions (like oxy or PBW).

 

[mrstevenund]

If you have any questions on the time, since I see there are a couple of people disagreeing with the length of exposure - Post #4 in the following thread has links to the two sanitizer podcasts from the Star-San and Iodophor makers

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/

A little over 3/4 through the Star-San podcast, he says "kills in 30 seconds, but the EPA test is always 2 minutes, and you are required to put on the label what the EPA test used."

 

[wilserbrewer]

I mix up a quart or two when I need to sanitize. I started off using a medicine syringe to measure the 1/40 of an ounce but now I know that it is about a smidgen. You only need a quart to sanitize a keg when shake up to coat all surfaces. Starsan last me a long time

 

[Golddiggie]

Starsan last me a long time

You love it long time??

 

[Chriso]

I skipped a few posts in the middle, but in case nobody covered it....

.... Why are you sanitizing your brew pot? It should only need to be washed after use, not sanitized.

 

[grathan]

I have had the small bottle of Star San for a couple years now. maybe 50 batches in the small 8oz bottle.

The only equipment that doesn't get the spray bottle treatment is long tubing and auto siphon which get soaked in a wallpaper tray with about a capful of star san. The PH of this is around 1 and would last months. I racked my last 2 batches in 2 month old star san (left open) and a couple of dead flies got into the tubing that was soaking and was fine.

Don't dunk your bottles in star san... get one of these.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BOTTLE-SANITIZER-P152.aspx

 

[rcrabb22]

I didn't see it mentioned scanning this thread so I will.

StarSan will last a super long time if you use RO or distilled water. The mineral content in tap water helps to break down the Starsan.

I buy distilled water at the grocery store and my 5 gal bucket StarSan is going on 9 months old now and the PH is still below 2.5 (measured with a PH meter) I add additional distilled water as it depletes about 1 gal (through foam left in vessels or small buckets of it for blow off hose) and then a tsp or so of StarSan concentrate. 6 tsp = 1oz so 1 tsp to 1 gal water is a little overkill but so be it.

I am careful that anything entering the bucket is clean, it has stayed crystal clear all this time.

 

[chachi44089]

Reading the directions on the star san bottle it says " For all applications, allow to air dry [but suraface must remain wet for at least one minute], do not rinse after application...
I see videos all the time of beer and wine makers rinsing out a carboy or fermenter and its dripping wet with foam and sanitizer and they dump their wine or beer right in. I thought it must air dry before you proceed? Any thoughts?

 

[weirdboy]

On brew days I mix up a gallon or so to keep around in a small bucket on brew day. I also keep a spray bottle of starsan all the time. I keep it under the kitchen sink most of the time for daily use stuff like cleaning miscellaneous parts when doing transfers or whatever, and on brew days it goes out on the brew stand with me.

 

[Golddiggie]

Reading the directions on the star san bottle it says " For all applications, allow to air dry [but suraface must remain wet for at least one minute], do not rinse after application...
I see videos all the time of beer and wine makers rinsing out a carboy or fermenter and its dripping wet with foam and sanitizer and they dump their wine or beer right in. I thought it must air dry before you proceed? Any thoughts?

The residue on the insides of things is diluted to the point where it makes no difference for us. I wouldn't put a batch onto a gallon of the stuff, but others have forgotten to drain (more than you might think) and haven't had an issue.

Not sure why they say to let dry, other than as a CYA move.

 

[daksin]

Yea, let it stay wet. If it dries off, it's just susceptible to getting crap on it again. Don't air dry star san.