Urgent! Out of Star San, what else can I use?

[Phan71]

I just went to start cleaning my primary and other equipment (airlock, etc.) and realized that I'm out of Star San. The problem is I've already started brewing, and the LHBS is closed today!

I've got some OxyClean free, can I use that as a sanitizer? That or bleach are my only options at this point.

Thanks.

 

[EoinMag]

1 oz thin bleach, 1 oz white vinegar in 5 gallons of water.
It's a pretty effective sanitiser and should be no rinse, but I never trusted that and it's endorsed by the guy from five star, he talked about it on some podcast or other.

 

[Phan71]

Alas, no white vinegar in the house.

 

[demonrichie]

bleach and a good rinse

 

[Phan71]

Thanks. I ended up doing he bleach/rinse. Now I just hope for the best.

 

[Sawdustguy]

Got any Isopropyl Alcohol in the house?

 

[bctdi]

cheap vodka will work, or any vodka for that matter.

 

[SumnerH]

cheap vodka will work, or any vodka for that matter.

FWIW, alcohol based sanitizers are 80% ABV, which is about twice what vodka is. I'd certainly go with bleach + boiled water rinse before vodka.

 

[bctdi]

FWIW, alcohol based sanitizers are 80% ABV, which is about twice what vodka is. I'd certainly go with bleach + boiled water rinse before vodka.

I was just considering that vodka would be better to drink than isapropyl or bleach if any got in the beer. In a pinch I would use it in a heartbeat as it already has more than enough alcohol to do the job + most people have some lying around the house.BYO magazine also reccomended it as one way to sanitize http://***********/stories/techniques/article/indices/19-brewing-tips/1777-20-tips-for-new-brewers

That being said there's more than 1 way to skin a cat... and bleach is certainly a good alternative as long as the residue is rinsed away properly.

 

[SumnerH]

I was just considering that vodka would be better to drink than isapropyl or bleach if any got in the beer. In a pinch I would use it in a heartbeat as it already has more than enough alcohol to do the job + most people have some lying around the house.BYO magazine also reccomended it as one way to sanitize http://***********/stories/techniques/article/indices/19-brewing-tips/1777-20-tips-for-new-brewers

That's a random quote by one brewer that doesn't cite any sources.

There are plenty of studies out there showing that 40% ethanol solutions are basically worthless at decreasing bacteria counts.

e.g. from the CDC in a general scientific context:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0955.htm (CFU=colony forming units, a bacteria count):

Tap water, 40% ethanol, and 40% ethanol gel yielded no significant reductions in CFU

Or from John Palmer in a brewing context:

http://www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer/cleaning.html#alcoh

an 80-proof beverage such as vodka is only 40 percent alcohol and most organisms are not killed in less than five minutes at this concentration.