Vinegar?

[SagamoreAle]

Anybody ever use vinegar for sanitation?

I've never heard of it. It's a common household sanitizer. I'm wondering if it has any value in home winemaking and homebrewing.

I guess a big part of the answer has to do with how much of the vinegar-producing bad guys remain.

Just wondering if people have any thoughts or experience with it.

 

[zachattack]

The problem with acetic acid (vinegar) is that it stinks. Phosphoric acid doesn't stink, and furthermore when you dilute it you're left with phosphate which is a yeast nutrient.

This is why Star San is such a great product, it's basically phosphoric acid with a little bit of surfactant to help it along.

So many people try to skimp on sanitizer, and I don't know why. It's one of the cheapest parts of homebrewing, and it's also one of the most important, but easiest, to get right. Just grab some Star San.

 

[richas]

FWIW adding a little vinegar to a water/bleach sanitizing mixture lowers the PH and makes it much more effective.

Never add vinegar directly to bleach.

Never use bleach/water on stainless.

Rich