starsan?
- Thread starter Hoover
- Start date
Help Support The Homebrew Forum:
thumb:
strange-steve
Quantum Brewer
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
- Messages
- 6,027
- Reaction score
- 5,798
Not sure if you're asking this but make it up at 1.5ml per liter. Get a syringe from the pharmacy to measure it out.
How long it will last when made up really depends on your water. Use Tesco ashbeck water, or better yet distilled water and it'll last a long time. I usually make up 5L at a time and it'll last me a couple of months.
Also I don't reuse starsan, I don't think it's worth the risk. Just use it once and chuck it, it's cheap enough to be one use.
How long it will last when made up really depends on your water. Use Tesco ashbeck water, or better yet distilled water and it'll last a long time. I usually make up 5L at a time and it'll last me a couple of months.
Also I don't reuse starsan, I don't think it's worth the risk. Just use it once and chuck it, it's cheap enough to be one use.
Hi!
My StarSan bottle has oz on one side of the cap and ml on the other.
I make 2litres at a time (pop bottle) but re-use it. I also use Tesco Ashbeck water.
Recently I tried 1 oz bleach mixed in 5 gallon of water, followed by 1 oz white vinegar added once the bleach has been mixed with the water.. It works well as a no-rinse sanitiser and have been pleased with the results. I don't use it on stainless steel - that's what the StarSan is for.
Colin
My StarSan bottle has oz on one side of the cap and ml on the other.
I make 2litres at a time (pop bottle) but re-use it. I also use Tesco Ashbeck water.
Recently I tried 1 oz bleach mixed in 5 gallon of water, followed by 1 oz white vinegar added once the bleach has been mixed with the water.. It works well as a no-rinse sanitiser and have been pleased with the results. I don't use it on stainless steel - that's what the StarSan is for.
Colin
strange-steve
Quantum Brewer
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
- Messages
- 6,027
- Reaction score
- 5,798
Just curious, why do you make up your own sanitiser if you have starsan?
Hi!
Economy!
I heard an audio blog of the guy who created Star San and he recommend the bleach/vinegar option, so I decided to try it.
Star San is about ã20 a litre to buy, bleach is about 80p a litre and white vinegar just a little more. If I use bleach/vinegar for the non-SS items, the Star San will last much longer.
I know we don't fear the foam, but the bleach/vinegar solution doesn't foam up.
Colin
Economy!
I heard an audio blog of the guy who created Star San and he recommend the bleach/vinegar option, so I decided to try it.
Star San is about ã20 a litre to buy, bleach is about 80p a litre and white vinegar just a little more. If I use bleach/vinegar for the non-SS items, the Star San will last much longer.
I know we don't fear the foam, but the bleach/vinegar solution doesn't foam up.
Colin
strange-steve
Quantum Brewer
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
- Messages
- 6,027
- Reaction score
- 5,798
Fair enough :thumb:
Tbh though I don't think starsan is expensive, I have only used half a bottle in about 50 brews, without reusing it.
Tbh though I don't think starsan is expensive, I have only used half a bottle in about 50 brews, without reusing it.
Hi!
I totally agree - Star San is not expensive - about 3p per litre of solution. I don't use it in large quantities - for example, when sanitising bottles, I pour about an inch into the bottle and swirl it around gently so that every surface is wet.
I was just intrigued that its inventor should recommend another solution, one which I wanted to try, and at roughly 0.33 pence per litre of solution, cheaper by far (even cheaper when SWMBO gets the bleach and vinegar in her weekly shop :lol:).
Colin
I totally agree - Star San is not expensive - about 3p per litre of solution. I don't use it in large quantities - for example, when sanitising bottles, I pour about an inch into the bottle and swirl it around gently so that every surface is wet.
I was just intrigued that its inventor should recommend another solution, one which I wanted to try, and at roughly 0.33 pence per litre of solution, cheaper by far (even cheaper when SWMBO gets the bleach and vinegar in her weekly shop :lol:).
Colin
Get a little syringe (5ml I think) from the chemist to measure out starsan, the sort of thing you use for administering calpol to babies. My chemist gave me one for nowt when I asked.
From memory I think I add 8ml to a 5litre bottle of water (1.6ml per litre of water).
I use starsan for everything, cheap as chips for the amount it mixes and can re-bottle and re-use the mixed solution, can't really see the point in messing around with anything else to save money.
From memory I think I add 8ml to a 5litre bottle of water (1.6ml per litre of water).
I use starsan for everything, cheap as chips for the amount it mixes and can re-bottle and re-use the mixed solution, can't really see the point in messing around with anything else to save money.
Hi!
Money Bags! :mrgreen:
Tell me about it, bathed in organic mountain goats milk this morning and had caviar on toast for breakfast.
Reminds me, I must pickup a couple of lobsters for lunch :grin: oh and drop some socks off at the charity shop - that I've worn once !
Its worth getting a booklet of ph test paper - your starsan solution needs to be at ph3 or lower to remain effective. using the ph paper you can test occasionally and if your solution is drifting into the above 3 range you can ditch and mix some fresh.
These off ebay will do the job: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160-PH-1-...399350?hash=item4afa9131b6:g:XcoAAOSwQYZWxXZN
These off ebay will do the job: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160-PH-1-...399350?hash=item4afa9131b6:g:XcoAAOSwQYZWxXZN
houseofcole
Active Member
I keep a Corney Keg filled with Star San.
a) I always have fresh sanitisation fluid on tap.
b) I can easly clean my beer lines etc
c) When I rack a brew, I simply pressure the one with Starsan into an empty corney and I am left with a clean sterile Keg keg filled with Co2 ready to be filled with beer.
I never had any contamination issues doing this.
Paul
a) I always have fresh sanitisation fluid on tap.
b) I can easly clean my beer lines etc
c) When I rack a brew, I simply pressure the one with Starsan into an empty corney and I am left with a clean sterile Keg keg filled with Co2 ready to be filled with beer.
I never had any contamination issues doing this.
Paul
Pope
Regular.
I was interested in the no-rinse aspect of Starsan and its application, so I have decided to hi-jack this thread.
I started to use it a few months ago, after I bought a 236ml bottle. I was told it'll last for a very long time but it seems to have gone down really quickly. On a brew day, after cleaning with Oxi Clean I will fill up my 30L FV with hot water and for every litre of water, I add 2ml of star san. I will also immerse anything else which touches or goes near the wort in the FV: Paddle, airlock, etc. After 10 minutes, I then empty the FV down the drain. Is this being really wasteful? Is there a more efficient but still effective way of using starsan?
Now, regarding the no-rinse aspect of the product: when I use it, there are bubbles leftover after in the FV and on whatever else is in there. I cannot stop myself rinsing these bubbles off, using hot water from my shower. I don't want bubbles from a sterilising liquid in my wort...surely that can't be good? Should I leave the bubbles?
I started to use it a few months ago, after I bought a 236ml bottle. I was told it'll last for a very long time but it seems to have gone down really quickly. On a brew day, after cleaning with Oxi Clean I will fill up my 30L FV with hot water and for every litre of water, I add 2ml of star san. I will also immerse anything else which touches or goes near the wort in the FV: Paddle, airlock, etc. After 10 minutes, I then empty the FV down the drain. Is this being really wasteful? Is there a more efficient but still effective way of using starsan?
Now, regarding the no-rinse aspect of the product: when I use it, there are bubbles leftover after in the FV and on whatever else is in there. I cannot stop myself rinsing these bubbles off, using hot water from my shower. I don't want bubbles from a sterilising liquid in my wort...surely that can't be good? Should I leave the bubbles?
Bigjas
Landlord.
Don't sling it down the drain..... you can re-use it many times. Some people keep large containers full of it and just dip stuff in it. I keep mine in a spray bottle and spray everything. This stuff should last ages, and yes it no-rinse :thumb:
Pope
Regular.
So you can just spray the inside of a FV, with one of those bottles that you can use for watering plants and that effectively sterilises it? I'd be paranoid that the whole thing isn't coming into contact with the solution...which is why I've been immersing it.
Does not rinsing leave any strange flavour?
geetee
Landlord.
I have used the Malt Miller version of starsan or should I say no rinse steriliser. it is the same thing, phosphoric acid and I keep it in a spray bottle.Same active ingredient and same functional use.Cheaper than the branded version, buy the big bottle 250 ml for ã12.00.
The safety sheet from the starsan manufacturers recommend contact time of 2 minute not just spray and empty so I try to swill it around after spraying for a minute or so rather than just in and out.
The safety sheet from the starsan manufacturers recommend contact time of 2 minute not just spray and empty so I try to swill it around after spraying for a minute or so rather than just in and out.
Bigjas
Landlord.
I clean everything with VWP and then sterilise with Starsan in a fine spray bottle. I spray the inside of the FV and pressure barrel just before use. If there is any collected at the bottom I just tip that away. I find this method is reliable and I don't use masses of the stuff. I also don't like handling large volumes of liquid if I can help it. I leave the sprayed surface for a couple of minutes before using and have not had any issues. I can't taste it in the finished beer either.
Hoppyland
Senior Member
Well, if you really want to cut the price, you could try this at ã3.70 for a litre of 85% phosphoric acid:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112027622992?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
However, I must come clean (though not sanitised, I hope) and say that I only use it for rust removal, not brewing! :whistle:
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2011
- Messages
- 4,116
- Reaction score
- 984
starsan isnt effective against wild yeast strains.. use PAA for that, but thats nasty when atomised and requires a mask and eye protection.
