Sterilising...

[steviec_lj]

Forgive the question, having just read 30% of "First Steps in Winemaking" by CJJ Berry, and it seems a stupid one, considering I belive I've just read it somewhere but for the life of me cannot find it anywhere!

I believe I've just read that you can leave a small amount of some solution in the bottom of DJ's and FV's, tightly capped/stoppered for weeks/months/years, due to it not degrading.

For the life of me though, I cannot remember what the solution is/was...!!

Would anyone have a clue? I've got 40 DJ's to collect and sterilise, a solution I could leave in would be nice.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

All the sterilisers I have used have had a time limit on their effectiveness, I believe starsan lasts a long time but I have never used it.

 

[steviec_lj]

Starsan sounds familiar. Thankyou.

 

[Gorty]

It's on page 18 of the 'Bible' (First Steps in Winemaking) steviec-lj, make up a solution of 6 crushed Campden tablets and 15g (2.5 tablespoons) of citric acid dissolved in a pint of water. I usually crush the Campden tablets in a mortar and pestle and dissolve in half a pint of warm water, put in a 2litre PET bottle and do it up, then dissolve the citric acid in the other half of warm water then go out in the garden and pour into the bottle and mix, this stuff is extremely effective but as 'CJJ' says a bit like a gas attack at the Somme. You definitely do NOT want to breathe this in too much!

 

[steviec_lj]

Cheers Gorty, thought I'd read it somewhere. Obviously only skim reading to find it again didn't help matters.

 

[simon12]

I would think anything sterile and sealed would remain sterile indefinitely as long as it remains fully sealed.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I clean my DJ's then put steriliser in and shake it to cover the inside then airlock them and put them back on the shelf. i still sterilise them just before making wine in them, two milton tablets cost very little, a spoiled WOW might not cost much but there is also the time making it to consider, is it worth the risk?

 

[steviec_lj]

Milton is easy to get hold of in our household, what with baby feed bottles to sterilise daily. SWMBO won't mind..honest!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Milton is easy to get hold of in our household, what with baby feed bottles to sterilise daily. SWMBO won't mind..honest!

The good news about milton is it will sterilise for up to 24 hours (not to be confused with meaning things that have been in it stay sterile for 24 hours)