How clean is clean?

[Roadrunner]

I wouldn't worry too much. Beer is quite forgiving in bottles, particularly if you leave it to condition longer if they are not quite right on first tasting.

Bottle washers here...http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/bottle-rinser-washer-p613

...and no rinse sanitiser here...http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/brew-safe-cleaner-sanitiser-no-rinse-240g-p1347

Both excellent investments IMHO !!!

The no rinse sanitiser from that link is a Sodium Percarbonate, is it the same stuff that wilko sells under the name Bruclens? Both are sodium percarbonate and wilkos stuff claims it needs to be rinsed. ?? What is the amount of this stuff one needs to use in a say a litre of water that makes it a NO Rinse?
RR

 

[FatCol]

The no rinse sanitiser from that link is a Sodium Percarbonate, is it the same stuff that wilko sells under the name Bruclens? Both are sodium percarbonate and wilkos stuff claims it needs to be rinsed. ?? What is the amount of this stuff one needs to use in a say a litre of water that makes it a NO Rinse?
RR

I once ran out of VWP and grabbed some Bruclens from Wilko - never again! Bruclens is terrible.

People often confuse cleaning with sanitising, but they are 2 different things.

VWP is a cleaner/steriliser and is used to clean residue etc from FVs/bottles/kegs etc, which once cleaned, are then stored until next use.

A sanitiser, such as StarSan is then used to kill off anything that might have settled in the cleaned equipment, when you come to use it again.

I use both VWP and StarSan this way and have never had an infection.

 

[Roadrunner]

I see what you mean, but it says on the tub that it is a cleaner AND steriliser
(bruclens) It also says that it needs to be rinsed after use. Since the active agent is Sodium percarbonate, same as the Brew Safe Cleaner Sanitiser recommended by Hopping_Mad above , I am wondering why does the latter claim to be a no rinse and the Bruclens says that you should rinse. I already have the Starsan here so am cool with sanitising, but having bought several tubs of bruclens before I even knew that things like Starsan exist I would like to use it. If someone confirmed that it is in fact a no rinse sanitiser I would like to use it (or if it isn't I will just throw it away)
RR

 

[FatCol]

It most definitely is not a "no rinse" sanitiser. By all means use it in the same way you would use VWP to soak equipment after use, but rinse it and rinse it well. Then before you use your equipment again, give the StarSan treatment and you'll be good to go.

I found that Bruclens left a grainy feel to all my equipment after use, as if it had started to reform into particles, that adhered to the FV/Syphon/Spoon etc. Took ages to wash off all the residue and then I had to buy some VWP and do it all again.

FatCol

 

[Fil]

not all no-rinse sanitisers are equal, ive had experience with 3 types, a Sodium Percarbonate based one from the lhbs which cost circa £9 per kilo Videne ansd starsan.

the Sodium Percarbonate based sanitiser had a 10-15 minute active window and was spent after that time, i assume due to it maintaining a hi o2 saturation level for a limited period once mixed up but i am no chemist. the tub didnt last very long as it needed mixing up at different stages during the brewday and when kegging/bottling.

Videne which comes in a 500ml bottle and is iirc applied at 1.25ml per litre is very economical and after 12months of use i still had just under 1/2 a bottle left, however its not a persistent sanitiser and soon becomes spent, an indicator of when its spent is when the solution looses its red/brown tint and is again a clear colourless liquid.

starsan is what im using now it is more persistent and only needs 30 seconds or so of contact to be effective, at 8-10ml to make up a 5l solution its very ecconomical an indicator that its no longer active is if it turns cloudy, though that can happen with hard tap water as soon as you mix it, a much clearer indicator of its potency is checking its ph with an indicator strip and as long as the ph is 3 or lower its active.

if applied with a trigger spray bottle 5l can last months, even with kitchjen use as the starsan is much cheaper than the detol etc surface sanitiser sprays as we have hard water i mix up with 5l of tesco ashbeck water at a £ per 5l.. my vote is for the starsan for best vfm and simplicity of use.
even when you consider a £ for a book of ebay indicator papers and using 5l bottles of water to mix up,

 

[Baxterbasics]

not all no-rinse sanitisers are equal, ive had experience with 3 types, a Sodium Percarbonate based one from the lhbs which cost circa £9 per kilo Videne ansd starsan.

the Sodium Percarbonate based sanitiser had a 10-15 minute active window and was spent after that time, i assume due to it maintaining a hi o2 saturation level for a limited period once mixed up but i am no chemist. the tub didnt last very long as it needed mixing up at different stages during the brewday and when kegging/bottling.

Videne which comes in a 500ml bottle and is iirc applied at 1.25ml per litre is very economical and after 12months of use i still had just under 1/2 a bottle left, however its not a persistent sanitiser and soon becomes spent, an indicator of when its spent is when the solution looses its red/brown tint and is again a clear colourless liquid.

starsan is what im using now it is more persistent and only needs 30 seconds or so of contact to be effective, at 8-10ml to make up a 5l solution its very ecconomical an indicator that its no longer active is if it turns cloudy, though that can happen with hard tap water as soon as you mix it, a much clearer indicator of its potency is checking its ph with an indicator strip and as long as the ph is 3 or lower its active.

if applied with a trigger spray bottle 5l can last months, even with kitchjen use as the starsan is much cheaper than the detol etc surface sanitiser sprays as we have hard water i mix up with 5l of tesco ashbeck water at a £ per 5l.. my vote is for the starsan for best vfm and simplicity of use.
even when you consider a £ for a book of ebay indicator papers and using 5l bottles of water to mix up,

Great bit of advice,.....going to follow it to the letter!

Many thanks.
Fil

 

[blueboron]

I used to soak my clean bottles in Hypochlorite for 24 hours - Rinse and then rinse again in Sodium Metabisulphite.

What a drag.

I now wash rinse the bottles in the hottest water I can put my hands in with 'Fur Lined Marigolds' (Height of fashion):p, and leave to drip dry.

No problems to date

BB

 

[mcrae.ian01]

I use Starsan and a bottle rack to drip dry them. Has the advantages of easy, safe, and effective sterilizing while minimising chemical contact with your beer.

I take it your bottles are new?

 

[slark]

Hy there,
I always us Starsan, it's cheap, quick ie: almost instant, and doesn't need any rinsing at all