I read it in a variety of places a few years ago when I was using Starsan and getting infections. I switched back to a bleach solution and the problem was solved. So my main reason for believing it is my own personal experience, but it appeared to be backed up by stuff I read. I was not sure whether it was wild yeast or airborne mold spores that was infecting my beers, or both. I wouldn't go back to it personally, the solution I use now is much more effective for my purposes and costs next to nothing.
This is something that irritates the hell out of me about this forum. When total ******** is promulgated it must make it very difficult for beginners to come to an informed view. As far as I am concerned chapter and verse about using bleach as a no rinse sanitiser can be found by listening to
this podcast with Charlie Talley. He also states specifically that used correctly StarSan kills wild yeasts, moulds and spores. However he makes it clear that the key to sanitisation is cleaning and sanitisation is the final 'insurance policy' i.e. if you are having problems scrub harder & better.
Low concentration bleach alone is not an effective sanitiser. The pH must be lowered by the addition of white vinegar. The dilution rate is 1oz of new cheap bleach to 5 US gallons, following this dilution add 1 oz of white vinegar. Do not add vinegar to bleach, it will gas.
There were some tests done by Russion home brewers on different sanitisation products including StarSan mentioned
here, but the tests and results were largely discredited as invalid if you read following posts.
The myth regarding the charge on yeasts versus microbes is busted
here.
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Thanks. There's not really a need for that attitude however.
I had those problems a few years back and looked into it at that time, finding indications that Starsan doesn't kill bleach and mold, and I found explanations as to why. I listened to that podcast. He calls chlorine bleach the gold standard in it. The internet is riddled with untruth, half truth and truth, we all fall foul if it. Real life is the same, people get things wrong, unwittingly. Get used to it.
And use your own experiences. From my own experience, Starsan let me down and bleach/vinegar sorted me out instantly. I know how to clean equipment, and I followed instructions carefully. People have different experiences and reach different conclusions. My conclusion was and is that bleach/vinegar/water is much cheaper than Starsan, and much more effective in my situation.
PS you ballsed up quoting me so that it looks like I said something I didn't. That's the interwebs for you. Tread carefully.
