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Star San for cleaning carboys.

Started by fakr, September 26, 2011, 03:03:12 PM

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fakr

Does anyone use Star San for cleaning their carboys?  

I've been using it for my kegs, but decided to try it on a couple of carboys yesterday....well, about 6 or 7 rinses later I finally got all the damn soap suds out....and I thought rinsing pink stuff out of the carboys was a pain in the arse!
"If God had intended for us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."

Kyle

I use it, and there is no need to get rid of the suds. In fact, you probably undid some of the sanitizing with so many rinses. I fill mine right up to the top with water, wait 10 minutes, and then gently dump out, which still leaves a bit of suds. then put the beer on top of that. It is food-safe as a no-rinse sanitizer as long as you do not exceed the concentration reccomended.
Charter Member

On Tap: DIPA, Vienna SMaSH, Imp Stout
Planned: IPA
Fermenting: --

brew

To add to Kyle's comments - good to make sure you are sanitizing surfaces that are already clean (like with Oxyclean) - StarSan isn't a cleaner but a sanitizer...

I usually use like a cup or so of StarSan (sometimes less) - swirl it around the inside of a clean carboy - dump it out after a minute or two (30 seconds minimum) - then go crazy with the StarSan spray bottle around the opening. It has worked good for me so far... (8 batches - 1 infection post kegging) - I mix a gallon at a time and fill my spray bottle with it. I spray everything, keep the bottle handy!
NBCBA Treasurer
Planned: Drink beer later, Primary: Drink beer soon, Secondary: Drink beer shortly, Kegged: Drinking beer now

fakr

If starsan is only a sanitizer, then what should I be using to clean my kegs, or anything SS for that matter?  nothing chlorine based....

Good point on the spray bottle...I'll definitely do that.
"If God had intended for us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."

brew

Quote from: "fakr"If starsan is only a sanitizer, then what should I be using to clean my kegs, or anything SS for that matter?

I've been using Oxyclean - got a big box at Costco just recently for cheap... I was using Simple Green before that - seemed to work OK as well. I'd like to try the PBW (Powdery Brewer Wash) from Five Star (the same folks that make StarSan and PH 5.2 Stabilizer) but I think the cost is a bit prohibitive given Oxyclean is so cheap and effective...
NBCBA Treasurer
Planned: Drink beer later, Primary: Drink beer soon, Secondary: Drink beer shortly, Kegged: Drinking beer now

fakr

Thanks for the suggestion.  I think I'll pick myself up some oxyclean this week, as I'm getting low on pink stuff.
"If God had intended for us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."

Kyle

You can use star-san to clean, I have many times, you just then have to scrub, drain, rinse, and refill with more starsan solution, let sit 10 minutes, then good to go.
Charter Member

On Tap: DIPA, Vienna SMaSH, Imp Stout
Planned: IPA
Fermenting: --

fakr

Well, I don't know if it's a bad practice or not, but I never scrub anything, with the exception of my fermentors, and I only got an infection once, and that was my second batch of beer ever made.   I think that had to do with not rinsing pink stuff out of the carboy enough....the beer had a chemical taste.

Carboys for instance...I rinse them out with hot water until they look clean, then put pink stuff in and shake it up...let sit 10-15 minutes, then rinse well.

I do similar with my kegs too...I've never touched them with rags or brushes...just rinse with hot water, then put in starsan, seal, hit with CO2, shake, and put on the shelf.

I wonder if I haven't run into issues because I don't let things sit before washing them?   Or maybe I'm asking for it?
"If God had intended for us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."

Tony L

Quote from: "Kyle"You can use star-san to clean, I have many times, you just then have to scrub, drain, rinse, and refill with more starsan solution, let sit 10 minutes, then good to go.


I wouldn't. It isn't labeled a cleaner and is only effective once the item to be sanatized is clean.
http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/brewer ... /products/

I use PBW or Oxyclean to clean SS with and then sanatize with star-san.
With PBW or Oxyclean there is no need to scrub.. just let time take its toll.