Sanitizers

[Boxcutter]

For some reason my search engin won't work so I'll just ask. Trying to find what sanitizer yall use when cleaning yall buckets,funnels,hydrometers etc.

[HDNB]

it's difficult to find, but often i use high % alcohol. other times star san from the brewshop. ive been known to use a few granules of bromine (for hottub) in water in a pinch, but it smells awful so i only use it if i have nothing else.

[Boxcutter]

Is there a reason why no half water part bleach ?

[NZChris]

Bleach can make a soapy taste if it's not completely removed.

On the rare occasions when I do sanitize, I use sodium metabisulphite, (Campden).

[MitchyBourbon]

Is there a reason why no half water part bleach ?

Only reason is that you have to be more careful about making sure you rinse it completely. Bleach is not known to be a good yeast nutrient nor is it a considered a good liquor essence.

I use starsan and when I need a cleaner is use pbw.

[Boxcutter]

The brew shop around here has a star san acid sanitizer. It cost $14 for 16 oz. Is that the one you use HDNB ?

[ben stiller]

are iodine based sanitizers like Iodophor acceptable?

[skow69]

Chlorine bleach eats the hell outa stainless.

Hot water mostly. Star san if I'm nervous.

[MitchyBourbon]

Never used anything but hot water on my stainless boiler. One nice thing about using internal electric is that if you scorch only the heating element gets crud baked on to it, the boiler just rinses clean.

[cranky]

I use Iodophor, they say it is safe for stainless steel but I usually just give SS or copper a good scrubbing with soap and water if it needs anything. It stains plastic, and counter tops, and anything else it touches except glass, but when I'm done everything is hospital sterile but at that strength you need to rinse. Sanitized strength you can leave in but it might leave an iodine taste.

[HDNB]

yep that the one i've used. 16oz is like a lifetime supply. but honestly i use water and heads at 70%+ mostly. i only break out the other stuff if, like skow 69 sez... "im nervous". had a nasty infection on all malt recently, which made me go nuts cleaning everything.
bromine stinks like chlorine and you really got to rinse it. i did actually only use it once a year or so ago, it smelled so bad, made me go spend the 5 bucks on 4 oz of starsan.

[Red Rim]

I have been using star San on all my buckets, hoses, funnels and beer making stuff. The still on the other hand, is like a vagina, it is a self cleaning oven.

[Boxcutter]

Thanks for the response. A trip to the brew shop is in my near future

[bearriver]

I haven't sterilized a single piece of equipment, intentionally. Never had an infection. Just a quick rinse with water is all it takes.

AG folks seem to have problems with infections, in which case I would wipe down my stuffs with an alcohol soaked rag before letting it air dry.

Bleach is great for cleaning your work area, but not so much for equipment.

[woodshed]

I do nothing but AG's and use sodium percarbonate damn near exclusively. Mix it up, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse away.
Transfer hoses and pumps are filled and left to sit then rinsed as well. If I was to get an infection in the distillery this would be the most likely place. Never had one. And sodium perc is cheap and easily available.

[BigSwede]

I cannot see sanitizing anything in a still, from boiler to parrot - all self cleaning, basically, except of course the boiler needs a rinse. Something for new guys to remember, and I am one, in theory, anything you put into a boiler that is non-volatile, should remain there and not get into your likker. Non-volatile means it does not evaporate or form a gas or vapor under heat.

For example, you could throw a liter of salt into your wash, distill, and the product will not have any salt in it when you're done. it might mess up any boiler temp reading, if you do that, but will not leave the boiler. Same with many sanitizers. Most are salts, ionic compounds, and should remain in the wash.

But how to be certain that something is non-volatile? It's not always easy. I guess one way to look at it would be to look up the chemical's boiling point. Most salts boil at hundreds to thousands of degrees. If the additive vaporizes well above 100C, water's boiling point, it won't enter the product stream.

Sanitizing fermentation vessels? Definitely, if needed. But not always needed. I guess if you continually get rotten fermentation, with bad bacteria, then it'd be worth while.

[Getsmokin]

I do nothing but AG's and use sodium percarbonate damn near exclusively. Mix it up, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse away.
Transfer hoses and pumps are filled and left to sit then rinsed as well. If I was to get an infection in the distillery this would be the most likely place. Never had one. And sodium perc is cheap and easily available.

no so sure that kind of caustic is readily available to the hobbyist. Would recommend pbw for cleaning (but only if its real nasty) otherwise hot soapy water with a really good rinse. Star san is a great sanitizer, but not a cleaner

[woodshed]

Try your local grocery store. Look for Oxy Clean. Easier to find than Star San. Just make sure you get the unadulterated stuff.

[RandyMarshCT]

I use starsan for all my fermenting equipment sanitization. It's a habit left over from brewing beer. My bourbon backset is just over 3 ph, so I could use that in a pinch... but I could also use boiling water in a pinch. I just buy the big starsan bottle every couple years. I like being able to leave the sanitizer right on everything. Clean with dish soap (rinse really well) or pbw.

I meticulously sanitize anything involved in fermenting and keep a spray bottle of starsan next to me at all times. I'm a little too anal, I suppose.

[RevSpaminator]

Bleach is not known to be a good yeast nutrient nor is it a considered a good liquor essence.

Dang. So much for my Nirvana tribute blend.

[MitchyBourbon]

Bleach is not known to be a good yeast nutrient nor is it a considered a good liquor essence.

Dang. So much for my Nirvana tribute blend.

My latest review:
Whisky ol Grunge

Warm spiced tarry highlights, schist, gneiss and a lovely death metal bleach finish.

[woodshed]

Bleach is not known to be a good yeast nutrient nor is it a considered a good liquor essence.

Dang. So much for my Nirvana tribute blend.

As long as the lights are out and you store it in a heart shaped box it should be less dangerous

[DuckofDeath]

Yep starsan stuff works wonders

[dirtymax731]

I use starsan but for distilling I don't really care. Just run it before bacteria have a chance. You ain't got to much to worry if the ferment is rolling, it's when it slows down or stops is when infections will start but hey it gets boiled anyway

[frozenthunderbolt]

I use bleach (unscented; plain calcium hyperchlorate) mixed with water on all my plastic and glass fermenters.
Rinse 3-5 times with hot water and I don't have a problem.
Who needs to sterilize a still?

[MitchyBourbon]

I came home to find my son bailing toilet water into one of my fermenting buckets. I know what your thinking, he was putting in the new toilet and just needed to get the last bit out. Don't know why he didn't just bail it into the sink 5 feet away. Needless to say, I bleached the shit out of that bucket.

[Kegg_jam]

Needless to say, I bleached the shit out of that bucket.

No shit.

[MitchyBourbon]

Needless to say, I bleached the shit out of that bucket.

No shit.

That's right, no shit.

[Boxcutter]

LMFAO!!!!!!!

[woodshed]

LMFAO!!!!!!!

Shit MB. Wait, I mean. Killin me.