Cleanliness

Fretman124 · Post by **Fretman124** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:08 pm

How anal are you guys about cleanliness when setting up a mash for fermentation? I have a beer brewing friend that is very anal about it, and I have been frequenting a mead making forum that is as well.

In all my reading on the this form, wiki and the main site, I rarely see any consideration to be being super clean. I'm talking about sterizing everything that comes into contact with the wash. I recently started a 12 gallon rum wash, and I used a no-rinse sterlizer for the barrell, boiled the water, etc. This means I had had to oxygenate the wash.

Just how clean with your fermenting equipment are you?

Seems like all the old timers did was throw stuff in a barrel after they dumped the rainwater out. Way back in history, they didn't even know about germs/bacteria........

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:28 pm

I'm pretty anal too about cleaning fermentors...like some of the guys say around here if you put shit in your still you get shit out. I've always kept my fermenters very clean and neve had a major problem with any fermentation.

olcarguy · Post by **olcarguy** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:34 pm

I keep a spray bottle with a mild chlorine and water solution (1tsp. beach to 4 liters water) that I spay on everything that comes in contact with my wash... including my hands arms and all mixing utensils. I even spray down the counter were I put my fermenting vessel. Why take a chance on getting anything that you don't want where you don't want it. Never had a problem with bad tastes or vinegar.

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:59 pm

my settup isnt as clean as some but it is clean none the less. i dont believe you should have to go overboard with sanitizing but you deffinently dont want any bad bacteria infecting your wash. could ruin the hole thing or give your hooch an off taste.

Post by **Tater** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:23 pm

Old timers I knew washed and poured boiling hot water on everything .Thats what I do most times .If ferminters are really dirty and not needed for a while I fill with water and add a cup of bleach and let sit for a few days and then wash .

Fretman124 · Post by **Fretman124** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:04 pm

Ok.....Good info there. Thanks for that

AfricaUnite · Post by **AfricaUnite** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:59 pm

I use a strong metabisulphite solution to clean my buckets, and I put it in a spray bottle and spray my stir spoon before putting it in my mash.

TownDrunk · Post by **TownDrunk** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:29 pm

I fill mash vessel, fermentor, utensils, and still with HOT water and bleach. Then stir, stir, stir. Then I rinse the hell out of everything with hot water for 5 minutes. Then dump, put in 1 gallon of boiling water, swish till the steam quits coming off. Let sit upside down till needed again. When needed I swish again with I gallon boiling water and vinegar. Works pretty good.

I have gotten some pretty good cases of food poisoning from being in the navy that I put great effort towards things being clean and Sanitary!!!

You all had some good ideas that I might try as being faster than my slow, wife bitching at me and using up the stove and bathtub methods!!!

Cheers!
TownDrunk

hornedrhodent · Post by **hornedrhodent** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:15 am

I only use metabisulphite - a couple of teaspoons in a litre or two of water in the fermenter. It's the SO2 gas that does the sterilising. I rinse it out with boiled tank water (I dont trust the wild yeasts and bird shit). I dont have any infection trouble with beer brewing as long as I dont open the fermenter to take SG readings or any such silly practice.

I was shocked at the lack of sanitary practices of a winemaking friend - but I realise the higher alcohol content probably makes the difference.

Most of the recipes I've seen on this site are aiming at high alcohol washes and should kill any nasties.

My attempts at making low alcohol beer were not good despite good sanitation practices.