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Sanitiser question...


MattC10

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Hello all and Happy Friday! I'm planning on starting a new batch of home brew this weekend and bought Cooper's Sodium Percarbonate to sanitize my fermenter. Do you experienced brewers use this? I am a little wary of using such a potent chemical. I appreciate your wisdom!

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Matt, I use it all the time (I don't count as experienced though!).

 

Sodium percarbonate is also the active ingredient in napisan etc. It breaks down into hydrogen peroxide (the active component) and sodium carbonate (washing soda, also used as a food additive). The Hydrogen peroxide then breaks down to oxygen and water.

It's pretty much the safest sanitiser there is, so that's why I use it.

 

Dan

 

PS - If it's Friday I'd better get to work!!

 

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So can napisan be used to clean the fermenter and implements then? I have just ran out of black and gold plain bleach (cant find it anywhere at the moment) and ended up going to 'good' old coles for a reduced Coopers sanitizer, $2.

Just after alternatives for next time I need to buy a sanitizer and black and gold bleach isn't available. 2 litres of bleach has lasted 10 brews. Value for money.

 

Cheers,

 

Martyn.

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I think the fancy ones have numerous other ingredients like perfume and detergent etc that you just don't want in your beer. There is an environmentally friendly brand that seems to have less other bits and pieces, but no full ingredient break down.

At the moment I'm sticking to the Coopers one.

 

Dan

 

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I've never used Coopers sanitiser but I can vouch for napisan (or rather Cole's version of napisan). I use the Coles brand soaker - I recommend the one for sensitive skin as it doesn't have the perfumes or dyes. I've used the equivalent from Woolies and didn't find it as effective.

 

This is the one to look for:

 

soaker.jpg

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I use Coopers Sanitiser at work and bleach at home [wink] - although we say to use 1/2 cup to the FV, 1/4 cup will do the job easily (assuming the FV is free of soiling). Also, I use just the smallest splash of bleach to sanitise the post-mix kegs [cool]

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I have posted this before, but I use the comercial glass cleaner, the one I use is called Saniglas and is a Dominant chemical brand. It is a bit expensive, I buy it in four litre bottles and I am not sure what I paid for the last one, around $40 I think, but you only use a very small amount, it is virtually the detergent and the sanitiser in one. I use boiling water to do the FV, I boil the jug and tip it in as soon as it boils, then I drop the lid on and swish it around a bit,then leave it to steam up and do the whole vessel. a quick rinse with clean water, add the wort and cling wrap and Bob's your uncle....(snip snip and he's your aunty!) Never had a problem!

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  • 7 months later...

I've used White King before (probably about 100-150ml in the fermentor topped with water). It does the job but I much prefer the nappy soaker I mentioned above. Easy to use, cleans better (IMO [cool] ) and is easily rinsed of without leaving the bleachy scent.

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Thanks Muddy. I'll keep your concern about the left over scent in mind.

 

I'm using it to clean my bottles - I've heard from two different sources that once you've used your bottles 5 or 6 times, throw it in some bleach (silly me I didn't ask the bleach-H2O ratio). I'll give them a good rinse thereafter based on your advice.

 

Thanks again

Drinking : Pale Ale[tongue] ; Fermenting: Pale Ale[tongue] , Java-Vanilla-Porter[unsure] , Oatmeal Stout[tongue]

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Hello Paul,

 

was just wondering, do you use bleach to sanitize everything (FV, Carboy (if you use one), instruments, bottles)? I normally let my FV soak for some time in dilute bleach and sanitize after that with metabisulphite (I know... metabisulphite is not the best one recommended out there but I'm not allergic to it). I rinse everything thoroughly. I evidently rince everything 5 times more than once after it.

 

Am I overdoing it? I'm a chemist so I know how to get things clean but about "contamination", my biological knowledges are limited.

 

Yannick

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Sodium Met is not recommended it doesn't kill ALL the nasties.

 

I used to have some issues and since I changed to Nappysan + Starsan all problems are gone and the best thing about it is, it works out really good cost wise!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use Five Star products,Their PBW & Star San. The powdered brewer's wash is great for cleaning everything,including the bottles. You can make enough PBW to fill a dunnage/storage container,& soak your newly emptied bottles in it. After a couple of days,the labels will have floated off,& all glue/dirty stuff will be gone or very easy to scrub away with a bottle brush & a dobie. Then,just fill a vinerator half way with star-san,give each bottle a few pumps,& hang'em on a bottle tree till you're ready to bottle.

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I'm new to this site and glad I read this topic as I plan on doing one or two different brews a week' date=' money is tight as we have a 4 month old baby, I bought what I think is an Aldi brand version of napisan called DiSan Plus, does anyone know if this will work as well[/quote']

 

I don't use napisan, I use HomeBrand non scented bleach, about half a cup in the fermenter then fill. It cleans it nicely.

 

I then give it a good rinsing until I can't smell the bleach and then spray with starsan.

 

Works great for me.

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All I do is when finished with bottle of previous brew.

 

Wash out the Carboy and Lid with hot water only, no detergent.

Turn it upside down to dry.

When ready to use it I clean it with Hot water again using only plastic scrub brush for washing up dishes.

 

I then sanitise with Iodophor. It says no rinse but I rinse anyway.

http://www.basicsofhomebrewing.com/bohb12iodophor.html

 

I only got back into brewing 6 months ago. I re-used my same plastic carboy that had been sitting in the roof attic for about 12 years when I started again and the same tap and I get no infections. My 2c worth.

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as I understand it Sodium Per AND sodium Met are great CLEANERS.. Fantastic for removing biodegradable materials. BUT they both need rinsing as most of these products have approx. 30% Sodium Per and the rest being fillers and junk. Therfore not good as sanitisers as such (because of the need for rinsing). Combining these products with a certifiable No Rinse Sanitiser, such as Starsan or the like is the best approach. If you are using bleach etc I suggest you have a listen to this webcast on the brewing network. It's a damn good listen.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/469

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I wouldn't use Sodium Met as it doesn't kill all the nasties. Rinsing Sodium Percarbonate is fine as long as you are using the water from the same source as you do your brew.

 

If you are going to fill your fermenter with tap water, it also won't harm your beer if you rinse the fermenter with tap water as you won't be introducing anything other then what you will be doing when filling the fermenter.

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