Chimps Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi all, I've been sterilising my crown seals before bottling for a long time now, (boiling them for a few minutes over the stove)how many of you do this? Is it common practice or are they good straight out of the bag? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I basically use them straight out of the bag (to be specific I tip them in a clean jar to store them once the bag is opened - I then use them straight out of the jar). I would have thought that boiling them wouldn't be too good for the rubber (?) seal on the inside. If I was to sanitise them I'd just put them in a small bowl with some iodophor solution while bottling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I've never bothered. I use them straight from the bag and the bag just sits on my shelf (with a tear in it) between brews. No problems yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biermoasta Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I've never bothered. I use them straight from the bag and the bag just sits on my shelf (with a tear in it) between brews. No problems yet. Exactly the same for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimps Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thanks gentlemen, I read somewhere that boiling 'em was the thing to do and have been doing it ever since - I wont be bothering anymore though. As for the rubber being damaged, I've got a couple of 3 year old stouts in the cellar and they're all good - better than good! [cool] Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biermoasta Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I've got a couple of 3 year old stouts in the cellar and they're all good - better than good! [cool] Mmmm... three year old stout [love] I wish I could wait that long [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I don't use crown seals, I find they take too long to stuff around with. Keg, and you will never look back. Arghhhhh such a time saver it is [roll] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91abv_chris Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I also used to sanitize my crown caps, but no more. As long as there's no weasels living among them, they're likely to be fine. If you use the oxygen-absorbing kind, don't even rinse them off before using them - it'll activate the oxygen absorby thing and make them ineffective. I felt pretty silly when I learned that after sanitizing them over several cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 bollox... sanitise everything that comes in contact with the beer.. these crown seals come from a factory, handelled and packaged, sent out and repackaged by some other nuff nuff thats just been to the loo and didnt wash their hands.. (you dont know and thats the point here) for the sake of throwing them in a bit of Starsan for 30 seconds (more likely to be 5 mins), they come right from solution to bottle top. I KNOW my lids are sanitary. Sure loads of people dont have issues with it... do I wanna take the risk? Not freakin likely for the (lack of) trouble it's worth to me. it's my 2c and im spending it how I want[rightful] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 by some other nuff nuff Yob I really love some of the terminology you come out with [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigsALE Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 bollox... sanitise everything that comes in contact with the beer.. these crown seals come from a factory, handelled and packaged, sent out and repackaged by some other nuff nuff thats just been to the loo and didnt wash their hands.. (you dont know and thats the point here) Agree 100%. How much extra work is it to sanatise using the same solution you do for your bottler and tube. Best to be sure. Cockroaches could of been running over them ETC for the sake of throwing them in a bit of Starsan for 30 seconds (more likely to be 5 mins), they come right from solution to bottle top. I KNOW my lids are sanitary. Sure loads of people dont have issues with it... do I wanna take the risk? Not freakin likely for the (lack of) trouble it's worth to me. it's my 2c and im spending it how I want[rightful] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersAle Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 i use the pet bottles and every brew i made i always sanitising them if i using crown seals better to sanitise and not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimps Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hmmmm... Yob has got me thinking - my number one rule is: 'Sanitise everything that comes in contact with the beer' [rightful] I think I'll still sanitise my crowns - but I won't boil them anymore - I'll look into this Starsan stuff...(thanks Yob) Do you buy it from LHB stores? Don't you need to rinse off this solution before bottling? Perhaps I'll only sterilise the caps intended for my long-term storage brews [love] and use un-sterilised caps for my everyday brews. Cheers to you all [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Chimps, I use Starsan and get it from Craftbrewer in QLD. It is a no rinse sanitiser but it does foam up a bit. Not all the foam will leave the fermenter when you empty it but I just rack on top of it and have had no problems. You can also re-use the stuff. When draining it from the fermenter I will fill a container and a spray bottle with it. This comes in handy when you need to sanitise things on the go. To sanitise your lids, just fill a container with the sanitiser and put the lids in for a couple of minutes. It is so easy that you may as well sanitise all your lids, not just the long-term brews. As Yob said, for the minimal effort it isn't worth the risk. It would be a shame to waste all the effort of making the beer only for it to infected by dodgy lids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Starsan as mentioned, is a "no rinse sanitiser" The foam, and indeed starsan itself is not to be feared, it actually breaks down to yeast nutrient so is beneficial to your brew. HBS stores 'should' stock it, the stuff lasts a lifetime almost. You mix 1.5ml with 1lt of water and away you go. ...wheres that link to Charlie on the Brewing Network... I dont think this is the one I was looking for but there is good info in HERE for it. You will never look back Yob [edit] Personally I sanitise all caps every brew, I never know wether Im going to drink it in a week or a month so my opinion is it's best practice to do it every time.[innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Why do you use starsan on your bollocks Yob? Or did I misread your earlier post. I am an iodophor man myself but wholeheartedly agree that the addition of a no rinse sanitiser to your brewing ritual is one of the best things you can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91abv_chris Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I use iodophor on my nuff nuffs. On brewday, I'll use it to bottle a few gallons of soda then use the same for 2 or 3 mash/beer batches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Why do you use starsan on your bollocks Yob? quote] I find the bubbles pleasant[lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 You can also re-use the stuff. When draining it from the fermenter I will fill a container and a spray bottle with it. Curious to hear that you fill your FV with it. I wash mine in Sodium Percarbonate (Nappy San) and only spray my FV with Starsan when I am ready to brew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I only started using Starsan fairly recently and have only done 4 brews with it. I followed the instruction on the back and have been filling the fermenter. The problem is that I end up wasting a fair bit of it. I only have the one fermenter and don't have 3 or more on the go, so the cost isn't that significant. Going forward my process will be to follow your lead and run with the spray. I currently soak the (already clean) fermenter overnight with Sodium Percarbonate, give it a good rinse and then sanitise. I'm starting to increase my production now so this should help reduce some costs. Thanks Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I'm not sure if starsan works the same as iodophor or not but with iodophor you just have to wet the surface of the FV (or anything you wish to sanitise). Like Bill I use Nappy Wash to clean my FV then on brew day I put a splash of diluted iodophor solution in and splash it around to wet all the surface. I thought you could do the same with starsan??? I'm quite wasteful with my iodophor and use 2ml each brew day (to make up 2L of solution). I could quite easily half this but I am a creature of habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 no need to fill the FV, same as iodophor, the surfaces just need to get wet, I generally put 1.5ml with 1lt, put into FV and shake the crap out of it, run off a little through the tap, drain the rest of the liquid into a spray bottle, place upside down on the lid (the only thing lids are good for)and leave to settle. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Contact time for Starsan is either 30sec or 60sec (can't remember now). Nevertheless, just a squirt to wet all the FV and she's done. No need to waste lots of it. I'm a tight ass so I make 1 x 500ml spray bottle which is more than enough for 2 brews + 2 kegs + about 8 bottles + siphon hose + bottler. My Starsan should last me a looooonnnnggggg time provided it is stored correctly [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I'll be trying to get my ass a little tighter so i will follow your lead. Might have to hit the gym too[innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 kill in 30 secs but the label says 2 mins.it's well explained in the podcast. I bought a 1Lt bottle of starsan over a year ago and Ive only used about 60-80ml... sooooo cheap it's stoopid and at this rate it will last me for 5 years at least!! Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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