PhilboBaggins Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Hey everyone, just got my first bottle of Starsan, and was just wanting to know how others use it. How much do you make up at once (I've heard it keeps well)? How do you use it for bottles? Currently I use 2L sodium perc or met solution, pour 1/3 of a stubbie into every fourth bottle and shake em up, re using it for the next 3 and then tipping. I've heard Starsan can be reused, to what extent? Currently for my FV, I use a 2L solution of sodium perc or metabisulphite again. Swirl it round and shake it to cover every surface then let stand for 30mins or so, same as the bottles. Would anyone be happy to post about their preferred Starsan regime for both bottles and equipment? What dilution? I'm obsessive as hell, so the more data I can compile the better [whistling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 The ratio is 1.5ml starsan to 1L water. I use a syringe to measure mine into a spray bottle but put the water in first then the starsan. Otherwise she'll foam up everywhere. Then when I need it I just spray everything with it, including bottles and their lids. With the FV I give it a soak in Napisan then rinse with hot water and spray Starsan throughout. Don't fear the foam!! Edit: I forgot to mention that you should stick to the measurements. Too much starsan to water is not a good idea and too much water to starsan wont be as affective. Also it has a 30 second contact time but I usually leave mine for 60 seconds + Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 +1 what Bill said. I tip some of the solution from my 1 litre sprayer into my bottle washer & sanitise my bottles & leave them on the bottle tree prior to filling. They get time to drain & probably partially dry before they are filled. I even give the bottle tree a spray prior to use...can't be too careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Cheerz as always fellas. So spraying foamy gear into bottles and FV is it difficult to see whether all surfaces have had contact or not? Bill, do you just stick the nozzle of your spray bottle into the mouth of your bottles and just go nuts? Looking forward to this stuff having a positive effect on the finished product, as I've heard good things. Cheers!!!![happy] [happy] [happy] [happy] [happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 A little different here, i mix 20lt at a time (30ml) and then just fill the squirt tub thingy for cleaning bottles or put a few hundred ml into the fv and shake it like a red headed step child... Mostly coz im lazy and i only have to measure once.. I used to mix it up a litre at a time nut soon got bored with that. I often run to waste and dont re use it but sometimes i do. Starsan will go cloudy when it loses its effectiveness so clear spray bottles are good so you can see what happening. Dont fear the foam. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB8 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I have a fermenter with 20L of it, and fill my squirt bottle from this mix. I either squirt my bottles or just give them a dunk, they stay wet with solution longer than the contact time. anything I need sanitising I put in the fermenter or I pour/tap the solution into my other vessels (cubes and fermenters) then back again. I bought litmus papers (they dont cost a lot) and change the solution when the PH gets near to 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I have a 20L plastic Jerry Can (designed for water not petrol but is still called a Jerry Can) which I have put 30ml of star-san in it and filled it water. As Bill said fill it with water first. I then five it a shake before I use the tap out the bottom to fill my spray bottles. Really effective for cleaning beer lines, kegs, fermenters and other gear I use. Plenty of ways to use it as long as you stick to the recommended mixture. Too much and it isn't a no rinse sanitiser any more and not enough and it isn't a sanitiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 bit off topic, sorry, but... Why arent you AG brewing anymore Matty? I see that when you joined was about the same time as me but you havnt been posting the whole time and now you are... whats changed? I dont mean anything by this, just curious why you have gone the opposite direction? You said in 'the other' thread that you used to do 60lt AG but all thats in your signature is Kits now. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Why arent you AG brewing anymore Matty? I see that when you joined was about the same time as me but you havnt been posting the whole time and now you are... whats changed? I dont mean anything by this, just curious why you have gone the opposite direction? You said in 'the other' thread that you used to do 60lt AG but all thats in your signature is Kits now. Yob To be honest I haven't had the time in the last little bit. I am currently juggling a small business, a full time job, a full time tafe course (needs to be finished within a year) and family. Been a little flat out for the last 6 months. I have actually got the ingredients ready for the next AG (received my order from Ross last week) to go but am waiting for some time to get it together. I am hoping that this weekend prevails (but have been saying this for a couple of months). Hoping to get back into spending weekends as family and hobby time but so far I am lucky to even see the family let alone brew an all-grain batch. It takes me roughly 6 hours to make the batch after cleaning. I guess that is always a benefit to doing the kits, I can usually have a decent kit in the fermenter within the hour. I also have a bunch of smaller pots that I use for test batches as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Fair play.. I found that when I was still doing kits, (I still 'may' do some in the near to distant future) they were most likely Partials and was taking almost as long as a full AG batch so I just bit the bullet and went the whole hog. That said, those processes in doing Partials taught me a great deal that I was able to take to the dark side with me.[ninja] Cheers Back on Topic. Mixing 20lt at a time rocks [rightful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 That's how I ended up going into all grain. I ended up basically doing a small BIAB and adding it to the kit. Thought to my self it is going to be less work to just do a large BIAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Alright, so I reckon I've worked out how I'm gonna do my bottles and FV, but one more question, how about the hose I use for bulk priming? Stick a funnel on one end and pour some solution through it? Used to soak it in the 2L of solution in the bottom of my FV, but now it sounds like I won't be needing anywhere near that volume of liquid to do the job. Sounds like this is all gonna be nice and easy [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 As I said... I just spray everything with it. Regarding hoses... I spray the hose all over then block off one end and spray some in the hose. Rock the hose back and forth a few times then empty it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks Bill! Have you noticed my OCD yet???? Cheeers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Sorry mate... what is OCD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Alright, so I reckon I've worked out how I'm gonna do my bottles and FV, but one more question, how about the hose I use for bulk priming? Stick a funnel on one end and pour some solution through it? Used to soak it in the 2L of solution in the bottom of my FV, but now it sounds like I won't be needing anywhere near that volume of liquid to do the job. Sounds like this is all gonna be nice and easy [biggrin] erm... presumably you boil the priming sugar/dme prior to adding to the racking FV?.. well that's what I do and the priming 'FV" is sanitised but I just tip from the pot to the FV then rack 'onto' it.. if you are thinking about funnels to bulk prime there is something wrong in the procedure. Primary FV connected to the Racking FV via hose... Bulk priming solution should already be in the sanitised Racking Vessel.. er... sorry if I misinterpreted Yob edit: I reckon a new abbreviation is called for. RV = Racking Vessel [whistling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Sorry mate, I should've been clearer. When I said "2L of solution in the bottom of my FV" what I should've said was "2L of sanitising solution in the bottom of my RV (nice one[happy]) prior to draining". I don't use funnels for bulk priming, I just tip it from the pot and then rack. When I mentioned funnels, I was just wondering how to coat the inside of the hose with the starsan. Me communicate good not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 [cool] sweet.. this is also one of the reasons I have a dedicated tub for starsan with 20lt in it, once Ive boiled the 'silicone' hose I use for racking/bottle filling I can, if I can be arsed, put it in the Starsan drum (works for alot of other things too)... these days I tend not to though and just rely on the boil pot, after transfer of the beer onto the racking solution the hose goes back into the boil pot so that when I want it for the bottling it's still nice and soft.. but thats just process for me and in my environment Ive found no issue with it. YMMV Matter of fact Im just about to bottle myself Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Sorry mate... what is OCD? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I don't really suffer from it, but I use it to describe how obsessed and anal I get about process/procedure/method when I'm trying something for the first time and want to get it right. I'm sure I could work out all this stuff on my own through trial and error, but instead I have to sit here, scrutinising every forum, every youtube video, and pester kind people like yourself until I have every single step planned out in my mind for brew day[roll] [roll] [roll] !!! I'm like this with most things, but far worse when it's something I'm passionate about. Cheers for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Starsan will go cloudy when it loses its effectiveness Mine went cloudy about 30mins after mixing. Is this a cause for concern? I mixed it in a 2L Coke bottle, could that have anything to do with it? [unsure] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 It will have something to do with the alkalinity of the water or something from memory.. have a listen to this PODCAST on The Brewing Network... You may be best treating the water or just using distilled water for your spray bottle... anyway, everything you ever need to know about Starsan is in that podcast. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Thanks Yob. I'll be listening to that a bit later. In the mean time I'm gonna assume the stuff I mixed this morning will still be okay to use for the moment, but just won't keep as long? Reckon I'll get some distilled water for next weekend. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.