Sanitizing

[zzzcox]

Being new to this wonderful world of brewing, I have a thousand and one questions. This is one of them. How long, prior to using equipment, bottles and such should I sanitize? A day or more or are we talking hours or less. I just want to make sure everything is right for my first brew (and every brew after)

[ArtCox]

I have a rule, if it looks clean, clean it anyway. I don't scrub my brew equipment, rinse it and wipe it down.
Boiling wort will sanitize your brew pot and chiller.
For Fermenting Bucket and Bottling Bucket, I use B-Brite to clean with a soft rag and Star-San to sanitize.
For Carboys, I have a device called the Carboy Cleaner: http://www.carboycleaner.com/ about 2 gals of water a little B-Bright and a cordless drill (this will also work on Corney Kegs, if you keg your homebrew)
Bottles, a bottle brush with a bucket of B-Bright and in the Dish Washer on a HOT Cycle with no detergent and heated dry right before bottling.

Hope this helped. Not everyone does it this way, it's just my way.

[jomebrew]

Using products like 5Star make it easy.   I use their great no-rinse sanitizer.  Just a couple minutes and you are golden.

[zzzcox]

Thanks for the info. I purchased "One Step" no rinse from my local brewing supply store (it seems so much easier). I guess my biggest question is how soon before using the equipment should I sanitize? Or better yet, how long, once sanitized, will it stay sanitized? Should my bottles be dry before using? I'm sure these are some pretty basic questions for a lot of you, but this inquiring mind needs to know.

[jomebrew]

Thanks for the info. I purchased "One Step" no rinse from my local brewing supply store (it seems so much easier). I guess my biggest question is how soon before using the equipment should I sanitize?

 

Immediately.  Letting it sit lets dust rest delivering bacteria nad whatnot with it. 

You only need to sanitize stuff that will touch the cold beer.  The kettle, mash tun, etc are hot and don't need sanitation.  Stuff like bottles, carboys, fermentation buckets, cold side hoses, airlocks, etc. all need to be sanitized just before using.

Or better yet, how long, once sanitized, will it stay sanitized? Should my bottles be dry before using? I'm sure these are some pretty basic questions for a lot of you, but this inquiring mind needs to know.

I sanitize my carboy and cover it with foil and store for weeks or months.  Once sanitized, it stays that way.  I do the same for bottles.  Store upside down or cover with plastic wrap or foil.

Bottles do not need to be rinsed or dried fully.  Be sure you follow the instructions with the no rinse sanitizer and DO NOT use more that directed.  Doing so will nullify the "no rinse" part.   Bottles should be cleaned very well, then sanitized and allowed to drain.  It is okay to have some wetting the inside of the bottle but not pooling.

[Max]

I usually lay out all the equipment I will need for the brewing. I will start the boil and then sanitize all of the equipment that will come in contact with the wort after it is boiled. It really isn't a problem to do this while waiting for the boil to complete even if there are hops additions during the boil. Just make sure to sanitize everything that will come in contact with the boil. I even keep a box of medical rubber gloves close by and use those. I keep a spray bottle of Star San and will spray hands or equipment anytime I question whether or not it is needed. Easy to do and good insurance against a nasty batch of beer.

[Maine Homebrewer]

With my siphoning equipment I clean it immediately with hot water and PBW, sanitize with Starsan, put into a fresh plastic trash bag, push the air out, and forget.

When it comes time to use it I just open the bag and go.

My fermenting vessels are all glass. I do the same as with my siphoning equipment except that instead of a trash bag I cap tightly with foil after applying Starsan.

Again I just remove the foil and go.

There's no point in sanitizing equipment unless it comes into contact with chilled wort after the boil.

[Tress]

For me, I clean/sanitize on the day I'm bottling.  About 2 hours before bottling, I stick all my bottles upside down into my [clean] dishwasher and wash it with the heat rinse and heat dry options on - WITHOUT ANY SOAP!!!  During the last rinse cycle, I add 1 oz of Iodophor (aka IO Star by Five Star Chemical) and let it finish running.  About 30 minutes before I'm ready to bottle, I'll open up the dishwasher and pull out the rack to let it cool off a bit (hot bottles may kill off any remaining yeasties) and off to work I go.  The IO Star makes the insides of my dishwasher a little yellow but knowing it's sanitized as well, is a bonus (the color goes away by the next wash!)  I have NEVER gotten an infection in any of my bottles so I know it works for me.

As everyone should do, I always rinse out my bottle after pouring the beer into a glass.  That way, I don't produce a bacterial harvest in each bottle that I've got to scrub off!!!

Hope this helps.

[Tress]

As a tip...after sanitizing my equipment (I use Star San for my equipment), I pour some of the sanitizing solution into a spray bottle which will stay "good" for weeks.  That way, if I've forgotten to sanitize anything or need to in a pinch, I can use the stuff in the sprayer.

You can also store it in jars or a bucket...getting the most bang out of your sanitizing solution buck!

[BrewSauce]

I do the same as Tress, I always save some of my Starsan in a squirt bottle and continue to keep things as clean throughout my whole brew process. As for my bottles. I usually clean them about 30 min before bottling and have never had an issue.

[Maine Homebrewer]

I have yet to have Starsan go "bad".
PH strips for wine cover the range necessary to test the sanitizer and are available at most homebrew shops.