STAR-SAN?***rinse??

[h4brewing]

HI,
    I had a number of infections so I heard using a sanitizer would kill any bacteria.  I didn't realize that it was made up of acid and so hazardous to use!  The bottle says wash it out with water and then DO NOT rinse after.  Is that the correct way to do it for beer or should i rinse it out once more?

[KernelCrush]

you would defeat the purpose if you rinse after starsan.  Just drain well.  Bubbles don't matter.  You can reuse your starsan solution if you keep it covered.  It will last even longer if you mix it with distilled or RO.  Discard when ph rises above 3.

[ihikeut]

Do not rinse ! Use PBW to wash all of your equipment and rinse with hot water. Including dismantle and washing valves and fittings. Sanitize with StarSan, don't rinse and don't worry about the bubbles.

[h4brewing]

Yea in a mix of anxiousness and confusion, I heated up the remaining vapor and bubbles so that my brew would not be mixed in with the chemicals.  The stupid idea resulted in my whole house smelling like chemicals and my eyes irritating!  Doesn't the left over solution contaminate the beer?> Afterall it is a acid chemical!

[KernelCrush]

You sure it was the starsan? 

[h4brewing]

YEa the bottle said star-san.  It says on the bottle that it is made up part acid.  I am just worried that the residue in the fermenting stainless will effect my beer.  Perhaps make it unsafe to drink since it is a chemical agent.  Obviously most brewers dont worry about that, but I am sort of a health freak type of person!

[KernelCrush]

what was the container made of that you heated up  , and what heat source did you use to heat the container?

[ghwren]

Uh.. I'm assuming you diluted the StarSan as per the directions? At the proper dilution level, it is no rinse. Your equipment must be clean first before you apply the sanitizer.

[h4brewing]

I cleaned the stainless first and then washed it out with the starsan.  I never heated the bottle, I am not that bad!...I heated the stainless fermingting container to evaporate any left over residue...A BAD choice.. NExt time  I will just let it air dry before I even start brewing!

[drb1215]

Star-San is a no rinse sanitizer, and in many cases you will see texts that say "Don't fear the foam!".

You should sanitize everything that comes in contact with the cooled wort, typically just prior to using it.  For example, put some star-San into your fermenter, slosh it around so that it touches all of the surfaces, pour out the excess for use again...leave the foam and move your beer into the fermenter. The foam will have no effect on your beer.

Star-San sanitizes surfaces in something like 15-30 seconds of contact (and yes the foam works as well as the liquid), so there is no need to sanitize in advance of your brewing session.

I use to sanitize my bottles after cleaning, which could be weeks before they were used. This was a pain, since I also had to either cap them, or cover the openings with sanitized foil. Now I just use star-san right before I'm going to bottle...a quick dip, slosh, and empty...and I'm good to go.

-Dan

[KernelCrush]

Dan, I often wondered why you hear people sanitizing their equipment before they put it away.  For what?  Clean yes for sure, but you always sanitize again just before use. 

[Maine Homebrewer]

StarSan works by drying into an acidic film that spoilers won't grow on. Acidic armor against bacteria and fungus. 

I keep it in a spray bottle hanging on the sink. I then spray down my equipment after I clean it. When the stuff is dry I put it away. 

Things like tubes and siphoning equipment go into kitchen trash bags.  Carboys get a complete coating, inside and out, and when they're dry I cover the mouth with foil. 

I don't bother with any cleaning or sanitizing before using equipment because it was already clean and sanitized when I put it away. 

Had a problem with infections a few years back. I ended up replacing all my siphoning equipment, then started using PBW and StarSan. Haven't had an infection since.

[h4brewing]

Okay thanks for the replies!,
      So this is a moderate chemical.  Not that dangerous to handle?  Do I need saftey goggles using it? 

[brewfun]

Okay thanks for the replies!,
      So this is a moderate chemical.  Not that dangerous to handle?  Do I need saftey goggles using it?

Relax!

The functional acid in StarSan is Phosphoric Acid. Same stuff that is used in Soda Pop. Yeast produces it during fermentation, too. The other ingredient is a food grade surfactant to help the foaming.

Commercial brewery acid rinses have both nitric and phosphoric acids, while commercial sanitizers are phosphoric and stabilized Hydrogen Peroxide.

[KernelCrush]

Maine,  I appreciate that it works for you.  Everyone has their own opinion and I sometimes overstate mine.  Did you follow the same regimen before you had the infection problem?