Bleach As A Sanitiser

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johnno

It's YUMMY
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Hi,
Still in the learning phase so this might seem like a silly question.
Does it do any harm to your fermenter if you leave it to stand overnight with bleach as a sanitiser. Like can the bleach get into the plastic. Can anyone tell me.

Thanks
 
She'll be right Johnno , I've done that for years.
I am using Grumpys "one shot" now , but bleach works fine
What do you brew ?
Cheers Batz
:chug:
 
Bleach is great johnno, just use the cheapest NON-FRAGRANCE one on the shelf. Don't want perfume in my beer.

I like to soak my fermenters in it every few brews because not only does it sanitise but it gets rid of residual beer smells. I use a half strength solution or slightly stronger and soak for a few days right up to the brim covering the thread for the lid. Then I pour it into another fermenter and soak that one. (Think it's ok to use twice?)

To make sure it's properly rinsed out, give the taste test. Put a bit in your mouth, swish around and spit. If you can taste chlorine, it needs another rinse.

Cheers
 
Johnno, I've got a pool and always have 20 or so litres of strong bleach available. I use it because its so easy, just chuck things in a solution overnight and its both a cleaner and sanitiser.

When I starting using it, I too was worried but have found a method of using it that doesn't seem to cause problems. After my soak I always rinse out with boiling water until my nose tells me everything is alright (ie no chlorine smell). This usually only takes about 2litres of boiling water in one wash. I like to use boiling water because a) its more effective at removing chlorine and B) it will accentuate any smell so I can ensure I get it free of odours.

I know I'll give other sanitisers a go at some stage because I like to experiment but reckon you'll be just fine.
 
batz is on the ball try grumpys one shot aka ortho phosphoric acid its a sanitizer and cleaner in one.used in the dairy industry all s/s gear and hygiene is number one in that game so its a good product.
give it a go i think you will be happy :)
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone.
As I'm still new at this I'll stick to the bleach for now. I haven't had an infection yet I dont think, so at least that side of it is ok.
Batz, I sterted brewing in May this year and so far I have brewed 3 beers (Copers), 2 ginger beers (Brigalow) and 1 cider (Brigalow).
I reckon I'll stick to the beers from now on mostly.
Sanittation and yeast seem to be the 2 most important things.
I'm gonna try and propagate some yeast and use it in an home brand kit next. Its fun experimenting with different ingredients.
Yes I've heard of one-shot before. I've had lots of good advice at the Grumpys forum as well.
Just wish I'd discovered home brewing earlier.

Cheers
 
Try a Cooper Lager , add liquid malt instead of sugar and start a yeast from Coopers Pale Ale , makes a lot of difference and easy azz
Email me if you want info
And look out grains will be your next step !
Happy brewing :chug:
 
If you brew ginger beer then beer make sure its cleaned really really well or your beer will taste like ginger

a mate had this problem and it took some time to fgure it out
 
Batz,
I going to try dry malt as I can purchase it in smaller lots. Can it be made using just ordinary sugar? Excuse my ignorance but I'm really new at this. Maybe I will mail you.
Ben,
I'm a beginner but I already have 3 fermenters. And nearly 100 grolcsh bottles. (I am trying to do this as easy as possible). I put all the gingers and cider in plastic as I'm still experimenting. I do all those in just one fermenter.
I'm also looking into trying to make a wine kit to see how that is.

Cheers
 
Johnno,
Mate you can do what ever you like ! There's no one thing in homebrew.
Saying that.....
You can buy small amounts on LME (liquid malt extract) Coopers sell a can, but try dried , it's fine
Sugar , well maybe one rule , use dextrose mate not sugar. even in your kit brews
Don't get to caught up in the do this and don't do that , just brew and try , brew and try.
Happy brewing
 
What about sodium metabisulphate? I've read in a few places (here's one) that the compound itself does little damage to the nasties - bacteria is inhibited by the sulphur dioxide that is produced as the compound decays, but not killed. That said, my local home brew store swears by it.

Can anyone shed any light on the subject from a practical point of view?

What about other weird stuff, like iodophor (which I'd never heard of)?

I'm just starting out, doing Cooper's Stout can kits mainly. BTW - ginger flavoured stout happened to me the other day, even though I soaked my fermenter for two days in sanitiser after a ginger beer.
 
Nathan

Sodium Met can be nasty if you react to the sulphur. Orthophosphoric seems to be a better way to go.
 
I thought I would post some stuff for the beginners on this thread.

I've only been brewing about a year myself and am up to brew 27. The learning curve is steep. Here's my "Top 10 Things That Most Improved My Beer Over The Last Year":

1. Use malt not sugar. At worst, use dextrose. Sucrose (ordinary sugar) makes your beer taste like cider and is just not meant to be in beer, except sometimes in small quantities or when inverted with citric acid. As a beginner just don't use it.

2. Since you are using all malt, use a decent yeast. Your kit yeast is pathetic and will quit too early if you use all malt in your brews. DCL safales are good dried yeasts. Rehydrate your dried yeasts. Liquid yeasts are even better but take a bit of farting around. Start with good dried yeasts.

3. Temperature. Keep ales at or below 22C. I don't brew lagers because I can't get them cold enough. I have brewed a few down to 16C and it's just too hot and they taste horrible.

4. Sanitation. Be really anal about it. Neo-pink, brewshield, bleach, iodophur all seem good. My fave is orthophosporic acid. Take everything apart that comes apart, including your taps, and sanitise the lot. It's easy to take taps apart. I just put my biggest philips head (or something else long, thin and not too pointy) up inside the tap and give it a firm rap downwards. Pops apart easy.

5. Racking your beer from one fermenter into a fresh fermenter to get it off the yeast cake helps in clearing your beer and enables you to leave it in the fermenter for longer without risk of autolysis.

6. Bulk priming, if you bottle, is the easiest way to prime your beer.

7. Don't listen to advice from your homebrew shop until they have earnt your trust because they generally pitch at the lowest common denominator. In retrospect I cannot believe some of the amazing bulldust I have been told in hbshops.

8. All hard and fast rules may have an exception and experimentation is a good way to find the exceptions. Experimentation is also a great way to make 23 litres of fine malt vinegar.

9. Forums like this and others are (in my opinion) virtually the best way to slowly learn because you will always find someone with the same question and someone who has worked through the same question. Most people here are not selling anything and you will hear three or four different views and you can figure stuff out for yourself. The best way to learn. You will soon figure out who knows what they're talking about. Also very handy are websites like grumpys and the country brewer which both have beginners instructions on them. Australian craftbrewers also very good. There are a bazillion others out there, mostly seppo.

10. I have to include lagering because others say it works miracles but I have had limited experience with it. It means cold storing your finished beer for a few weeks before kegging/bottling. You need a spare fridge or an understanding (or beer-loving) spouse. I find that racking into a clean fermenter and letting your beer sit in the coldest part of the house (not actually lagering) does help with clearing your beer and is also useful if you are into dry-hopping your beers.

Others may have other suggestions but these simple things are worth implementing.

Even though it is a Friday, I better go and do some work... :(
 
Thanks KenEasy and deebee.

Working on a Friday, huh, deebee? Check what time I posted this...
 
Well said deebee! :) Perhaps fiscus would consider moving your post and any others like it to a FAQ page or at least a 'Tips you oughta know' permanent thread.
 
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