cleaning and sterilizing

[kizzo]

hey guys

so much to learn.

Just finished my firsgt brew, bottles and waiting....need tips and advice on cleaning and sterilsing. Currently using sodium metabisulate to clean fermenter.
My home brewing supplier sais I can just at it into my fermenter and swish around and actually leave it sitting in there until my next batch.

need thoughts and advice on best cleaning and sterilising techniques because im lost. I dont want to ruin a batch due to bad sterilising and cleaning,
Im currently reading 'how to brew' by john palmer who stresses that the cleaning and sterilising is the most important part in the brewing process

 

[Yob]

Clean with a soft cloth and warm water, sodium percabonate is the bomb, For heavy soiled fermenter, a few caps of the stuff, bit of boiling water, top up and leave for a day or two.

For sanitation, starsan is the go to product of choice.

 

[mkstalen]

What yob said.
You need to sperate cleaning with sanitising in your head, they're different.
Sodium Percarbonate is the active ingredient in napisan, get the no frills unscented stuff with the highest concentrate up to 38%.
Sodium metabisulfate is a sanitiser, but you need to rinse it out, which kind of defeats the purpose. Starsan is the bomb for sanitising, a 500ml bottle will last you years and it's no rinse. Just remember "don't fear the foam" as it can foam up a bit.

 

[kizzo]

ok so after each brew is it neccessary to 'clean' with a percarbonate? or can you simply rinse and scrub with hot water then sanitise??? can you just use starsan???

 

[GNU]

I use a micro fibre cloth and the garden hose to clean out my FV. Have some spray on brewing cleaner for the really caked on stuff. Then I sprinkle some of the coopers sanitizer powder in the bottom (left over from buying the kit) and put the lid on until I'm ready to do the next batch. Then rinse it and starsan before putting the next batch in.

 

[stm]

ok so after each brew is it neccessary to 'clean' with a percarbonate? or can you simply rinse and scrub with hot water then sanitise??? can you just use starsan???

Yes (ie, clean with sodium perc). No need to sanitise AFTER each brew, just clean with soft cloth, hot water and napisan equivalent, then rinse. Sanitise immediately BEFORE your next brew, with Starsan (no rinse).

 

[kizzo]

cheers guys. what would be a napisan equivalent???

 

[barls]

nappy wash from the supermarket. or sodium per carbonate.

 

[kizzo]

cheers

 

[Blind Dog]

ok so after each brew is it neccessary to 'clean' with a percarbonate? or can you simply rinse and scrub with hot water then sanitise??? can you just use starsan???

Don't scrub plastic, you'll scratch it and provide a place for bugs to fester. IMO its best practice to clean and sanitise equipment after each use and to store sealed and then sanitise again immediately before next use

For a cleaner, sodium percarbonate is about $10 a kilo from many homebrew shops, or cheaper in bulk. Or use any unscented laundry soaker with sodium percarbonate as its active ingredient - the higher the %age the better as the less you'll need. PBW is better yet, but expensive and can be difficult to find

Also, make sure you take your fermenter taps apart to clean: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/10484-cleaning-fermenter-taps/

 

[Killer Brew]

Best i have found after plenty of label reading is Coles brand Ultra Booster Sensitive. Because it is sensitive (just like me) it has no dyes or perfumes. Sodium Percarb of 329g per kg. Around $4 for 1kg so very cost effective.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Funny how the cheaper the brand, the better it is.

Also remember not to buy ones that have an ezyme either.

Napi-san will sanitise ( and it is a sanitiser ) but you need to re sanitise just before brewing.

There are heaps of sanitisers like peroxide, bleach, phos acid, alcohol , stuff with unpronouncable names..etc..but the easiest and cheapest is Star-San which is a phosphoric acid based sanitiser

 

[TehCrucible]

Also remember not to buy ones that have an ezyme either.

Could you elaborate on this a bit? I just bought the woolies "Select" brand laundry cleaner today because it smelled unscented and has ~38% sodium percarbonate. Your comment piqued my intrest so I went and looked; it boasts "Triple Enzyme Power" on the front. Not a big deal if I shouldn't use it, it was only $4 but I'm curious as to why?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Thats not the one you want. It wont hurt, but you are better with the non enzyme version. The enzyme is used to break down fats and oils so not really needed for brewing

 

[Dave70]

Thats not the one you want. It wont hurt, but you are better with the non enzyme version. The enzyme is used to break down fats and oils so not really needed for brewing

Unless you oxygenate using olive oil..
I swear I didn't make that up.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Lucky they make a sanitiser with an oil breaking enzyme.

New Thread " How do I remove the olive oil film from my fermenter..? "

 

[kizzo]

interesting!!!

 

[MartinOC]

You need to sperate cleaning with sanitising in your head, they're different.

VERY important difference & one that inexperienced brewers often get mixed-up, thinking that one product will do it all. Definitely a two-stage process & worth spending time on understanding the difference.

Everything everyone else has said needs to be taken on-board to achieve success in your brewing.

 

[1974Alby]

good point Martin. I agree this is a common trap for new players

Cleaning is NOT sanitising...and there is no point sanitising if it aint clean!

 

[jimmy86]

Unless you oxygenate using olive oil..
I swear I didn't make that up.

I'm fairly sure the tiny amount of olive oil required to oxygenate would need to be specially cleaned.

ie: dip a toothpick in olive oil and swirl it around in a batch would probably be too much.

Sorry for the OT