How do you clean fermenters?

[manticle]

I used to use bleach but then stopped trying to eliminate problems and it worked..... But only for a few brews! Do u measure the bleach concentrate? Actually, can u please tell me the concentrate for all of the above? I need to solve this problem cause is very disheartening and my misses hates hearing about it!! Hahaha

Chlorine bleach if improperly rinsed, can result in strong medicinal flavours (chlorophenols).

Boiling water and sodium metabisulphite are effective at reducing/removing bleach residue. Sodium met should be rinsed and avoid vapour inhalation.

Also look at replacing or pulling apart fermenter taps and examining any hoses.

 

[Jazzman]

I just rinse mine out after bottling and remove all krausen with my hands, no scourer (this makes little scratches which hold bacteria).
Turn em upside down till dry, and store them with lid lightly on.
Then on brew day wash them with pink brewers soap and rinse and brew.
No problems so far.

 

[DU99]

Hose all crap out,few drops of non fragrant dishwashing liquid,4 spoons of Perc and fill to the top,put lid on top and leave for a few hrs,drain thru tap,rinse and drain then place lid on..no issues.....

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Dont forget that Nappi-San/Sod Perc needs HOT water for it to activate properly

 

[hooper80]

Caustic is nasty, but its pretty much the ducks nuts when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing. Nothing survives a good does of caustic

So pbw is no substitute for caustic?

 

[mstrelan]

Last year I brewed 12 FWK's with this method

1. Hose out as much as possible after bottling/kegging
2. Fill with warm water / PBW
3. Leave overnight, wipe out with clean chux and give it a good rinse
4. On brew day rinse out again then sanitize with about 5L of Star San making sure to give it a good shake.
5. Thoroughly spray lid, tap, grommet, air lock etc with Star San

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

There is no substitute for caustic. Its the final frontier B)

 

[Bridges]

Where do I buy Ducatiboy Stu brand caustic?

 

[Nick the Knife]

FWIW if you're using bleach you'll get the best from it if you 'acidify' the bleach+water mix by adding the same volume of white vinegar as you did bleach. Bleach by itself is so-so as a cleaner/bug killer but when acidified it's much more effective so you can actually use significantly less of it .

Just be sure to add the vinegar to the bleach+water mix and NOT to the bleach.

 

[Feldon]

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http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/16-common-product-combinations-you-should-never-mix#.jyr0Orr5zZ

 

[AJS2154]

Its great being a bloke.....we all are problem solvers and go straight into solution mode. I do it all the time too.

In this instance, I suspect the answer might lie in knowing more about your brewing / fermenting routine. Phenols are not always caused by infections, and in your case you might change you sanitisation routine and still have the off flavour. Something to consider. You say every 3 or 4 brews the flavour occurs. Do you always use the same yeasts? Go back through your records and have a look at your ingredients. Is there a common ingredient in the brew on the off flavoured beers? Did you change you sanitisation technique? How old is your fermenter, is it plastic or stainless? Plastic fermenters can hide nasties no matter how clean you are, but especially if it has scratches.

BTW, Nick the Knife nailed it when he said that common household bleach when mixed with vinegar is a killer. It sure is, one of the best out there but because it is cheap I think we overlook it. Bleach contains available chlorine which is present in solution in the form of sodium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is a powerful germ-killing agent which kills bacteria, yeasts, moulds and many viruses. I only use it if I have a concern about the cleanliness of something, and then only when I can be sure the item will be totally dry before I use it. Only small amounts of chlorine can create chlorophenols. Maybe you can mix up the fermenter full and soak it for a day or two then put it out in full sun. The sun is also a great assistant.

Last thing from me. Pull apart your tap if possible. Otherwise, soak it in a small jar with your chosen sanitiser.

 

[Reman]

Chlorine bleach if improperly rinsed, can result in strong medicinal flavours (chlorophenols).

I had exactly this happen and the result was a tipper. If you use bleach, make sure you rinse thouroughly!

 

[AJS2154]

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bleach & vinegar.jpg

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/16-common-product-combinations-you-should-never-mix#.jyr0Orr5zZ

Yep, put you head over most chemicals and inhale them.........probably should make sure it is used where there is adequate ventilation or outside.....and don't breathe the fumes.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Where do I buy Ducatiboy Stu brand caustic?

From the DBS online store

Note: Once your order is placed I will go to Coles and buy it, then post it to you.. This is a non profit service, but I do add a " Quick schooner at the pub " surcharge to all orders

 

[Vini2ton]

Whoa whoa Bleach caustic noses fumes. What the? I just use one of those soft dish clothe thingos and water to clean fermenter's surfaces and all seals get a K-meta spray. Then soak in sod per and rinse. More often than not wort goes into fermenter without further phos-acid treatment and after many brews have not had an issue. Are you sure you don't have a witch living nearby?

 

[antiphile]

Dont forget that Nappi-San/Sod Perc needs HOT water for it to activate properly

I'm afraid I have to call you in on this one, Duck Soup, because I think you are bluffing. Hot water with sod perc is the worst way to get a good result. It breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate in water, and it's the oxidising effect of the hydrogen peroxide that is the key to its anti-microbial action. In hot water, all you get is a quick conversion and a bubbling off of the oxygen, so while it may be more active at that time, it is a very short acting effect. It is much better to use tepid (at best) water, and allow a much longer time of activity, albeit at a slightly less level of activity, to get maximum effect over a period of about 6-24 hours (instead of 30 mins).

Of course, to ensure full dissolution it doesn't hurt to stir it occasionally (with a clean implement), but I never use water above 25C to get the most effective sanitation.

Cheers mate

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You need the hot water to activate it properly. Its something like 70*c....

 

[antiphile]

OK, Big Boy, we might have to agree to disagree. There is absolutely no activation needed. Once it dissolves it will do the exact same thing whether that is at 20C or at 99C. The only difference is there will be a lot more oxygen released from the peroxide component and lost to the atmosphere above the liquid (and less dissolved into the water) at a higher temperature to oxidise the microbial cell walls, than at a lower temperature.

But I still love you and will give you a wet sloppy kiss when I meet you next (but no tongues, 'cos I'm a Catholic )

 

[sponge]

I'd be curious to know if there's any definitive information regarding the activation of sodium perc. I've always just filled with tap water and never had an issue. I don't have easy access to instant hot water in the brew shed and don't want to waste energy heating water up to let a fermenter soak for a few days. Haven't had an issue in regards to infection thus far but would like to know any additional information on this.

 

[sponge]

Granted, I do run hot perc through the brewery after a brew, but just for standard soaking of cubes and fermenters I use tap water.