Iodine

[Goat]

I'm trying to get hold of some iodine for a conversion test when I do my first AG in a week or so.

When I go to my local pharmacy (as previously advised) and ask for either iodine or tincture of iodine - they look at me like I'm trying to build a bomb! On explaining the purpose to the pharmacist (who understood the process), they said that they had nothing that would do it.

My question is; what should I be asking for and where should I try to get it?

TIA

 

[wessmith]

Just ask for tincture of Iodine and dilute it 1:1 with distilled water - buy a spare eyedropper bottle from the chemist. Pull your sample from the mash - not just the mash liquor, include some grist then put it in something made of white porcelain like a saucer and add the diluted Iodine mix. If it turns black you have starch present and need more time in the mash tun. A correctly mashed grist should come up with a golden to mahogany colour.

Wes.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

And ask for betadine at the chemist. If they have the impertnence to ask what for tell them the vet told you to bath your dog's paws in betadine solution

(that is true, btw, my chihuahua developed some allergy or something, chewed off all the fur from her feet, betadine baths thrice weekly for a month fixed it, so ask with confidence)

JM

 

[Goat]

Thanks chaps.

Is Betadine - Iodine JM?

 

[Hoops]

Yep iodine alright
I almost threw an old bottle aout a few weeks back but thought it could do for a starch test, but being impatient couldn't wait till my next brew to confirm if it would work, so I put a drop on a piece of bread - BLACK as the Ace of spades!


Hoops

 

[PostModern]

From what I can tell from a few quick peeks at links from google, betadine is basically iodophor. I imagine you'd get it cheaper from your brew shop than your pharmacy. JM, you needn't have left your shop to treat your dawgy.

And... from what I've read in various places is that you shouldn't trust iodophor for the starch test. Even iodophor sterilising guys buy tincture of iodine for conversion testing. However, for every opinion in HB, you find one to the contrary. I use iodophor in my partial mashes and it seems to work. ie, mash water turns black with a drop of iodophor after 10 mins but not after 60.

 

[Goat]

Thanks again chaps - Betadine it is then...

( I love aussiehomebrewer.com )

 

[PostModern]

Why not iodophor? Cheaper from the brew shop. I think the brew shop stuff is food grade as opposed to the surgical grade (suitable for human use) stuff at the chemist.
250mL iodophor is about $8-$9 at brew shops.
250ml of betadine would be about $30 in the chemist (judging from US pricing of US$16.75) - if they even stock bottles that size in small pharmacies!

 

[Asher]

Goat,

If you can hold out till the next WestCoast Brewers meeting. Peter - The mad chemist - aka devilsaltarboy..... will be bringing along bottles of Iodine for starch tests for those who want it. He has Iodine crystals but says he needed to do something chemical to it first. Not sure what though....hes the chemist.....

Asher for now

 

[Goat]

Yes - thanks Asher...

I'm not sure I can wait that long - I'm desparate to get into a brew ! (I'll probably pick up some off him next meeting anyway)

I was glazing over a bit when he was talking about what he had to do with the crystals - I think he was just saying that he needed to get it into solution.

 

[Trough Lolly]

I use Iodophor - works fine for me!

TL