Star San

[paullys brew]

Im needing some help on finding where to buy Star San in Aus. Im on the Gold Coast & I recently bought a fridgemate & jiffy box from Ross at Craftbrewer & am eagerly waiting its arrival.

He stocks Star San in a 1ltr bottle, but is out of stock & I was wondering if anyone out there can tell me if there's anywhere else I may be able 2 get it as I cant seem 2 find it!!

All help appreciated

 

[Lobsta]

Ross is out of star san?!!?

*runs for the hills*

 

[Thunderlips]

He stocks Star San in a 1ltr bottle, but is out of stock & I was wondering if anyone out there can tell me if there's anywhere else I may be able 2 get it as I cant seem 2 find it!!

I recently went to buy some from Ross as well as my OneShot is almost out.
Google doesn't bring up a single hit in Australia.
Looks like Ross might be the only one who sells it.

 

[NickB]

Think Rossco is the only place in Aus you can get it - stoked with my purchase a couple of weeks back. Great service from Ross, Josh and Anthony as per usual. Only issue I had was trying to dose out the required 1.5ml/litre as per the dilution instructions!

A quick trip to the local chemist for a syringe with 1/4 ml measurements sorted me out quickly! (and for the massive sum of 40c no less!) Bloody great product no matter who produces or distributes it! And great value! The 1L should last me at least 12 months if not two years! Exclamation mark alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!

 

[hockadays]

I picked some of this up as well and it's pretty good stuff. 1.5ml in a litre and I sanitised quite a few things by just thowing the litre into each clean container that I wanted to sanitise. Is that how most people use this stuff? I litre in a fermenter doesn't seem like much but it foams up so much that I think it's doing the job.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Im needing some help on finding where to buy Star San in Aus. Im on the Gold Coast & I recently bought a fridgemate & jiffy box from Ross at Craftbrewer & am eagerly waiting its arrival.

He stocks Star San in a 1ltr bottle, but is out of stock & I was wondering if anyone out there can tell me if there's anywhere else I may be able 2 get it as I cant seem 2 find it!!

All help appreciated

I understand the desire for starsan, its my sanitiser of choice. But you could just use a different one till you get your starsan.

If you go with acidified bleach solution, it will most likely cost you nothing. You'll probably have the ingredients in the cupboard.

Follow these instructions exactly -

take 19L of cold tap water
add 30ml of household bleach, stir well
add 30ml of white vinegar, stir well

This makes a very effective sanitiser, 20-30secs contact time for effectiveness. If made up to this strength It does not require rinsing. Swish the stuff around and drain it out well. Done.

Should tide you over till you get your starsan

Thirsty

 

[ozpowell]

Think Rossco is the only place in Aus you can get it - stoked with my purchase a couple of weeks back. Great service from Ross, Josh and Anthony as per usual. Only issue I had was trying to dose out the required 1.5ml/litre as per the dilution instructions!

A quick trip to the local chemist for a syringe with 1/4 ml measurements sorted me out quickly! (and for the massive sum of 40c no less!) Bloody great product no matter who produces or distributes it! And great value! The 1L should last me at least 12 months if not two years! Exclamation mark alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!

Hi Nick,

FYI, I usually make up 10L at a time (ie. 1/2 oz of starsan) and measure the star san using the measurer that is on top of the bottle. 10L of diluted star san usually lasts me about a month. I've tested the pH of the solution after a month and it's still sitting around 1.5. Anything below 3 is supposed to be effective.

 

[newguy]

I picked some of this up as well and it's pretty good stuff. 1.5ml in a litre and I sanitised quite a few things by just thowing the litre into each clean container that I wanted to sanitise. Is that how most people use this stuff? I litre in a fermenter doesn't seem like much but it foams up so much that I think it's doing the job.

I mix about 15l at a time and store it in a sealed plastic pail. I also fill a spray bottle with it for mouths of carboys, table tops, etc. 15l will last me about 6-9 months. I dispose of it when it gets dirty (I can see lint/hair floating in the bottom) or when it turns cloudy. To sanitise anything I either dip/immerse if it fits in the pail, or for carboys/kegs I'll put in 1 or 2l and swish for at least 1 minute. I then dump the solution back into the pail.

Star San has an added surfactant (foaming agent) to aid "above water" contact times.

 

[hockadays]

Do you mix up in just normal water?

 

[newguy]

I use reverse osmosis water only. I was told years ago when I first bought it that I couldn't use tap water as the solution wouldn't "keep" for very long. Then again, that city's water had a pH of 8.9 too.....

Anyway, to this day I still use RO water even though I've moved twice since that time. I have friends who use ordinary tap water where I currently live and apparently this doesn't affect the storage of the solution. But, again, the tap water's pH here is close to 7.

 

[hockadays]

Would Rain water be suitable?

 

[newguy]

I would imagine so, as long as it is filtered.

 

[ozpowell]

FYI - I use Gold Coast tap water (which is pretty soft). As stated above, I am able to store my solution in excess of a month without any issues.

 

[stowaway]

Im needing some help on finding where to buy Star San in Aus. Im on the Gold Coast & I recently bought a fridgemate & jiffy box from Ross at Craftbrewer & am eagerly waiting its arrival.

I took the last bottle

 

[Jim_Levet]

Why not try Iodophor? I have used it for years without one single infection. Its cheaper than starsan and also requires a lower concentration to get the job done.

Cheers,

James

 

[warrenlw63]

Why not try Iodophor? I have used it for years without one single infection. Its cheaper than starsan and also requires a lower concentration to get the job done.

Cheers,

James

+1 Best thing I've done for sanitation. Used to use bleach which works well but requires oodles of rinsing.

Iodophor should be in everybody's brewery. B)

Warren -

 

[Jim_Levet]

Yes Warren, iodophor has been available at all good HB stores for some time for a reason.

James

 

[wrangler]

G&G stock it, as does ESB.

I bought a 1L bottle of it over a year ago. Still heaps left! Can't speak more highly of the stuff!

 

[drsmurto]

Or buy 5L of orthophosphoric acid and make a no rinse sanitiser yourself..........

 

[buttersd70]

I understand the desire for starsan, its my sanitiser of choice. But you could just use a different one till you get your starsan.

If you go with acidified bleach solution, it will most likely cost you nothing. You'll probably have the ingredients in the cupboard.

Follow these instructions exactly -

take 19L of cold tap water
add 30ml of household bleach, stir well
add 30ml of white vinegar, stir well

This makes a very effective sanitiser, 20-30secs contact time for effectiveness. If made up to this strength It does not require rinsing. Swish the stuff around and drain it out well. Done.

Should tide you over till you get your starsan

Thirsty

THis is a brilliant no rinse, these volumes were reccomended by the creator of starsan.
for the same concentration, 1.6ml/L if you dont want to make 19L up. I usually use 2L for a fermenter.