Starsan Foam

[stevemc32]

G'day all,

Sorry if this one has been answered already over a million times but I didn't have any luck with the search function.

I'm new to using Starsan and just premixed a bit, chucked some in my fermenter, shook it around a little and ended up with a fermenter full of foam. I don't want to rinse it out as this will presumably get rid of the Starsan. Is it ok to leave the foam in there and carry on with the brewing process?

Thanks for the help.
Steve.

 

[Acasta]

Don't fear the foam!

Go ahead with the brew. If you rinse you would introduce new things from your water.

 

[goomboogo]

It'll be ok. Don't fear the foam.
edit. Beaten by Acasta.

 

[stevemc32]

Excellent.

Thanks for the super fast reply, much appreciated.

 

[Truman42]

Download and listen to this excellent podcast on Sanitisation which will tell you all you need to know about Starsan...And why you shouldnt fear the foam.

Stanitisation

 

[pmunny]

if you haven't seen this one yet you might learn a bit. i certainly did...

 

[Luek]

I can't help but fear the foam. I've been assured not to. Still don't like the idea of all that foam. I use 4.5mL starsan in 3L of water in my fermenter and chuck all my (washed) bits in and shake the hell out of it with the lid only partially screwed on, then fill up a spray bottle from the tap, leave 5 minutes then destroy any foamy mass with the spray.

 

[Truman42]

I can't help but fear the foam. I've been assured not to. Still don't like the idea of all that foam. I use 4.5mL starsan in 3L of water in my fermenter and chuck all my (washed) bits in and shake the hell out of it with the lid only partially screwed on, then fill up a spray bottle from the tap, leave 5 minutes then destroy any foamy mass with the spray.

There is a slight chance that as you spray the foam with water from the tap your diluting the starsan in that area which stops it working. Then the bacteria from the water lands on this area and you have problems. Probably a very slim chance this would happen, but I wouldnt want to take the risk.

 

[Luek]

pmunny that's not that purell guy is it?

 

[Luek]

Truman I fill from fermenter tap, sorry.

 

[hsb]

Not that much point in sanitising then spraying it with tap water! Don't fear the foam! If you leave it 10 minutes, give it a shake and invert the fermenter, most of the foam will drain off. Repeat a few times if you really are still fearing the foam but don't spray tap water on things, spray more diluted starsan on there if you must!

good clean fun

 

[freezkat]

Here is the one time you should fear the foam.

When racking an ale to a glass carboy after 2 weeks of fermentation in the primary. The yeast is pretty weak as it is. Having the yeast on top trying to battle the foam it will likely lose, like throwing in camden tabs. Then you end up with a higher than anticipated FG... and bottling might be difficult to carb up.

but that's the only reason.

Personal experience, the beer was still very good. It took a while for it to develop a nice head and lacing in the keg.

 

[drsmurto]

I fear the foam.

I tasted it and decided that i didn't want that flavour in my beer (yes, i realise that it is diluted by a large factor, still don't want it in my beer)

I allow my keg/fermenter to drain and then shake out as much of the foam as i can.

 

[Nick JD]

I make my starsan up to twice the concentration that it says to because I'm always spraying it onto a newly-rinsed surface covered in water and don't want it to dilute to an ineffective concentration.

 

[bum]

I make my starsan up to twice the concentration that it says to because I'm always spraying it onto a newly-rinsed surface covered in water and don't want it to dilute to an ineffective concentration.

What if the prescribed concentration takes this into account? The directions do state to wash then rinse with water prior to application, after all.

 

[Bizier]

I am with Dr S on this, I try to get in early so that I can drain as much as possible out before trasferring. There is always a reasonable amount of liquid that accumulates after an hour or two that I am glad not to have in my beer.

I am not looking for an argument, but I disagree with your theory Freezekat. I think the few unlucky cells which make direct contact with the foam might die, but the vast majority of the yeast in the beer will only experience the most minor of changes except for the extra O2 from the transfer (unless you purge the crap out of everything with CO2). The amount of starsan vs beer is so small that it should be neutralised basically instantly.

 

[Bizier]

if you haven't seen this one yet you might learn a bit. i certainly did...

That is great, if this guy was a commercial brewer, he might even produce one case per day.

That is if he had two rotating 12 hour shifts - one sixpack each. Of couse he couldn't keg, because he can't know that there is no dust in there.

ED: It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again

 

[Nick JD]

What if the prescribed concentration takes this into account? The directions do state to wash then rinse with water prior to application, after all.

Then I drink twice as much of the stuff as everyone else.

Are the directions for hospital cleaners doing flat surfaces?

 

[bum]

ED: It rubs the lotion on its skin or else and then it gets the hose again

Fixed.

 

[fraser_john]

+1 fear the foam, both for the off taste of it and because it does contain a detergent which is detrimental to head retention.

Of course it is going to be diluted blah blah and the manufacturer says it is fine blah blah blah and the sales people you buy it from say it is great stuff blah blah blah blah.

They said that about thalidomide too!

I use starsan for everything that I cannot attack with pressurized steam, but I swirl it around rather than shake it, making sure all surfaces are covered. I do this three or four times over 10-20 minutes before draining. There is always a little bit of foam caused by this, but it drains with the bulk of the fluid. Leave my carboys inverted for half an hour more and there is no trace of starsan left.