Starsan Melbourne

[dans6401]

Hi,
Would like to try some starsan but the only place i can find to get it in Melbourne is Grape and Grain. Not that i have a problem with them. They are a great retailer, but it's a bit hard for me to get to. I know they deliver but was hoping that i could save on the postage. So my question is does anyone know / recommend anywhere else that sells Starsan in Melbourne?

 

[jbowers]

Hi,
Would like to try some starsan but the only place i can find to get it in Melbourne is Grape and Grain. Not that i have a problem with them. They are a great retailer, but it's a bit hard for me to get to. I know they deliver but was hoping that i could save on the postage. So my question is does anyone know / recommend anywhere else that sells Starsan in Melbourne?

I know that greensborough homebrew dont have it, and neither do any of the brewcraft stores. So i'd say your chances are slim...

 

[Ross]

Hi Dan,

We are the Australian distributors for Starsan & I don't know of any other brewshop in Melbourne that stocks it.
Get your local HBS to contact us if they are interested.

cheers

Ross
CraftBrewer

 

[mxd]

I've only got mine from G+G, where are you, it might make it easier for people to answer ?

 

[manticle]

Hi,
Would like to try some starsan but the only place i can find to get it in Melbourne is Grape and Grain. Not that i have a problem with them. They are a great retailer, but it's a bit hard for me to get to. I know they deliver but was hoping that i could save on the postage. So my question is does anyone know / recommend anywhere else that sells Starsan in Melbourne?

Nothing else you need from them? 1 box under 20kg =$7.45 in metro melbourne.

 

[dans6401]

Nothing else you need from them? 1 box under 20kg =$7.45 in metro melbourne.

Wow? Did'nt realise it was so cheap. Should have looked a little harder. No problems adding to the order. Greensbourgh is the usual, i find Dave really helpfull, maybe a little unorganised. Wish he'd fix up his web site it seems to be half complete.
Thanks for the replies. Got to love this site. So helpfull, no 'google is your friend' b@llshite.
Cheers

 

[MartsHomeBrew]

Hi Dan,

We are the Australian distributors for Starsan & I don't know of any other brewshop in Melbourne that stocks it.
Get your local HBS to contact us if they are interested.

cheers

Ross
CraftBrewer

Hi Ross
I would like to ask whether it is possible to buy quantities greater than 1 litre, something more like 10 litres plus? I have been searching various chemical suppliers who produce hospitality grade no rinse sanitisers, who generally sell in minimum 5 litres maximum 15-25 litre drums, with prices for these quantities well under $100. It puzzles and pains me to figure out why Starsan is sold in a measly 1 litre bottle size at the largest, which for similar quantities i mentioned would end up costing big dollars. I plan to brew frequently over the long term, currently using 6 fermenters and bottling everything, and hope to minimise all my costs by buying what i can in bulk. Your advice is appreciated.
Cheers Martin

 

[Liam_snorkel]

you know starsan is to be diluted at a rate of 1.5ml/litre of water?

 

[MartsHomeBrew]

you know starsan is to be diluted at a rate of 1.5ml/litre of water?

Hi Liam, Yes, it would be great if i was using just one or two fermenters, however I am running 6 fermenters and plan to get more, plus bottling everything i make, so i will be using a bit of it. Just trying to minimise my costs as much as possible by buying supplies in larger amounts, and i just figured this product would be in bigger size as is the case with many of the ingredients like grains and malts. Perhaps i am wrong, Im relatively new to brewing and have much to learn, but hopefully Ross can clarify for me.Cheers

 

[bum]

Are you filling your fermenters with starsan?

 

[MartsHomeBrew]

Are you filling your fermenters with starsan?

Hi BumI have not used Starsan before, i have until now been using the sachets of sanitiser sold at Brewcraft, or the liquid vrsion which is a 250ml bottle. That bottle only does a few batches, while the sachets only do one, so have needed a fair amount of them and it wouldbe preferable if i could reduce that cost

 

[losp]

I know that greensborough homebrew dont have it, and neither do any of the brewcraft stores. So i'd say your chances are slim...

Greensborough HB has something similar which is no rinse at pretty much the same dilution as star-san. The only thing though is that it ends up being slightly more expensive at the end of the day. not much though.

 

[bum]

Reducing cost is a good idea but by my (often dodgy) calculations, the 1L bottle of starsan makes something like 666L of sanitising solution. I use maybe 500ml max for a single batch - but maybe I'm doing it wrong.

Just have a look into how much you think you'll need to use before you actually source it in such large quantities.

[EDIT: It is also reported to be re-usable. Not something I do but perhaps you could look into that and realise savings there instead.]

 

[Adam Howard]

I use 3ml in 2L in a fermenter and shake the crap out of it. The foam is also sanitising. I've had a 1L bottle for a year and a half of pretty constant brewing and haven't used a third of a litre yet. If you're trying to get it cheaper by buying it in an even bigger package I think you're overthinking the cost of sanitation. Also I used iodophor for sanitising kegs and bottles because it doesn't foam as much. Buying grain and hops in bulk and getting your reuse of yeast working for you will save WAY more money. Making a smack pack of Wyeast work for 5 beers 1st gen plus repitching saves a lot of money.

Edit: If Bum's calc is right and you used 1L per fermenter you'd get 666 fermenter sanitations out of one bottle....that's 15,318L of beer across 666 23L batches.

 

[QldKev]

Hi Liam, Yes, it would be great if i was using just one or two fermenters, however I am running 6 fermenters and plan to get more, plus bottling everything i make, so i will be using a bit of it. Just trying to minimise my costs as much as possible by buying supplies in larger amounts, and i just figured this product would be in bigger size as is the case with many of the ingredients like grains and malts. Perhaps i am wrong, Im relatively new to brewing and have much to learn, but hopefully Ross can clarify for me.Cheers

I'm careful with the starsan, ie don't waste much. 1.5ml in a litre of water per cube prior to filling, and that gets tipped into a spray bottle for use around the brewery. We average 1 fermenter of beer a week, so always have more than one on the go. My bottle is about 3 years old and still has another year or so in it.

Bit of maths...
Say household consumption averages 1 fermentor of beer per week.
1.5ml starsan in a liter of water into cube, and same again into fermenter. Spray bottle for clean bits n pieces is filled from cube. So thats a total of 3ml per brew.
1L = 1000ml
1,000 / 3 = 333 brews or 333 weeks.

Now you mentioned 6 fermenters on the go. So depending on how long you are aging them for you must average at least 2 fermenters consumption a week? If so thats still 1,000 / 6ml = 166 weeks

edit: I see Adamski29 posted about the amount of fermenters while I was posting

QldKev

 

[Fents]

Greensborough HB has something similar which is no rinse at pretty much the same dilution as star-san. The only thing though is that it ends up being slightly more expensive at the end of the day. not much though.

Dave now sell's keg kings equivelant of star san, its just called phosporic acid no rinse sanitiser. I have not used it yet as my bottle of star san is still no where near empty after 2 years but Dave reckon the Keg King one goes alright too.

 

[MartsHomeBrew]

I use 3ml in 2L in a fermenter and shake the crap out of it. The foam is also sanitising. I've had a 1L bottle for a year and a half of pretty constant brewing and haven't used a third of a litre yet. If you're trying to get it cheaper by buying it in an even bigger package I think you're overthinking the cost of sanitation. Also I used iodophor for sanitising kegs and bottles because it doesn't foam as much. Buying grain and hops in bulk and getting your reuse of yeast working for you will save WAY more money. Making a smack pack of Wyeast work for 5 beers 1st gen plus repitching saves a lot of money.

Edit: If Bum's calc is right and you used 1L per fermenter you'd get 666 fermenter sanitations out of one bottle....that's 15,318L of beer across 666 23L batches.

Hi Adamski
Yes, I suppose when you put it like that, i might be worrying too much and can achieve more meaningful savings elsewhere. I would still purchase more if it saved me something. I once have tried reusing the yeast by pouring a new batch straight into a fermenter i had just bottled, however that did not work and 36 hours later there was no action, gladly that batch turned out well in the end, so I need to figure that one out with the yeast. I have been bottling my beer without waiting for the bottles to dry also, just shaking the prepared sanitising solution & tap water in the bottles for a few seconds, upending them for 5 mins and then bottling, mainly because of lack of space. Havent had any problems with it yet but was just told its much better to let the bottles dry first.

Kev & Fents, thanks for the info. Actually i was talking to a bloke at a chemical company who also happened to do home brew, he mentioned sodium metabisulphate to me and said any HBS should have it. I was enquiring about hospitality grade no rinse sanitisers but two places told me their products would not suit. Based on feedback here it looks like id be splitting hairs anyway.
While the sanitising is vital and must be done thoroughly, if i could speed up the process as well as cut cost, all the better. Am satisfied now that the cost part should not be of concern to me!

 

[QldKev]

Dave now sell's keg kings equivelant of star san, its just called phosporic acid no rinse sanitiser. I have not used it yet as my bottle of star san is still no where near empty after 2 years but Dave reckon the Keg King one goes alright too.

There was a post about it on here a while back, but basically it's not 100% the same as it doesn't have all the correct ingredients.

edit:
Here's the post

Also read this one seems the cheaper kegking product is more expensive per use.

QldKev

 

[Adam Howard]

Hi Adamski
Yes, I suppose when you put it like that, i might be worrying too much and can achieve more meaningful savings elsewhere. I would still purchase more if it saved me something. I once have tried reusing the yeast by pouring a new batch straight into a fermenter i had just bottled, however that did not work and 36 hours later there was no action, gladly that batch turned out well in the end, so I need to figure that one out with the yeast. I have been bottling my beer without waiting for the bottles to dry also, just shaking the prepared sanitising solution & tap water in the bottles for a few seconds, upending them for 5 mins and then bottling, mainly because of lack of space. Havent had any problems with it yet but was just told its much better to let the bottles dry first.

Yeah, don't chuck a new beer onto an entire yeastcake. The only time you will get away with that is if you brew a small beer like a pale mild (1.035) and then pitch a big barleywine (1.100) on top. Otherwise you can look at this thread Splitting a Wyeast Smack Pack

You don't have to wait for the bottles to dry, I use a little bottle rinser thing when I bottle, sanitise them all, hang them on a bottling tree and then bottle starting from the first one sanitised, the bottles aren't completely dry.

If you're in Melbourne and brewing all-grain keep an ear to the ground for the next grain bulk buy. You can also get hops cheap in bulk from HERE