Using Star San

[Beer Ninja]

Try some of the site sponsors. I'm pretty sure grain and grape sell them (that is where I got mine), but there are bound to be others who stock and will post.

Edit: just checked the brew craft website and they're selling them for about 35. Well worth the cost.

Thanks JDW81, just ordered that plus some grain and hops from them

 

[shaunous]

Get one of these (not an aussie site, as the locals didn't have pics). You'll need about 1L of solution and you can sanitise hundreds of bottles quickly and easily.

I paid about 25 clams for mine over 5 years ago and it is still going strong.

I'm guessing you don't rely on the '30secs of Starsan contact' rule when using one of these.

 

[Wilkensone]

I'm guessing you don't rely on the '30secs of Starsan contact' rule when using one of these.

interesting point, I see everyone using them too


Wilkens

 

[OneEye]

The bottles don't magically dry instantaneously after giving it a squirt

 

[JDW81]

I'm guessing you don't rely on the '30secs of Starsan contact' rule when using one of these.

No I don't, I rely on about 20 minutes of contact. Bottles get washed with the bottle washer, which leaves the bottles wet and with some foam in them. They then get hung upside down on my bottle tree (which has also been starsanned) while I wash all my other bottles and get the rest of my gear ready.

Contact doesn't mean submerged in solution, it just means a wet surface.

I've been bottling like this since I started brewing and haven't had an infection yet. Also means I don't waste copious amounts water and starsan. It is fast easy and effective.

JD

 

[shaunous]

No I don't, I rely on about 20 minutes of contact. Bottles get washed with the bottle washer, which leaves the bottles wet and with some foam in them. They then get hung upside down on my bottle tree (which has also been starsanned) while I wash all my other bottles and get the rest of my gear ready.

Contact doesn't mean submerged in solution, it just means a wet surface.

I've been bottling like this since I started brewing and haven't had an infection yet. Also means I don't waste copious amounts water and starsan. It is fast easy and effective.

JD

To easy, I normally bottle straight after its removed from the StarSan, didn't think about people letting them hang around, but I've never owned a bottle tree so it figures.

The bottles don't magically dry instantaneously after giving it a squirt

Thanks Genius.

 

[Camo6]

No I don't, I rely on about 20 minutes of contact. Bottles get washed with the bottle washer, which leaves the bottles wet and with some foam in them. They then get hung upside down on my bottle tree (which has also been starsanned) while I wash all my other bottles and get the rest of my gear ready.

Contact doesn't mean submerged in solution, it just means a wet surface.

I've been bottling like this since I started brewing and haven't had an infection yet. Also means I don't waste copious amounts water and starsan. It is fast easy and effective.

JD

+1 This is the way I do it nowadays except I use a spray bottle and give them a few squirts each. Main reason: I'm a tight arse and can do it with less than a litre of mixed starsan.

 

[JDW81]

To easy, I normally bottle straight after its removed from the StarSan, didn't think about people letting them hang around, but I've never owned a bottle tree so it figures.

Bottle tree makes life much easier. Also means I can wash all my bottles in one go and then get my priming solution and bottling bucket ready.

+1 This is the way I do it nowadays except I use a spray bottle and give them a few squirts each. Main reason: I'm a tight arse and can do it with less than a litre of mixed starsan.

I use that litre for all my sanitising for bottling. Bottles, bottle tree, bottling bucket, wand, caps, silicone hose for transfer, so it goes a long way. I figure I can afford 1.5mL of star san per bottling session.

 

[Wilkensone]

Just out of interest do you just spray the tree with starsan?

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Just out of interest do you just spray the tree with starsan?

Always.

 

[Wilkensone]

Always.

Bit of a newb question I know Just making sure there wasn't more too it.

 

[JDW81]

Just out of interest do you just spray the tree with starsan?

Everything gets sprayed with star san.

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

Hmm. I hope I'm ok here. I starsaned a whole brew of bottles and bottled today, but i didnt remove the starsan from the bottles before i filled.. just sprayed 2/3 times @ 1.6ml per 1 litre and let sit for a spell and filled em up and capped? Is this ok? Finding this product very strong to spray in just finished bottles before storage, clears any gunk.

 

[JDW81]

Hmm. I hope I'm ok here. I starsaned a whole brew of bottles and bottled today, but i didnt remove the starsan from the bottles before i filled.. just sprayed 2/3 times @ 1.6ml per 1 litre and let sit for a spell and filled em up and capped? Is this ok? Finding this product very strong to spray in just finished bottles before storage, clears any gunk.

Should be fine mate. Starsan is designed to break down to O2 and water when it has done its job. You should drain any residual out of your bottles before you fill next time.

JD

 

[shaunous]

Hmm. I hope I'm ok here. I starsaned a whole brew of bottles and bottled today, but i didnt remove the starsan from the bottles before i filled.. just sprayed 2/3 times @ 1.6ml per 1 litre and let sit for a spell and filled em up and capped? Is this ok? Finding this product very strong to spray in just finished bottles before storage, clears any gunk.

I always bottle and the starsan is never dried out properly, the Starsan bubbles are normally purging outa the top when the beer is going into the bottle. Never had a problem, same goes for my kegs.

 

[Beer Ninja]

Hmm. I hope I'm ok here. I starsaned a whole brew of bottles and bottled today, but i didnt remove the starsan from the bottles before i filled.. just sprayed 2/3 times @ 1.6ml per 1 litre and let sit for a spell and filled em up and capped? Is this ok? Finding this product very strong to spray in just finished bottles before storage, clears any gunk.

Don't fear the foam

 

[shaunous]

Another reason to have a pH meter or strips.

http://lifefermented.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/brew-tips-cloudy-starsan/

I had about 10-15L in an esky and figured it'd be useless as it's been there for a month or more. Thought I'd have a quick read about the product, then checked its pH and it was still good to go.

Puts the myth away that cloudiness means it's useless.

Yay

 

[GABBA110360]

Another reason to have a pH meter or strips.

http://lifefermented.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/brew-tips-cloudy-starsan/

I had about 10-15L in an esky and figured it'd be useless as it's been there for a month or more. Thought I'd have a quick read about the product, then checked its pH and it was still good to go.

Puts the myth away that cloudiness means it's useless.

Yay

I mix a batch in a 82l tropical esky and I reckon it goes cloudy pretty quick .
I rinse bottles in it prior to storage I rinse again before bottling or kegginig and have never had a prob .
it's as cheap as chips cost about 3 bucks to mix an esky full there abouts

cheap insurance I reckon
ken

 

[shaunous]

You'd be using tap water though Yeh. I use tank water and have never seen it go cloudy.

But Yeh, I waste a bit compared to others on here, but it's cheap enough.

 

[stux]

I have a 3L plastic brewers jug and a 5ml syringe

4.5ml into 3L makes all the starsan I need for a brew day. At the end I refill my 500ml squirt bottle and toss the rest

The squirt bottle lives in the keg fridge and I use it on squirt not spray and apply liberal coatings to keg fridge fittings etc

Also good for leak testing since it foams