Advice on cleaning and sterilising

[user 40634]

Hi,
Thanks to the guidance offered on this forum by beer is improving batch by batch but I'm still unclear about rinsing equipment after cleaning and I'd appreciate any advice offered. I clean my kit before the boil and sterilise any equipment tube used after the boil, when bottling I use no-rinse Stellasan.

The question I have is what should I rinse sterilised equipment with after boiling but before fermentation? to date I've used tap water but I'm uncertain if this can add bacteria or taint the flavour of the beer, I could use Stellasan but I'm concerned that this might kill or effect the yeast.

Thanks in advance

 

[crowcrow]

I personally use water to rinse after I sterilise.

I don't sterilise anything pre boil (I clean the mash/boiler down but don't sterilise it), but I sterilise my buckets, tubes and kegs - and then always just use water to rinse off.

But certain I am not doing things the cleanest way.

 

[nickjdavis]

If you use StellSan in a spray bottle mixed to the manufacturers recommendations and give your FV a good spray after cleaning and rinsing, maybe 5 minutes before racking your beer into the FV, then it will be fine....the sheer volume of wort will dilute any effect the StellaSan will have so it will have no impact on the yeast nor on the flavour of the finished beer.

 

[user 40634]

If you use StellSan in a spray bottle mixed to the manufacturers recommendations and give your FV a good spray after cleaning and rinsing, maybe 5 minutes before racking your beer into the FV, then it will be fine....the sheer volume of wort will dilute any effect the StellaSan will have so it will have no impact on the yeast nor on the flavour of the finished beer.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll give that a try

 

[user 40634]

I personally use water to rinse after I sterilise.

I don't sterilise anything pre boil (I clean the mash/boiler down but don't sterilise it), but I sterilise my buckets, tubes and kegs - and then always just use water to rinse off.

But certain I am not doing things the cleanest way.

Thanks for the advice, does the beer come out okay?

 

[crowcrow]

I drink it without issue, never had a problem with infection, I did once have a beer that tasted of pear drops, but after a year in the keg it tasted great. Still drinking 3 year old bottles currently and they are all OK so far.

I'm likely not a good person to take advice from though, I'm rather lackadaisical, but am happy with what and how I brew

 

[user 40634]

Thanks for the advice, does the beer come out okay?

I drink it without issue, never had a problem with infection, I did once have a beer that tasted of pear drops, but after a year in the keg it tasted great. Still drinking 3 year old bottles currently and they are all OK so far.

I'm likely not a good person to take advice from though, I'm rather lackadaisical, but am happy with what and how I brew

If your beer doesn't have an issue with bacteria I'm happy to take your advice!

 

[user 43495]

For thirty years now I have used Milton (or similar) for all my sterilisation and have never had a problem. My setup may be different to yours but before I begin the first of the day's mashes I soak mashtun, boiler, and hot liqour supply with it,. Then I let it stand for about half an hour. I pour off into my FVs, at least four of them as I normally make 20 galls in a day's brewing. Then in sequence I pour cold water into the mashtun, allow that to stand a while then transfer that to the boiler, and then into the FVs. Sp far, it hasn't failed me.

 

[The Cat]

I personally use water to rinse after I sterilise.

I don't sterilise anything pre boil (I clean the mash/boiler down but don't sterilise it), but I sterilise my buckets, tubes and kegs - and then always just use water to rinse off.

But certain I am not doing things the cleanest way.

Same here. I know they say don't fear the foam etc but I like to rinse anyway and haven't had an issue as yet.

 

[johncrobinson]

Same here as well
My late father warned me to watch out for the vinegar fly.
In all my years of brewing/winemaking I have never had a problem,I think it may be the high alcohol content,
Who knows.!!

 

[BridgeBrew]

Never had an infection in 30+ year's. Back in the day i used Chempro, now i use VWP it's not a trendy no rinse sanitizer/cleaner, and you have to give it a good rinse, but it works great. Don't trust the no rinse spray on , over priced stuff. I never sterilise anything pre boil, just make sure everything looks clean, and away i go. Anything coming into contact with the boiled Wort is always cleaned , and sterilised.

 

[bobukbrewer]

Tesco dilute bleach for me, and as BridgeBrew said, really well rinsed first with cold water x 4 and then with hot water x2 - and I soak my feet in a 1% solution of dilute bleach..............Lokk out for Clint's reply.,.,.,.,.,,,,

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I may be wrong, but I'm sure yoy won't be able to sterilise wirhout a lot of expensive equipment. Sanitising, however is another matter.

Whether no rinse sanitiser is or isn't better than VWP I don't know, but it has many advantages. I've heard a bleach solution a certain concentration is the best no rinse sanitiser, but can't remember the concentration (try to find podcast interview with Charlie Talley if Five Star Chemicals.

No rinse sanitisers aren't actually all that expensive when you consider a 500ml bottle of Videne is around £15 and you use 1.25ml per litre of water (plus a teaspoon of citric acid) per litre of water.

The main advantages are

- Less water used
- Less time spent waiting for everything to sanitise. Dropped a spoon? Would you rather wait 30-60 seconds or up to 15 minutes plus rinsing time before you can get on?

You really don't need to rinse no rinse sanitiser. Completely pointless. What ever you're rinsing will no longer be sanitised.

My girlfriend who has a much better sense of taste and smell than I do was highly sceptical there'd be no tainting smell or taste but was convinced.