Best Star SAN Alternative including all new Chemsan

[chuffer]

Looked for their spec sheet couldn't find it, if you mix with tap water it is effective for one hour. Pretty much the same as proxitane which I use. Discussion on Homebrewtalk here.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/does-star-san-go-bad.457271/

That thread appears to reflect what i understood to be true, which is that the star san solution (presumably chemsan acts the same way) needs to have a ph of less than 3 to be effective....thats not the same as needing your water ph to be brought down to 3 before you add the star san / chem san

 

[foxy]

That thread appears to reflect what i understood to be true, which is that the star san solution (presumably chemsan acts the same way) needs to have a ph of less than 3 to be effective....thats not the same as needing your water ph to be brought down to 3 before you add the star san / chem san

On the commercial spec sheet they state it lasts for one hour mixed with tap water with a neutral pH of 7. The original post I answered he is dropping his pH by adding extra chemsan which according to Charlie Talley reduces the effectiveness. Could be if you used distilled water the pH could drop below 3.5 I don't know as I said I use proxitane but have read or heard a pod cast about Star San

 

[chuffer]

On the commercial spec sheet they state it lasts for one hour mixed with tap water with a neutral pH of 7.

Was that the spec sheet for star san or chem san?

 

[foxy]

Was that the spec sheet for star san or chem san?

Star San, same ingredients.

 

[Dro]

Hi folks, just reading through this thread. I started home brewing last summer so still new to this. Does no-one use Ritchies or VWP or whatever rinse sanitiser anymore? Thanks.

 

[I.c.whitts]

Has anyone tried cleaning with vodka? It’s a secret cleaning product of stainless fitness equipment? Excellent for removing grease and oils
Probably good fun to. Some for the barrel, some for me

 

[Clint]

It would be no good for sanitation...

 

[MyQul]

It would be no good for sanitation...

If it was 70% alcohol (do they make Vodka that strong). It would work

 

[Clint]

I bet it's expensive!

 

[MyQul]

I bet it's expensive!

You havent been down the Polish shop along Rye Lane, Peckham

 

[Clint]

Sounds like paraffin...

 

[KegThat]

Hey brewers

With Star San becoming an increasingly rare commodity, can anyone give me a steer on what you believe is the best substitute?

My stock is now pretty much gone

Thanks All

Check out www.kegthat.com for VERY cheap prices on chemsan. :)

 

[QED]

Does no-one use Ritchies or VWP or whatever rinse sanitiser anymore?

Yup, VWP or Bruclean whichever I find cheapest or available when I need it. I’ve only just ordered Chemsan, never used it before.

 

[Joe62]

Just used Chemsan this week. It gave me a little moment of confusion. It states that if your tap water turn cloudy when you add the Chemsan then the minerals in your water are unbalanced and affecting the quality of the Chemsan. This happened so I went out an bought 5lt bottled water ...... Same thing happened, it went cloudy so I just used it anyway & it's fine.
Checked my wine last night as I've to transfer it to another bucket today and it's perfect.

 

[marshbrewer]

Yep, every type of water I have used, tap and bottled, as turned cloudy with chemsan.

 

[chuffer]

anyone else get an email saying Star San is back in the game?

 

[Shirley Bassett]

Micky Flanagan!

 

[smithsj1]

My starsan and VWP are almost out but I have some of NoRinze to keep me going for a couple of brews.

Pretty sure I am going to give Chemsan a go next as it looks about half the price of Starsan. On the Home Brew Shop website, they suggest that using Tesco Ashbeck water with this so will do that once I get some. :)

 

[Edison]

The solution going cloudy when mixed with tap water was a thing with StarSan too, I still have some left (one of the last bottles in the country when I got it)!

In my experience, mixed with tap water it works fine for immediate use, I have pretty hard water in Tamworth (SSW) and it clouds up after a few minutes but I mix up a litre at 2ml/l and sanitise a freshly cleaned keg and beer lines leaving a little in the keg for good measure.

I frequently brew with RO water as a starting point, so I always have a couple of 5l bottles filled with RO. I make up the StarSan solution with RO water and it remains clear for at least the couple of weeks it lasts in the spray bottle.

Brew days, everything needing to be sanitised gets generously sprayed with the spray bottle. Taps get a spray after use, connectors get a spray when reconnected.

Cost? I’m just finishing up a 473ml bottle of StarSan I bought for £16 five years ago and I’ve probably done about 40 brews in that time.

 

[Edison]

FYI: This is the RO filter I bought five years ago and it’s still going strong:

https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/fi...scus-fish-marine.html#/22-add_ons-standard_ro