Good sanitizer product?

[Howard Taylor]

Hi all,

I have been using VWP sanitizer since I restarted homebrewing a few months ago. It seems quite expensive for a small 100gm amount. Are there any reasonably priced products available that I can buy in larger quantities, say a 1kg tub, that you can recommend? Preferably something that is widely available from the many internet traders. Thanks.

Regards,
Howard

 

[Saisonator]

A lot of people clean with oxy bleach, can get it from £1 shop.
Then sanitise with no rinse Starsan, which is initially expensive but lasts years.
VWP is a bit risky for introducing off flavours and takes a lot of rinses.

 

[xozzx]

Starsan 100%. Lasts forever and no rinse

 

[Ghillie]

Starsan again, it's the most popular sanitiser on the home brew scene and it literally lasts forever.

Because sanitiser is only applied to pre-cleaned equipment, it never really gets dirty. This means you can keep reusing it for a very long time. I've been using the same 15L of starsan for about 6 months now I think. Going off that, the 473ml bottle (£19) will last me just over ten years

Seems like there's not much in the way of 473ml bottles on the go at the moment. But here's 5 years worth for £9.20:

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/star-san-237g-8oz/

I store my 15 litre mixed solution in one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20L-Litr...h=item4d6497c94e:g:~~EAAOSwx6pYtKUi:rk:2:pf:0

 

[Howard Taylor]

Hi, thanks for all your replies. I will order some Starsan tonight, I like the idea of mixing a quantity for re-use and using it in a garden type spray.

 

[MickDundee]

Another vote for Starsan here - I’ve only used it twice but it made sanitising super easy and I hardly used any. You can bottle what you don’t use and keep it for next time.

 

[Clint]

Pure oxi for getting the crud off then starsan. I only mix up around 5 litres at a time,rinse and spray what I need to then tip the lot into a spare fv which also houses all my spare transfer tubing,blow off tubes,paddles,pipettes,spoon etc. When it eventually gets a bit full I sling it.

 

[Si Edwards]

Has anybody used (or heard of) Harris no rinse steriliser?
I think it's like Starsan, but in powder form. Saw it in my lhbs but never used it.

 

[Clint]

A lot of the powder type are oxi...non chlorine bleach.

 

[Ashman]

I need to get some starsan. Any high street sources ? Wilko ? I’m currently using Milton baby sanitiser tablets.

 

[braziliain]

Oxi clean and Starsan again here. Cheap, easy, no fuss.

 

[MickDundee]

I need to get some starsan. Any high street sources ? Wilko ? I’m currently using Milton baby sanitiser tablets.

I’ve just switched from Milton to Starsan and the ease of use with SS is unbelievable.

I’m not aware of any high street sources (unless you have a LHBS) but home-brew-online don’t have a set postage charge like some of the other shops and I got mine from them. It’s expensive but I’ve hardly used any so it will be much cheaper in the long run.

 

[Belos]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but is 5 star sanitizer the same stuff as star san?

 

[Llamaman]

Starsan all the way. I make a batch and put some in a spray bottle, some in a large glass jar and store the remainder in a plastic bottle.
I have hard water so make mine up with Tesco Ashbeck water, 2 or 5 litres at a time. If I’ve not brewed for a while I check my stock with a PH strip but it’s always safely below 3.