Re-using steriliser solution

[Daniboy0812]

Hi Guys.

My wine is ready to bottle and recently saw someone suggesting to re-use the solution used to sterilise equipment.

I clean all my kit as soon as it’s finished with washing in hot soapy water and consider my kit to be very clean. With the cleanliness in mind is it actually good practice to re-use sterilser solution to use again as I normally tip it after one use.

Some tips would be great.

Wine is going into a secondary FV to clear then into 5L poly bags with taps as I have a wooden bag holder from Balliihoo a few years back.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
It depends on which sterilisation soultion you are using.

 

[Daniboy0812]

Bruclens from Wilko

 

[Norfolk79]

Bruclens from Wilko

Think it’s a sodium percarbonate based sanitiser so you’re correct not to reuse it

A lot of brewers use Star San sanitiser which can be reused

 

[Daniboy0812]

No wonder they re-use it!! £33 per litre.

Bugger that!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I clean all my kit as soon as it’s finished with washing in hot soapy water and consider my kit to be very clean. With the cleanliness in mind is it actually good practice to re-use sterilser solution to use again as I normally tip it after one use.

Some tips would be great.

I have used Milton tablets for years its a no rinse steriliser contact time is 15 minutes and it will sterilise your equipment up to 24 hours after first making a batch.

As for sterilisers that you can re-use the only one i know of is Star San i have never used it but it is popular with beer brewers as it is no rinse and lasts forever (slight exaggeration)

.

 

[MyQul]

No wonder they re-use it!! £33 per litre.

Bugger that!

Star san can initially be expensive but because you can constantly re-use it, its very cost effective. I bought an 8oz bottle of star san about 5 years ago, and I've still got 2.5 oz left

 

[ScottE75]

I use sodium metabisulphite, the same stuff in Campden tablets, at least the ones I use are. 2 ltrs with 3 teaspoons of smb last me a month, and I only replace it because it gets hair and fluff in it...I have hairy hands!

 

[RichardM]

No wonder they re-use it!! £33 per litre.

Bugger that!

When used you dilute it so much that it lasts for ever (almost).

 

[Ghillie]

No wonder they re-use it!! £33 per litre.

Bugger that!

There's more than 10 years worth of sanitiser there bud.

I wouldn't buy as much as 1L though, 236ml will still last you years and will also be cheaper.

 

[-Bezza-]

No wonder they re-use it!! £33 per litre.

Bugger that!

Pretty much my reaction when I first saw it. A year later and I've still only used 15ml of the stuff. Well worth the money.

 

[keat64]

Also what I like about StarSan is you don't need to make loads up.
For instance, i put about 1.5ml in my 5 gallon fermentor, mixed with about 1 litre of water.
Put the lid on and shake it about for a minute, this mixture is then transferred to a bucket for strelising my airlock.

I still prefer to rinse though if i'm being honest.

 

[Ghillie]

Also what I like about StarSan is you don't need to make loads up.
For instance, i put about 1.5ml in my 5 gallon fermentor, mixed with about 1 litre of water.
Put the lid on and shake it about for a minute, this mixture is then transferred to a bucket for strelising my airlock.

I still prefer to rinse though if i'm being honest.

I bought one of these, store about 10L of starsan solution in it (makes it easier to lift). Cost less than £7 posted on eBay, is food grade plastic and air tight.

I know what you're saying about the rinsing, but there's really no need and it's potentially counter productive. Once I racked wort into an FV that was purposely to the absolute brim with foam and it didn't change a thing about the beer. Was very impressed.

 

[phildo79]

About 5 years ago, I bought 500ml of Neale's No Rinse Sanitiser (which I think is basically the same as Star San) and I reckon I've still got a good 350ml left. Cost me £15. I will have no hesitation when it comes to buying another one. Also, I have never reused the stuff and it will probably last me another 5 years, easy.