Sanitising with Milton

[Byron]

Hi,

Ive started sanitising with Milton. It says no rinse when using for baby stuff but is this the same when brewing?

Also made it up in a spray using the dilution suggested for cleaning surfaces so I spray around the inside of my FV rather than soak with a weaker solution. Any probs with this?

 

[Deadhead]

I used Milton for a long while for bottles. (I do completely rinse the yeast out of bottles after a drink ,and then wash them out really well when I'm doing the washing up, so when it's time to santise them, it's straight forward).
However, you do need to let Milton sit for 15 minutes, submerged. Some say that sterilising and sanitising are not the same, but I've never had an issue with infections or off taste or anything.
I've since moved onto San Star, mostly because I find it easier and only needs a minute for contact.

 

[sdt7618]

I used Milton tablets in my first few brews, but you need to let stuff soak, unlike starsan when you can spray on and leave for 30 seconds Milton needs 15mins of soaking.

I used to put everything in the bath, fill the FV and pop every thing in to soak, then you could just tip everything down the bath.

 

[MickDundee]

I use it. I usually bottle when the kids are in bed so I dont mind soaking:
Fill the bottles(so they dont float), pop them in a full sink and throw in the correct number of tablets, put the kids to bed, stack my bottling tree, set everything else up and bottle.

 

[Deadhead]

Sterilising and sanitising are totally different. The only time HBers need to sterilise is when culturing yeast.

Yeah, that's what I mean why some say they're different. Sterilising (Milton fluid calls it this) should kill off everything, whereas sanitising should kill off most stuff. So, in theory, Milton should be 'above and beyond' But yet, Milton gets a bad rap, and people talk about the differences in the methods. So does Milton actually 'sterlise' or does it not do a good enough job?
I get it from a microbiological point of view, but what I don't understand is practical differences for homebrewing. So I'm happy to be enlightened.

I do get the difference between cleaning (Physical, chemical) and sanitising.

 

[Dexter101]

I'm not 100% sure on this but isn't Milton a weaker version of VSP?

 

[Byron]

Thanks all. What I was getting at is my mixing up a stronger concentration in a spray and using it on the inside surfaces of my FV going to be good enough?

 

[strange-steve]

I’ve started sanitising with Milton. It says no rinse when using for baby stuff but is this the same when brewing?

No it's not the same. The "no rinse" in this case means it's safe for ingestion, but that doesn't mean it won't have a flavour impact on your beer. Milton is essentially a weak sodium hypochlorite solution, ie. bleach, which can react with phenols in the beer to produce chlorophenols which give a very unpleasant off flavour, think TCP.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks all. What I was getting at is my mixing up a stronger concentration in a spray and using it on the inside surfaces of my FV going to be good enough?

I have used Milton for a couple of years or more i fill my washing up bowl and put two tablets in once dissolved i put all the small stuff in the bowl then pour 2 litres into my FV put the lid on and swirl it around so all surfaces are covered i then leave it 8 minutes and repeat and leave for the last 7 then its done, i do this for DJ's and bottles obviously adjusting the amount i pour into each there is no need to fill them to the brim to soak, i have never had an infection in all the time i have been using this method.

 

[MickDundee]

No it's not the same. The "no rinse" in this case means it's safe for ingestion, but that doesn't mean it won't have a flavour impact on your beer. Milton is essentially a weak sodium hypochlorite solution, ie. bleach, which can react with phenols in the beer to produce chlorophenols which give a very unpleasant off flavour, think TCP.

Ah, the great Milton “rinse or no rinse” debate if 2017!

This is direct from the Milton website (albeit the Aussie one http://www.miltonbaby.com.au/milton-household-sterilisation-ideas/):
Disinfect home brewing equipment and glass beer bottles ready for homebrew bottling
When it comes to making your own homebrew, it’s important to always clean, sterilise and rinse every piece of equipment that comes into contact with the brew.
Place your pre-cleaned bottles in the made-up solution and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Shake off excess solution and place the bottles in a ventilated and sanitary location where they can fully dry. No need to rinse the Milton solution from the bottles.

 

[strange-steve]

Well no offence to Milton but I'm not about to take brewing advice from them.
Tbh I can't believe this point is still being debated, the fact that chlorine is bad for beer isn't based on hearsay and internet rumours, it has a solid basis in well understood chemistry. Now if people want to use chlorine based products without rinsing then that's ok, it's your beer so do as you please, but I have a problem with it being said on a public forum that there's nothing to worry about.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
It seems to me that there are two schools of thought here - one theoretical and one practical.
Big-enders and little-enders?

 

[JapanBrew]

Well no offence to Milton but I'm not about to take brewing advice from them.
Tbh I can't believe this point is still being debated, the fact that chlorine is bad for beer isn't based on hearsay and internet rumours, it has a solid basis in well understood chemistry. Now if people want to use chlorine based products without rinsing then that's ok, it's your beer so do as you please, but I have a problem with it being said on a public forum that there's nothing to worry about.

Yep. Not good for beer. And I hate the idea of spending all the time sanitizing your stuff and mixing everything just to rinse it off with water that might have something in it. Cray cray.

 

[Byron]

Btw after leaving the FV sprayed for about 5 mins I wipe it dry with kitchen roll. If Milton is risky for beer what else is there I can mix with tap water? I heard star san cannot work with certain tap water because of its ph.

 

[JapanBrew]

But you can get some bottled water and mix a big batch of StarSan. You don’t need to throw it out after 1 use. I use mine over and over again for about 3 months.

 

[LarryF]

When I started brewing in Jan 2015 I bought 2 bottles of Milton.....still using the second one now. Rinse or no rinse, I rinse anyway, saying that though I've never had an infected beer or bottle (touch wood) and I can certainly rely on it to do what it says it does. I use half a capful into 2L of water per brew and that's more than enough to keep everything sanitised and my spray bottle full. When it eventually runs out I'll get some Starsan but I'll have to read up on using Starsan in a hard water area.

 

[Deadhead]

When it comes to making your own homebrew, it’s important to always clean, sterilise and rinse every piece of equipment that comes into contact with the brew.

Silly Milton. We don't need to sterilise. Stop using such crazy words like that. You're confusing the masses.

 

[private4587]

In using minikegs i followed the use of(cannot remember members name) guide and in that he states he uses one Milton tablet per keg. I have followed that and cannot say I have had any bad tastes from my poured beer. Mind you I am very new to this fine art of home brewing.