Star San reuse

[Gggsss]

Hello all

Im about to start my third batch this week (first time steeping grains, boiling hops etc) and I'm going to be using a StarSan style sanitiser for the first time.

I'm aware the diluted solution can be reused as long as the ph level is below 3.5. My question is, how do I store the multiple litres of solution ( I will ideally reuse on bottling day if the ph level is behaving itself)?

Can i funnel in to clean old plastic drinks bottles, or another plastic FV? As my initial thoughts.

All feedback is welcomed..........

Tanks in advance..

 

[JockyBrewer]

You can keep it in pretty much any sealed plastic container.... however, I'd be wary about 'reusing' starsan if you're making up a big bucket to dunk stuff in. I know that it's not 100% effective against everything, and I suspect that once stored 'dirty' something could grow in it.

Also I've just seen that Chemsan is half price at the moment at some places. If you buy a 1 litre bottle for £12 and use 10 litres of solution per brew day the bottle would last you 50 brew days!

Alternatively, a good way of using less is to buy a spray bottle (99p from Homebase) and mix up 1 litre at a time with RO/deionised water (or just very soft water like Tesco Ashbeck). 1 bottle like that lasts multiple brew days for me, plus the trigger spray bottle is sat by my fermenter for use outside of a brew day.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I had read you can keep Starsan/Chemsan for upto 3 months or so somewhere. I reused a batch of Chemsan for a second brew with no issues, and was intending to use it for a third brew, but it was looking a bit manky - milky with a few floaty bits in it, so didn't look too great so just ditched it and made up a fresh batch. Think I'll stick to that schedule using it for a couple of batches before ditching. I'm doing a brew about every 2 weeks. If I was doing a couple of brews a week then maybe would get away with resting it a bit more.

 

[JockyBrewer]

If you have floaty bits in your sanitiser solution it's time to replace your sanitiser solution. Sanitiser is for sanitising clean equipment, not removing crud from dirty equipment.

 

[Gggsss]

Thanks Jocky. Spray bottle idea sounds great. Will do that.

hoppy - What type of container did you keep it in?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Hi, I just kept it in a large flat rectangular crate/container with a lid. Used to keep the kids toys in it, so nicked it off them and used it for the starsan/chemclean. It is large enough and the right shape to put all the kit in it that needs sterilising, like the auto siphon, bottles before bottling etc. and thin enough to fit under the tap of the Brewzilla as I like to run it through the Brewzilla before a brew so run it out of the tap. And when it comes to packing away put the lid on and slide under a counter in the garage so it's out of the way.

Referring to what Jocky rightly points out, the floaty bits I think have come from outside contamination rather than from the brew kit. If it doesn't go in the dishwasher I clean everything in the sink with detergent and sterilise with Milton before rinsing and only use the Starsan to sanitise before use, but as I leave it open all day on a brewday all sorts of contamination seems to get in and collect in it. Should really take more care and I could probably stretch it out a bit more, but I'm a bit messy on a brewday and not very organised.

Spray bottle is a good call too. So convenient to give everything a good spray immediately before use. Especially around the fermenter lid and opening.

 

[Gggsss]

Cheers for the info hoppy......

Jocky - Just noticed you are not a million miles from me... Don't usually see Surrey posters..

 

[The Cat]

Just used Star San for the first time - I will mainly use it diluted from a 1l spray bottle.

Was surprised at just how little you use for that - the bottle will last ages