Careful here ... the correct dilution rates are important and are as follows:
The cloudiness aspect is much debated. Chem San mentions this on their FAQ and say hard water is ok as long as pH < 3.5 but of course that would be along with the use of the product within a few hours. I personally would not keep cloudy Star San or Chemsan because the surfactant aspect of the product has been degraded. These products work on a 2 pronged attack of surface tension reduction and low pH to break the cell wall. I fortunately have a water softener and with soft water either product remain crystal clear indefinately. I'm not prepared to gamble a batch of beer plus all that work for a few pence saved on sanitiser, but in the end it's personal choice.
- Star San: 1 fluid oz to 5 US gallons (29.6ml to 18.9 litres) i.e. 1.56 ml to 1 litre
- Chemsan: 10ml to 5 litres i.e. 2ml to 1 litre
The cloudiness aspect is much debated. Chem San mentions this on their FAQ and say hard water is ok as long as pH < 3.5 but of course that would be along with the use of the product within a few hours. I personally would not keep cloudy Star San or Chemsan because the surfactant aspect of the product has been degraded. These products work on a 2 pronged attack of surface tension reduction and low pH to break the cell wall. I fortunately have a water softener and with soft water either product remain crystal clear indefinately. I'm not prepared to gamble a batch of beer plus all that work for a few pence saved on sanitiser, but in the end it's personal choice.