Thought I would change things up a bit and see what you guys do after brew day. Actually, I guess I mean after keg or bottle day. It just so worked out that my keg went dry as I was bottling my latest attempt. So, it made me think about my process after I am finished with my buckets and all. What I have done in the past, after brew day I clean all my stuff. Pot gets a soak in soap and water, spoon goes into the dishwasher and hop bag gets a soak and rinse with the pot. After the buckets and keg are done, I usually give them a 20 min clean with the CraftMeister cleaner in my homemade bucket and keg washer. I also drop all the hoses, keg parts and misc stuff in as well. I take all that out and give it a rinse with warm water to get the cleaner off. Then, everything gets stored in my hallway closet for the next round. When I am ready for the equipment, I simply rinse everything with warm water, then do starsan and off I go. My question is, do you guys hit it with the Starsan before you store, or wait until the next use after use. I figure it is best to clean it right away, but the sterilization is best done when ready to use. Thoughts.
Unnecessary, I’m sure, but since it only takes me a few minutes, I usually do both.
I agree. Clean immediately. Sanitize (homebrewers sanitize, not sterilize) immediately before next use. Of course, thay doesn’t apply to things on the hot side. Just clean them.
I clean everything at the end of the brew day (or the next day) and sanitize right before the next brew day. Unless, as Denny suggests, if you’re going to be running near boiling liquid through it, you don’t need to sanitize it.
Ditto. Clean after use. Sanitize before use.
anything process-wise up to the mashtun, i just clean up to remove solids and dont sanitize. after mash-tun i try to make sure its pretty spotless, just so rust doesn’t develop or anything, but i tend to just make sure its gunk-free and dry and leave sanitizing to next brew day. anything coming in contact with wort/beer post-boil i sanitize before putting away though, ie. airlocks, tubing, carboys, etc.
After brew day… drink the last beer you made.