Hi all! I’m new here. Looks like a great place to learn something!
I’d like to ask if there is a way to tell if a mixed batch of sanitizer is still good? Iodophor seems to loose it’s color after a week or so. I am told that when the color goes, don’t trust it. I have a 16"x22’ x 6" tall plactic tub with lid,( about 2 1/2 gallon) that I keep my racking canes, stoppers,hydrometer, etc. in. and mix a batch of Star San to sanitize my fermenter,carboy, kegs, then dump it in the plastic tub and not wanting to waste it, put the lid on, for next weeks brew day. What are your thoughts on this?
Any tips for sanitizers in general? Too bad a little steam boiler isn’t practical for home crafters to use for cleaning/sanitizing…
If you have pH strips, that’s the best way to check Star San. It’s effective as long as the pH stays below 3. If you use distilled water to dilute it I believe it will last longer.
If you store Iodophor in an air-tight container it will keep indefinitely.
I disagree with this statement.
Concentrated Iodaphor is pretty stable but once it is mixed up with water it is effective for a few hours.
If you want to know more listen podcast on Basic Brewing “March 22, 2007 - Sanitizing with Iodophor”:
http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=basic-brewing-radio-2007
Audio file is here:
Thanks for the replies! That’s good to know about the PH test strips. Thanks!
I rarely test the pH of my Star San solutions. If they are still clear I trust them. Even if it gets a bit cloudy it still works. I prepare them with reverse osmosis water and think that it takes a lot of contamination to bring the pH up. Recently I started keeping the old batch of Star San around to rinse any equipment, in particular the turkey baster, before it goes into the current batch of sanitizer. This seems to keep it clear for much longer.
Kai
+1
I make a batch of Starsan every 2 or 3 months. I brew about twice a month and bottle just as often.
I love that stuff. Before I used it I was using iodophor and had to mix a fresh batch anytime I had to sanitize something. Now I always have a bucket with StarSan sanitizer around in which I keep my turkey baster for sampling. Having a sanitizer ready for use when I need it is so much easier than mixing it on demand. To sanitize a carboy or keg I don’t even fill them completely. Just using 1-2 gallons, good shaking and draining works. The only time I need to fill a keg completely and thus need 5 gal is when I purge a serving keg with CO2 by pushing the StarSan out with CO2.
I bought my bottle 3 years ago and it is about half empty now. Because of its reusability and stability StarSan is one of the cheapest and most practical sanitizers out there.
Kai
Stored in the open, I’m sure that’s true. But in an air-tight container? There’s simply nowhere for the iodine to go.
I mix up about a 5 gallon bucket every 6-8 weeks. Prepared w/ distilled or RO water it stays clear as stated by Kai. I only get rid of it when it gets hops and other sediment that I don’t want when I’m bottling.
I’ve kept StarSan mixed with distilled water in a spray bottle for up to 2 years and it’s remained good.
One can’t say enough about this great sanitizer. It has never let me down…alright now I have to find some wood to knock on. ;D
All the replies are much apprecieated! I am learning lots here, already. I sure like the Star-San, but the foam doesn’t drain too good from a carboy. I am told this is no problem. Supposedly there’s a new one that doean’t foam as much. I wonder if it lasts as long? I have got some PH test strips on order now.
Again, Thanks for sharing knowledge!
The foam is your friend. It keeps out bugs while you are racking. I let the foam drain for a few minutes and after that I don’t worry about the foam that is left in the fermenter when I rack the wort onto it.
Kai
I’ve been using iodophor for a little while now. I’ve been thinking about getting some star san and after reading this thread think I will definitely pick some up next time I’m buying brewing supplies!
You’ll have a multiple life time supply of iodine for starch tests now 
That’s what happened to me.
Kai
You just need to do more starch tests. Turn the kids loose on some potatoes. ;D
I am a Starsan junkie. ;D
I keep spray bottles handy all the time. When I prepare it… I will make several gallons at a time and store it in spring water jugs. It lasts a long time. If it gets cloudy it is probably on it’s way out. You can check it’s viability by measuring the pH. If the pH is 3 or less…it’s OK to use.
One more thing…never fear the foam. 8)
Yea, Me too, and I have a small bottle…
Oh, crap.
Realizes he bought a ‘spare’ 32 ouncer and that’s still in the basement. :facepalm: <=== we need this emoticon mods!
The other thing was pointed out to me. My rubber stoppers in:
- the starter Erlenmeyer flask
- Airlock stoppers drilled into cornie keg lids I use for lagering
Always keep forcing (slipping) out. This is due to the slippery aspects of acids. A shot of Idophor stops the slipping and is sanitary…
So it really does have more than one use in a 5 star house like mine.
Just not 32 oz. of uses. :-[
The other product from 5 Star Chemicals, however, doesn’t have my approval. I’m talking about 5.2.
Kai
I’m in agreement with you on that one, Kai.