So, after I finished off a keg, I cleaned it out and filled it will about two gallons of star-san sanitizer (made with distilled water). I put about 5psi of CO2 pressure in it, and then I decided to leave it like that until I have another batch to put into it.
So…
Question #1: Are there any problems storing star-san in a corny keg for a few months?
Question #2: Any other recommendations for storing a cleaned and sanitized keg?
Also, to clear/clean/sanitize my beer lines, I ran fresh water from a pressurized keg through the lines and out the faucet. Next, I ran some PBW solution out of the keg I was cleaning. Then some more fresh water. Last, I ran some of the star-san solution through to sanitize. I decided to leave the star-san in the beer line until it was going to be needed again.
So…
Question #3: Is there a problem with storing a beer line with star-san in it?
Question #4: Any other recommendations for storing a cleaned and sanitized beer line?
No problem with storing starsan in a keg, but I always store mine empty and sanitize prior to filling. A sealed empty keg is not sanitary after a while, according to an interview I heard with 5-star. Possibly on Basic Brewing Radio. So I clean mine, rinse them, and store them until ready to fill. Then sanitize and fill. If you’re doing it to store starsan though, no problem. But that two gallons can sanbitize a lot of kegs, so if you are storing all of your kegs with starsan in them you’re just wasting it as far as I’m concerned. YMMV
Beer line is another story. It’s possible that as little starsan as will be in a beer line will be fine, but when I leave hose in a bucket of starsan for too long it starts to break down and get gummy. So again, I clean lines and store them dry, then sanitize prior to use.
I do not buy it.
There is no way what after I sanitize and seal keg that this keg will become unsanitary.
How it would become unsanitary?
I clean, sanitize and seal my kegs till they are ready to be filled.
I have been doing that for about two years.
Do not leave starsan in plastic tubing.
Here I agree with tschmidlin.
By the way you said that you seal your keg with 5 psi of CO2.
If you leave StarSan in the keg, CO2 will get dissolved in StarSan and you will have a pressure drop.
I also do not know what impact would it have on StarSan because dissolved CO2 creates carbonic acid.
I am talking from my own experience.
Tubing will eventually hardens again.
It might take 2 weeks or 2 months.
It depends on contact time with StarSan.
Can you replace it?
I was wondering the same thing! It is a pre-assembled tower set-up. Never dug around in it, but I had been wondering how to detach/attach beer lines to the faucet way up in the top of the tower. There has got to be a way (of course).
Anyway, I can wait two weeks or so for hardening. I’m behind on my brewing!
Well, I’m just guessing, but - sanitary is not sterilized. So there will be some residual microbes in the keg that could potentially grow on any residue left in the keg, including broken down starsan. But like I said, I’m just guessing that’s what he meant, and I’ve never tested it.
Of all the consumables in brewing, plastic tubing one of the cheapest. Replace if there is any question and get back to the reason you home brew, enjoy not worry.
I always keep a keg of star san (mixed using RO water) around. When I need to use a little, I put just enough pressure in the keg to be able to dispense with a picnic tap. Very handy. When I am ready to fill a keg with beer, I use a jumper to push the star san into another clean keg and use the just emptied star san keg for the beer. This way I always have a purged freshly sanitized keg ready to use.
That’s a great method Wayne, because then your keg is full of CO2 and not much else. I guess there could be a little air in it depending on how full it started, but I like it. Thanks for the tip.
I’m a little disappointed in this thread and feel like some of this might be misinformation. I keep a keg full of starsan around, just like wayne, and have never had any problem with sterility. I also don’t see how it’s possible that a keg sanitized and full of starsan could ‘become unsanitary’, even if the starsan lost some of its sanitizing power over time. No air or anything else would be getting into the sealed keg, so it seems like the environment would have to remain sanitary. besides, starsan sanitizes based on its acidity correct? I’m not sure what would cause the ph of the solution to change…
Also, I have stored “empty” cleaned keg lines full of star san ever since I started kegging. Routine is, fill a keg with hot PBW solution, run it through the lines, let it sit a day, then run a fair amount of starsan through them to ‘rinse’ them out, then hang the lines full of starsan to dry. I’ve never noticed any ‘gumminess’ or off flavors with any of my kegged beer being run through these lines. could you please somehow substantiate the claim that starsan breaks down beer line? I’m using http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=151 - pretty standard afaik.
When the Tubercle started brewing 20+ years ago he was worried where he could find some SCUBA gear so he wouldn’t breathe his nasty breath in the same room as the wort because he read all the crazy warnings. I’m telling you now; understand the difference between clean, sanitary, and sterilized. Learn and understand these concepts.
Clean - no visible residue
Sanitary - bad bugs below a level to do any harm
Sterilized - don’t worry about it because you can’t afford it.
Just simply clean and store your equipment dry after use. Sanitize with a one minute or so contact with star-san or your choice of sanitizer before use as long as it ain’t Clorox. A keg or hose that has been cleaned and stored full of star-san is no more sanitary than the same that has been cleaned and stored dry and sanitized right before use.
Enjoy your craft and spend sleepless nights thinking about your next recipe.
If storing a hose in star-san causes you concern then the simplest solution (pun intended) is not to do it. CLEAN it with running water after use and hang it up to dry. Run some star-san through it before the next use and you’re set. Same with a keg or any other equipment.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. :) First, we were referring to empty kegs that had been sanitized becoming unsanitary, not kegs full of starsan. Second, I am just reporting what someone from 5-star said in an interview. It doesn’t bother me if you don’t believe it, and if it works for you then great. The only evidence is what the manufacturer claims.
As for starsan breaking down beer lines - really the easiest way to substantiate it is to throw a chunk of line in a bucket of starsan for a couple of weeks and see for yourself. Maybe you haven’t noticed it because it’s not an issue with the small quantity that actually fills a line, as I suggested. Or maybe because it is gummy on the inside, and you don’t actually touch the inside of the line. It’s probably one or the other of those things, and seriously, I’m glad it’s not a problem for you. But a line in a bucket gets gummy, and that’s been a problem for me in the past.
I’m not trying to troll or anything, I’m just trying to think the claim through using the science/logic behind it all because it really doesn’t make sense to me at first thought. And of course, given I do exactly that, I’d definitely want to change how I do things if it’s indeed true that there’s a problem. I’ve searched a little for the interview but no luck, you wouldn’t happen to have a link would you?
I’ve noticed this with thin PVC tubing I use for racking and stuff. after a few weeks sitting in a bucket of starsan (don’t ask) my tubing has gone a bit milky and sort of feels a little gummy, but I’m not really sure of the science of it all, or what’s happening. Anyone smarter than me care to explain? In any case, with the beer line I use, I don’t notice any of the milkiness or anything, everything stays crystal clear (and also sits for months at a time), so I’m assuming it’s not doing the same strange gummy thing - but you’re right, I’m not opening up my tubes or touching the inside. again, hoping someone smarter than me can explain potential problems - but as far as I can tell it sort of seems ok?
My speculation is that once you remove the starsan there is an opportunity for things to grow. This makes sense from a strictly “what is possible” point of view, but from a “what is likely” point of view it is probably not anything to worry about. A lot of people do what you’re doing without any contamination problems.
The starsan is acidic enough to slowly dissolve the tube. The beer line that I use is 3/16" pvc from morebeer (http://morebeer.com/view_product/16367//Beer_Tubing_3_16"_ID_Roll_of_100) Maybe the line you get isn’t pvc, the website doesn’t say. Either way, if it isn’t a problem for you don’t worry about it.
Just for clarity I should also point out that I am sure that when he said that he meant that is the case with any product you might use, and not something peculiar to starsan. Sorry if it seemed like I was saying something different.
