UPDATE: Starsan Effectiveness in Brewing

[beersk]

@denny

@hopfenundmalz

@charles1968

I use Stars an for yeast washing and the yeast works fine afterwards, so clearly it doesn’t kill yeast very effectively.

As was pointed out by Mark, a search on the Internet shows that many do this.

My own experience was that a couple kegs would go to Brett flavor and aroma after a while. Using Iodophor rather than SS to sanitize fixed that.

I’ve gone back to using Iodophor 90% of the time.

Is your post boil equipment that unclean that you’re worried about it? I suppose if you have spot that you don’t know about in your transfer tubing that could harbor bacteria, the Iodophor would be a better option for that.

[ynotbrusum]

@beersk

@denny

@hopfenundmalz

@charles1968

I use Stars an for yeast washing and the yeast works fine afterwards, so clearly it doesn’t kill yeast very effectively.

As was pointed out by Mark, a search on the Internet shows that many do this.

My own experience was that a couple kegs would go to Brett flavor and aroma after a while. Using Iodophor rather than SS to sanitize fixed that.

I’ve gone back to using Iodophor 90% of the time.

Is your post boil equipment that unclean that you’re worried about it? I suppose if you have spot that you don’t know about in your transfer tubing that could harbor bacteria, the Iodophor would be a better option for that.

Any number of hard to reach places - say a poppet valve on a keg that had Flanders Red in it for a year or the rear seal in a kegerator faucet that dispensed a sour or brett beer.  Before I return those to un-soured use, I want a little better assurance of no lingering microbes.

[pmorrissette (Phil_M)]

Honestly, the biggest reason I now use Iodophor most of the time is that it’s just easier to use. It’s easy to make a fresh 1.5 gallon batch  for sanitizing a keg or something simple. The color tells you the effectiveness, no need for pH strips like that old bucket of star san.

I still use star san though, and it has an important place in my brewery. But yeast starter vessels/fermenters/kegs all get iodophor.

[skatz (Stevie)]

Honestly, the biggest reason I now use Iodophor most of the time is that it’s just easier to use. It’s easy to make a fresh 1.5 gallon batch  for sanitizing a keg or something simple. The color tells you the effectiveness, no need for pH strips like that old bucket of star san.

I still use star san though, and it has an important place in my brewery. But yeast starter vessels/fermenters/kegs all get iodophor.

Pretty much the same, but fermenters are only every few batches unless I need iodophor for some other task.

[pmorrissette (Phil_M)]

Honestly, the biggest reason I now use Iodophor most of the time is that it’s just easier to use. It’s easy to make a fresh 1.5 gallon batch  for sanitizing a keg or something simple. The color tells you the effectiveness, no need for pH strips like that old bucket of star san.

I still use star san though, and it has an important place in my brewery. But yeast starter vessels/fermenters/kegs all get iodophor.

Pretty much the same, but fermenters are only every few batches unless I need iodophor for some other task.

I’ve got one of those Mark’s Keg Washers. Really easy to dump a gallon of iodophor in it, then sanitize a carboy. Let it sit and airdry on the washer a few minutes, then remove and cap with aluminum foil.

Which was my same procedure with star san, but then I’d have to try and pour it all back into the bucket…which is a smaller target than the kitchen sink…

[skatz (Stevie)]

I have a five gallon bucket of starsan on hand at all times. It’s refreshed every few months, so I have faith in its effectiveness (as much as one can).

I add a gallon and shake to make foam. I then flip and store upside down while the foam settles and the liquid keeps the mouth sanitized similar to how water coolers work.

I mix my iodophor as need at 12.5ppm (1.5ml/2qt). I use this for my yeast jars and sanitizing starter vessels. There are days where i keg and save yeast while brewing. When I do this I use he iodophor in the fermenter.

[danpixley]

Anyone who brews with Brettanomyces or even saison yeast (diastaticus) using the same equipment knows that StarSan kills yeast.