Star San

[ipaguy]

I use soft water for starsan. It works great & lasts a long time. Our hard water is high alkaline. CaCO3 = 236 and PH is 7.6.  I need to have Ward Labs test our soft water.  Cheers!!!

High pH is not good for StarSan.  The way the stuff works, at pH under 3.5 it kills bacteria deader-than-dead in around 30 sec.  When the pH goes above 3.5, it turns pretty much harmless.  So, you don't want really alkaline water, or a lot of PBW residue left around, etc.  The inventor of the stuff mentioned that you can acidify your water with a little white vinegar to make sure the StarSan doesn't get deactivated.  There was a really good episode of the Brewing Network where they interviewed the inventor & president of the company (Five Star).  Check the archive and look for 'Sanitation Show'.  I think it was a couple years back.  Edit: Date of the show was 3/18/2006. A must-listen.

[richardt]

I've heard of using phosphoric acid to "acidify" the StarSan solution.

5% Acetate (vinegar) does have a pH around 2.4, but I wonder whether it would be the ideal acid to use given that we want to use the StarSan solution as a "no rinse" sanitizer.  Most beer styles we attempt to brew would get dinged for any "vinegar" or "acetic" aromas or flavor.

[ipaguy]

I've heard of using phosphoric acid to "acidify" the StarSan solution.

5% Acetate (vinegar) does have a pH around 2.4, but I wonder whether it would be the ideal acid to use given that we want to use the StarSan solution as a "no rinse" sanitizer.  Most beer styles we attempt to brew would get dinged for any "vinegar" or "acetic" aromas or flavor.

If you already have phosphoric acid around (like for sparge water acidification) I think that would be the ideal way to go, seeing as that's what they use in the formula in the first place.  I brought up the vinegar because the guy from 5 star mentioned it.  He also said that the cloudiness you get from hard water is a product of the surfactant reacting with magnesium in the water.

[hamiltont]

I use soft water for starsan. It works great & lasts a long time. Our hard water is high alkaline. CaCO3 = 236 and PH is 7.6.  I need to have Ward Labs test our soft water.  Cheers!!!

High pH is not good for StarSan.  The way the stuff works, at pH under 3.5 it kills bacteria deader-than-dead in around 30 sec.  When the pH goes above 3.5, it turns pretty much harmless.  So, you don't want really alkaline water, or a lot of PBW residue left around, etc.  The inventor of the stuff mentioned that you can acidify your water with a little white vinegar to make sure the StarSan doesn't get deactivated.  There was a really good episode of the Brewing Network where they interviewed the inventor & president of the company (Five Star).  Check the archive and look for 'Sanitation Show'.  I think it was a couple years back.  Edit: Date of the show was 3/18/2006. A must-listen.

That's correct.  Our soft water PH is lower.  After sitting in a container for 6 months the PH is still below 3 and the solution remains crystal clear.  Cheers!!!

[gmac]

Would Star Sa hurt an aluminum pot?  I have to bottle a batch of beer and I don't have a good 5 gal pail to put the sugar into and so I wondered if I could just clean my aluminum pot that I use to boil the wort and sterilize it.  Any thoughts about using Star San for this?  Will it react in any way?

[jeffy]

Would Star Sa hurt an aluminum pot?  I have to bottle a batch of beer and I don't have a good 5 gal pail to put the sugar into and so I wondered if I could just clean my aluminum pot that I use to boil the wort and sterilize it.  Any thoughts about using Star San for this?  Will it react in any way?

Boiling water in it will do the same thing.

[denny]

I think I've heard of negative effects of StarSan on AL, but I can't find anything now.  To be safe, I'd email the manufacturer.  They've always been responsive and helpful when I had a question.

[uintafly]

Does anyone know if it has any negative effects on copper? Can I dip my wort chiller into a bucket of it to sanitize it, or will this cause issue with the metal?

[gmac]

Boiling water in it will do the same thing.

I thought about that but wasn't sure if it would get all the way to the top and I don't want to have to bring 6 gals to a boil.  I suppose if I put the lid on and put an inch or so in the bottom and let it steam for a few minutes it would be fine.  I'm probably over-thinking it.  Even thought of just passing the propane torch over it for a second.  Should do it too.

Thanks

[jeffy]

Boiling water in it will do the same thing.

I thought about that but wasn't sure if it would get all the way to the top and I don't want to have to bring 6 gals to a boil.  I suppose if I put the lid on and put an inch or so in the bottom and let it steam for a few minutes it would be fine.  I'm probably over-thinking it.  Even thought of just passing the propane torch over it for a second.  Should do it too.

Thanks

No, I think you're on the right track.  Put an inch of water in, cover it and let it steam for several minutes.  That's a step better than pasteurizing.

[Malticulous]

Does anyone know if it has any negative effects on copper? Can I dip my wort chiller into a bucket of it to sanitize it, or will this cause issue with the metal?

I've read that cleaning a IC with it will return it to new color. I like the patina on my ICs.

I just buy a gallon of distilled water and put 6 ml Starsan into it and to in my spray bottle.  If I need large amounts of a sanitizer I use Iodophor. There are times that the foam causes me problems.

[euge]

I'll usually clean my copper IC with starsan before it goes in the brewkettle because it goes in at flameout. No problems so far.

[hamiltont]

I'll usually clean my copper IC with starsan before it goes in the brewkettle because it goes in at flameout. No problems so far.

Same here. I have a tank sprayer full of starsan for the big jobs like an IC.

[denny]

Does anyone know if it has any negative effects on copper? Can I dip my wort chiller into a bucket of it to sanitize it, or will this cause issue with the metal?

Nope, that's fine.  But why not sanitize it by putting it into the boiling wort?

[Steve]

"Prepare a dilution of 1 oz. Star San/5 gallons of tap water."