[drmario47]

I usually use Star San to sanitize all of my brewing equipment. I keep it in a handy spray bottle mixed with distilled water. It stays effective for weeks.  Can the same be done with Iodaphor? I was just wondering because I see that in all breweries they use Iodaphor not Star San. Is their some logic to this?

[jimrod]

It is cheaper.. a lot cheaper.

[dbeechum]

Plus iodaphor has been around a lot longer in a few industries that need sanitation. So, iodaphor gets the sort of nod from the whole tried and true factor as well.

[Pinski]

I love StarSan and don't even think about Iodophor for my homebrewery. On the commercial scale StarSan would be a major expense and I don't imagine they would have as many "recyclable" opportunities as we do as homebrewers.

[morticaixavier]

I use idophor with great success. I do keep it in a spray bottle for a while. The thing with idophor is the active ingredients will evaporate so if the spray bottle is not full it can lose some effectiveness over time so I open the spray bottle up and give it a sniff before using it. If it still smells more or less like a swimming pool I figure all is well. but as others have said it's pretty cheap. I buy a big bottle for ~20.00 and it lasts for a year or more. Also it is effected by light so an opaque bottle is a good idea. that being said, at a cap full for 5 gallons I generally mix up a batch in my fermenting bucket at the begining of the brew day and transfer it from vessel to vessel as I work ( I vessel as I verk). When I am in need of a small amount I will mix up ~1/5 of a cap full to a jug of water and use that to sanitize my wine thief for samples, airlocks etc.

I also understand that eventually you will breed some bugs that are partially resistant to whatever sanitizing product you use and you will then have to switch. **knock on wood** this has not happened to me yet.

[davidgzach]

I'm a StarSan guy but it never hurts to save a few $.......

[Joe Sr.]

I keep both handy and alternate on an ad hoc basis.

[repo]

 

I use idophor with great success. I do keep it in a spray bottle for a while. The thing with idophor is the active ingredients will evaporate so if the spray bottle is not full it can lose some effectiveness over time so I open the spray bottle up and give it a sniff before using it. If it still smells more or less like a swimming pool I figure all is well. but as others have said it's pretty cheap. I buy a big bottle for ~20.00 and it lasts for a year or more. Also it is effected by light so an opaque bottle is a good idea. that being said, at a cap full for 5 gallons I generally mix up a batch in my fermenting bucket at the begining of the brew day and transfer it from vessel to vessel as I work ( I vessel as I verk). When I am in need of a small amount I will mix up ~1/5 of a cap full to a jug of water and use that to sanitize my wine thief for samples, airlocks etc.

I also understand that eventually you will breed some bugs that are partially resistant to whatever sanitizing product you use and you will then have to switch. **knock on wood** this has not happened to me yet.

Iodophor is "Odorless and Tasteless" It recomends a homebrew soplution of 1 tsp to 1 1/2 gallons. The bottle states that as long as sloution is amber color you have sufficient iodine present to sanatize. Make new solution daily or when color fades. Hard to do in opaque bottle. Chlorine is a big factor in its degradation. Light and air also take a toll. Big spender industries like dairy and hospitals use it.
Both are great no rinse sanitizers.

[morticaixavier]

I use idophor with great success. I do keep it in a spray bottle for a while. The thing with idophor is the active ingredients will evaporate so if the spray bottle is not full it can lose some effectiveness over time so I open the spray bottle up and give it a sniff before using it. If it still smells more or less like a swimming pool I figure all is well. but as others have said it's pretty cheap. I buy a big bottle for ~20.00 and it lasts for a year or more. Also it is effected by light so an opaque bottle is a good idea. that being said, at a cap full for 5 gallons I generally mix up a batch in my fermenting bucket at the begining of the brew day and transfer it from vessel to vessel as I work ( I vessel as I verk). When I am in need of a small amount I will mix up ~1/5 of a cap full to a jug of water and use that to sanitize my wine thief for samples, airlocks etc.

I also understand that eventually you will breed some bugs that are partially resistant to whatever sanitizing product you use and you will then have to switch. **knock on wood** this has not happened to me yet.

Iodophor is "Odorless and Tasteless" It recomends a homebrew soplution of 1 tsp to 1 1/2 gallons. The bottle states that as long as sloution is amber color you have sufficient iodine present to sanatize. Make new solution daily or when color fades. Hard to do in opaque bottle. Chlorine is a big factor in its degradation. Light and air also take a toll. Big spender industries like dairy and hospitals use it.
Both are great no rinse sanitizers.

That is demonstrably ( ) not true. unless, perhaps they are implying that since the odor is associated with the degredation and therefor doesn't count. I have not tasted it but it for sure has an odor.

[tschmidlin]

I think the problem with iodophor is most homebrewers mix it too strong and still think it is no rinse.  If that's you, I can taste it in your homebrew comp entries.

[repo]

 

I use idophor with great success. I do keep it in a spray bottle for a while. The thing with idophor is the active ingredients will evaporate so if the spray bottle is not full it can lose some effectiveness over time so I open the spray bottle up and give it a sniff before using it. If it still smells more or less like a swimming pool I figure all is well. but as others have said it's pretty cheap. I buy a big bottle for ~20.00 and it lasts for a year or more. Also it is effected by light so an opaque bottle is a good idea. that being said, at a cap full for 5 gallons I generally mix up a batch in my fermenting bucket at the begining of the brew day and transfer it from vessel to vessel as I work ( I vessel as I verk). When I am in need of a small amount I will mix up ~1/5 of a cap full to a jug of water and use that to sanitize my wine thief for samples, airlocks etc.

I also understand that eventually you will breed some bugs that are partially resistant to whatever sanitizing product you use and you will then have to switch. **knock on wood** this has not happened to me yet.

Iodophor is "Odorless and Tasteless" It recomends a homebrew soplution of 1 tsp to 1 1/2 gallons. The bottle states that as long as sloution is amber color you have sufficient iodine present to sanatize. Make new solution daily or when color fades. Hard to do in opaque bottle. Chlorine is a big factor in its degradation. Light and air also take a toll. Big spender industries like dairy and hospitals use it.
Both are great no rinse sanitizers.

That is demonstrably ( ) not true. unless, perhaps they are implying that since the odor is associated with the degredation and therefor doesn't count. I have not tasted it but it for sure has an odor.

I think the problem with iodophor is most homebrewers mix it too strong and still think it is no rinse.  If that's you, I can taste it in your homebrew comp entries.

Yes thats why I put that in "quotes". If you smell and drink friom the bottle it will have odors and tastes. They mean when properly used your bottles, carboys etc. will not have a taste or odor from iodophor

[Gribble]

+1 Your sanitizer should not look like ice tea, and even when mixed properly you can still taste and smell the iodophor.  I used to do a demonstration when teaching homebrew class tasting iodophor showing that it is safe and it does have a flavor.

[tschmidlin]

Yes thats why I put that in "quotes". If you smell and drink friom the bottle it will have odors and tastes. They mean when properly used your bottles, carboys etc. will not have a taste or odor from iodophor

I think you're right, that's what they mean.  "Used properly" seems to be harder for people with iodophor than with starsan though.

[morticaixavier]

Yes thats why I put that in "quotes". If you smell and drink friom the bottle it will have odors and tastes. They mean when properly used your bottles, carboys etc. will not have a taste or odor from iodophor

ahh that makes sense then. I guess I either have been using it correctly or have no ability to taste idophor in beer. I usually mix it so there is a visible tint to the water but if it's iced tea it's iced green tea and weak at that.

[repo]

Yes thats why I put that in "quotes". If you smell and drink friom the bottle it will have odors and tastes. They mean when properly used your bottles, carboys etc. will not have a taste or odor from iodophor

ahh that makes sense then. I guess I either have been using it correctly or have no ability to taste idophor in beer. I usually mix it so there is a visible tint to the water but if it's iced tea it's iced green tea and weak at that.

Yeah  I don't think you've over done it. Color is so subjective and the stuff stains making it hard to tell when reusing that vessel. They should give us an SRM to go by. I read that 2 capfuls is what they say fro 5 gallons to get the 12.5 ppm that sanitizes with 60 seconds contact time and no need to rinse.  Excessive contact time and too much iodophor added then requires a rinse, I think this is where people get into trouble, overdoing one or the other or both.