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Author Topic: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount  (Read 2671 times)

Offline Steve Ruch

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Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« on: July 11, 2018, 03:24:13 pm »
Can I use a weaker solution than reccomended on the package? (2 ozs. per 1-2 gallons of water.)
I'm on a pretty tight budget and this stuff is spendy.
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Offline flars

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2018, 03:31:31 pm »
I always use less for cleaning bottles and carboys.  I'm not afraid to let the bottles soak until I get around to jet rinsing them nor using a carboy brush to make sure the carboys are clean.  i don't spend more dollars than necessary either.  Clean is clean.

Offline denny

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2018, 03:40:49 pm »
Steve, experiment to see how much works for you...start small and work up if you need to.  I use maybe 3 scoops for one of my 5 gal. buckets.
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Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2018, 03:45:23 pm »
Steve, experiment to see how much works for you...start small and work up if you need to.  I use maybe 3 scoops for one of my 5 gal. buckets.
How much is that ounce wise? I got several 2 ounce packets at homebrewcon.
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Offline Robert

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2018, 04:00:22 pm »
Remember, for any chemical cleaner (not sanitizer of course) effectiveness is the product of three factors:  concentration, time, and temperature.  Reducing one element in the triangle can be compensated by increasing one or both of the others.  I rarely use ABW,  PBW or the like at recommended strength.  I mix hot, and soak as long as it takes to get stuff clean.  The only place I might follow the directions, just to be safe, is in draught lines or other CIP applications where I can't see what's going on.  Don't waste your money.  And if it doesn't seem to be doing the job, you can always add another scoop later.

Steve, experiment to see how much works for you...start small and work up if you need to.  I use maybe 3 scoops for one of my 5 gal. buckets.
How much is that ounce wise? I got several 2 ounce packets at homebrewcon.
I just checked, the scoop that comes with ABW is 1 Tbs/0.5 oz.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 04:17:49 pm by Robert »
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2018, 07:26:04 pm »
I use 1 tbsp (1/2 fl oz) per gal for general cleaning/soaking and it works very well. IIRC that's a quarter the recommended dosage.

An overnight soak with that solution brought some disturbing-looking deposits out of my chiller when I used it for the first time.
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Offline Robert

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2018, 07:43:38 pm »
I use 1 tbsp (1/2 fl oz) per gal for general cleaning/soaking and it works very well. IIRC that's a quarter the recommended dosage.

An overnight soak with that solution brought some disturbing-looking deposits out of my chiller when I used it for the first time.
Overdoing it (any alkaline wash) on copper has disturbing effects indeed -- there was reference to this just a few days ago on the forum, and, ironically, that reminded me to give my IC a good cleaning, with the same result.  ::)  But no worries.  I likewise overdid the follow-up acid, and it's never looked prettier since I built it.  :)  Again, concentration, temperature, time.  BTW 1 Tbs/gal is also my default.  Looks like Denny goes way more dilute, I'll have to try that.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 07:49:28 pm by Robert »
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2018, 08:01:12 pm »
Overdoing it (any alkaline wash) on copper has disturbing effects indeed

I don't think it was over-exposure, it broke up when handled so I'm pretty sure it was bits of hop material that had been held up in some kind of biofilm the PBW couldn't handle. :o
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Offline Robert

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2018, 08:20:40 pm »
Overdoing it (any alkaline wash) on copper has disturbing effects indeed

I don't think it was over-exposure, it broke up when handled so I'm pretty sure it was bits of hop material that had been held up in some kind of biofilm the PBW couldn't handle. :o
Eeeww.   So glad I have an IC I can see the "business" surface of.  But that's why I don't like to shave pennies on CIP applications.
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2018, 09:01:01 pm »
Eeeww.   So glad I have an IC I can see the "business" surface of.  But that's why I don't like to shave pennies on CIP applications.

A new chiller is definitely next up and I'll go stainless. For now I'm limping along with my 3/8" copper and garden hose model from maybe 12 years ago.

And then a stainless head for the March and I'll be all-stainless (except for the impeller, nothing you can do about that)... Someday. The pennies add up.
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Offline denny

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2018, 08:51:48 am »
Steve, experiment to see how much works for you...start small and work up if you need to.  I use maybe 3 scoops for one of my 5 gal. buckets.
How much is that ounce wise? I got several 2 ounce packets at homebrewcon.

Sorry, no idea.
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Offline James K

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2018, 10:05:43 am »
Another way to reduce cost is to buy in bulk. I used to buy 1lb at a time when I was starting off, then 4lbs, now 8lbs. Maybe one day I will work up to 50lbs. I also shop those chemicals on amazon because they are widely used.
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Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2018, 11:53:49 am »


[/quote]
I just checked, the scoop that comes with ABW is 1 Tbs/0.5 oz.
[/quote]
Cool, that makes the amount Denny recommends a little less than the two ounce packs I snagged at homebrewcon.
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Offline chumley

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2018, 05:42:02 pm »
Back in the day 15-20 years ago, if this question was posted on the B&V, a poster with the handle of "Brewer with a Thick Wallet" would have replied.....

Oh, you already know the answer.

Offline denny

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Re: Craftmeister alkaline brewery wash amount
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2018, 09:07:59 am »
Back in the day 15-20 years ago, if this question was posted on the B&V, a poster with the handle of "Brewer with a Thick Wallet" would have replied.....

Oh, you already know the answer.

Thank God things change....
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell