Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone  (Read 7367 times)

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« on: January 16, 2010, 07:46:40 pm »
I have an Oxygenator that I'm using for the first time tonight.  The instructions recommend boiling the stone and letting cool and sanitizing the hose separately.  Is that right?  Before I read that I was going to drop the stone into the Star San along with the hose.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline tom

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1109
  • Denver, CO
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2010, 08:44:15 pm »
StarSan works fine too.
Brew on

Offline Kaiser

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1797
  • Imperial Brewing Geek
    • braukaiser.com
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2010, 10:15:02 pm »
The problem with the stone is that it is full of crevases where stuff can grow that StarSan can't reach. Boiling is the only safe way to sanitize it.

This being said, I keep my oxygen wand and stone in StarSan for a long time before using it. But I do wonder how much infection potential comes from the stone.

Kai

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2010, 12:25:11 am »
I ended up just using StarSan.  It was the first use and was in the packaging up until tonight so hopefully I didn't infect my brew.  I guess going forward I'll boil it. 
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2010, 06:36:03 am »
Mine is stored in bucket of Star San.

It gets boiled once or twice a year.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline ndcube

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 612
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2010, 11:16:06 am »
I boil after every use in distilled water to remove wort and kill the unwanted.

I pour off the water and heat until dry in the pan, cool and store in a zip lock bag.

I rinse in Star San before I use it.

Offline dhacker

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 684
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2010, 12:07:43 pm »
I boil after every use in distilled water to remove wort and kill the unwanted.

I pour off the water and heat until dry in the pan, cool and store in a zip lock bag.

I rinse in Star San before I use it.

That, my friend, is the most anal sanitizing I've ever heard!  :D ;)
Just brew it...

Offline ndcube

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 612
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2010, 12:14:31 pm »
I boil after every use in distilled water to remove wort and kill the unwanted.

I pour off the water and heat until dry in the pan, cool and store in a zip lock bag.

I rinse in Star San before I use it.

That, my friend, is the most anal sanitizing I've ever heard!  :D ;)

Actually, it's more to keep the stupid stone from clogging than anything.  I have a half micron which barely bubbles like it first did (which may be due in part to the low pressure of the HD O2 bottles).  I use a 2 micron now and want to make sure it doesn't get plugged.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2010, 07:15:08 am »
I'm sure the first time out it probably didn't even need sanitizing. But you do want to boil them in the future. I have the wand and sometimes I put it in the oven at 350 for an hour or so as well.

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2010, 10:07:10 am »
Yeah, based on the advice here I boiled it after I was done with it and dropped it into a jar filled was Star San to store it.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline mr_jeffers

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Saco, ME
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2010, 09:21:37 pm »
Sorry to revive a dead thread, but that seemed better than starting a new one.

I've recently upgraded from the "shake the hell out of the carboy" method, to the more reliable oxygen injection using a 2 micron diffusion stone.  I'm a little paranoid about clogging it though.  I've seen some posts either here or on techtalk about how to clean them when they get clogged, but can't seem to find them now.  Any suggestions?
Jeff Brown
Southern Maine Homebrewers

Offline Kaiser

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1797
  • Imperial Brewing Geek
    • braukaiser.com
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2010, 09:41:09 pm »
I've seen some posts either here or on techtalk about how to clean them when they get clogged, but can't seem to find them now.  Any suggestions?

PBW or dishwasher soap always seemed to do the trick in my case. I use a syringe to push and pull the cleaning solution through the stone.

Kai

Offline bearcat

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 34
Re: Sanitzing SS Diffusion Stone
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2010, 08:19:56 am »
Sorry to revive a dead thread, but that seemed better than starting a new one.

  I've seen some posts either here or on techtalk about how to clean them when they get clogged, but can't seem to find them now.  Any suggestions?

my routine is to pressure cook the stone with my plate chiller along with a couple jars of 3rd runnings for later starters after each brew for 15-20min at 15psi.   I started throwing the stone in the pressure cooker after I read that starsan may not kill everything the stone soaks up from being in the previous wort.

that will kill all the nasties for sure.