40 replies to this topic

[RommelMagic]

Yeah, I've had Star San dry my hands out pretty good too. Iodophor too though. They just seem to suck the moisture right out of your skin.

[gnef]

I only notice it when I use it with my hands constantly immersed. I guess we all have different sensitivities to it.I will use a batch of star san for months on end until it becomes too discolored. I do check the pH to make sure I am acidic enough. I bought a 32oz bottle of star san a few years ago, and I haven't even used half of it yet, so I would say it is exceptionally cheap to use.

[CaptRon]

I have. Back before I stopped sanitizing caps, I was bottling a batch and the caps were soaking in StarSan. So for every bottle I had to reach in with my left hand, pull out a cap and place it on the bottle before I crimped it. The next day my left hand was very dry and the skin was peeling. Ever since then I've worn gloves when handling StarSan or (these days) SaniClean.

When you used to sanitize your caps? You don't sanitize them any more?

[CarlosM]

When you used to sanitize your caps? You don't sanitize them any more?

probably kegs like most smart people do.

[MtnBrewer]

When you used to sanitize your caps? You don't sanitize them any more?

No, CJ and some other brewers convinced me that there's no need to sanitize caps. I haven't done that in 5 or 6 years. And yeah, I do keg mostly but when I bottle with caps I don't bother to sanitize them.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

No, CJ and some other brewers convinced me that there's no need to sanitize caps. I haven't done that in 5 or 6 years. And yeah, I do keg mostly but when I bottle with caps I don't bother to sanitize them.

so they slipped you some crazy pills? :lol:I don't see the harm in sanitizing them but I see plenty of potential harm in not sanitizing them.

[MtnBrewer]

so they slipped you some crazy pills? :lol:I don't see the harm in sanitizing them but I see plenty of potential harm in not sanitizing them.

There's no harm in sanitizing other than it's a small waste of time. I guess if I ever lost a batch (or even a bottle) then I'd change my tune but I think the risk is very minor. It's a lot harder to contaminate beer (particularly finished beer) than most people realize.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

There's no harm in sanitizing other than it's a small waste of time. I guess if I ever lost a batch (or even a bottle) then I'd change my tune but I think the risk is very minor. It's a lot harder to contaminate beer (particularly finished beer) than most people realize.

true - but I get all paranoid

[MtnBrewer]

true - but I get all paranoid

You're not alone. Brewers get it drilled into their head from day one that sanitation is deadly important. It gets to the point that brewers fear that if a single cell of wild yeast falls into their beer, it will get contaminated. There's a lot of juju when it comes to sanitation. I'm not saying that it's not important but that you don't have to brew in an operating room environment. Papazian's books have been pretty useless to me but if there's one thing to take away from them, it's that brewing is only as hard as you make it. There is some merit to RDWHAHB.

[CaptRon]

There is some merit to RDWHAHB.

May be. But I am completely out of HB. There will be no relaxing until I get a day to brew up some brew. It's been rough at the dogg's house for the last few months.

[MtnBrewer]

Maybe if you'd get off the pooper and into the brew shed....just sayin.

[CaptRon]

Maybe if you'd get off the pooper and into the brew shed....just sayin.

Only if that was the problem. My last brew session I ended up with about 5 gallons of water on my laminate floor in the kitchen. Floor-destroyed. Kitchen is pretty much remodeled now, but garage is a disaster area with all of the tools, and left over materials. I even have a new barley crusher and stainless false bottom that I haven't been able to use yet. Next brew day will be epic!

[gnef]

Just brew tonight!Seriously though, the more often you can brew, the less you have to worry about. I try to brew often enough that I don't have to worry about rushing a beer. I actually have the problem that I don't consume fast enough, and I am still making 10g batches for the value of it. I just keep storing more and more in kegs, they are waiting their turn on the kegerator (Maybe it is time to look into building another kegerator, or upgrading to more than 6 faucets?)

[ChefLamont]

Just brew tonight!Seriously though, the more often you can brew, the less you have to worry about. I try to brew often enough that I don't have to worry about rushing a beer. I actually have the problem that I don't consume fast enough, and I am still making 10g batches for the value of it. I just keep storing more and more in kegs, they are waiting their turn on the kegerator (Maybe it is time to look into building another kegerator, or upgrading to more than 6 faucets?)

Maybe you just need to invite people over to drink more......just sayin. :cheers:I buy starsan by the gallon from North Country when we do bulk grain buys. It is super cheap by the gal and that lasts a long time. Personally I am sensitive to the taste of iodine and REALLY don't like it. I tried iodophor when I first started brewing but even mixing up the solution to proper concentration, the smell kinda made me feel sick.

Edited by ChefLamont, 13 November 2009 - 04:30 AM.

[cj in j]

No, CJ and some other brewers convinced me that there's no need to sanitize caps. I haven't done that in 5 or 6 years. And yeah, I do keg mostly but when I bottle with caps I don't bother to sanitize them.

Yep, no need to sanitize caps. Just keep them clean in a bag so dust and crap doesn't fall on them and you'll be good to go. At the brewery, there's no way to sanitize our caps with our bottling machine -- we just load hundreds of caps in and go. We've never ever had a problem that way, and I expect we never will.But, as others have said, there's no harm in sanitizing them either -- other than Star San tends to be a bit slippery and when using that, I've had caps not seal properly.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Yep, no need to sanitize caps. Just keep them clean in a bag so dust and crap doesn't fall on them and you'll be good to go. At the brewery, there's no way to sanitize our caps with our bottling machine -- we just load hundreds of caps in and go. We've never ever had a problem that way, and I expect we never will.But, as others have said, there's no harm in sanitizing them either -- other than Star San tends to be a bit slippery and when using that, I've had caps not seal properly.

why would the slipperiness make them not seal properly?

[cj in j]

why would the slipperiness make them not seal properly?

Not really sure, but I had that problem for a while. When I used Iodophor, no problem. And then I stopped sanitizing, and that was even easier.

[boo boo]

I always add too much iodophor anyway. If you can see the tint, you're using too much. Just make it strong and don't worry about evaporation.

If you add too much idophor, aren't you taking away the no-rinse option?