# First time using Star San



## bakervinyard (Jan 8, 2013)

Using Star San for the first time. I'm getting ready to bottle 180- 187ml. of wine for my daughters wedding. I won't be able to sanitize all in one day. My question is can I leave the Star San solution in a air tight bucket for a couple of days or should I toss it out after each use. Thanks in advance . Bakervinyard


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## RegionRat (Jan 8, 2013)

Relax. I have been using _Star San_ for over a year now. I had the same concerns as you. I did some research and asked at my local wine supply shop. It lasts a while.... When you see it start to get milky pore it out and mix a new batch. I mix it in a 2 gallon spouted thermos like the one pictured and just use it daily as needed. I mix it a little stronger then recommended. Cuz it is a 2 gal container I mix as if it was a 2 1/2 gal batch. You know, the line on the little mix deal-spout.


RR


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## TonyP (Jan 9, 2013)

bakervinyard said:


> Using Star San for the first time. I'm getting ready to bottle 180- 187ml. of wine for my daughters wedding. I won't be able to sanitize all in one day. My question is can I leave the Star San solution in a air tight bucket for a couple of days or should I toss it out after each use. Thanks in advance . Bakervinyard



Star San solution lasts over a year. Many wine makers (myself included) keep Star San solution in a spray bottle (which isn't completely air tight) to spritz on everything during sanitizing. I am somewhat concerned, though, about your process. Is that you're bottling daily or sanitizing daily to bottle afterward? If it's the later, equipment can become infected, so use the spray bottle and spray everything again before use. Note that Star San kills microbes in about 30 seconds.

FYI, I have an article on Cleaning and Sanitizing in the Articles section.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jan 9, 2013)

Watch over using Starsan as it is an acid based sanitizer and will change the pH of your wine slightly. Let it drain well before using. I prefer using KMeta for sanitizing my wine making equipment.


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## JohnT (Jan 9, 2013)

Agree with WS. This is why i tend to not use it. 

Are these bottles new? If so, then simply wash them with hot water, then treat each bottle with som k-meta solution.


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## TonyP (Jan 9, 2013)

I don't think the PH variance is a big deal, although I know some do. However, John highlights a point I missed as I didn't realize you're sanitizing 180 bottles. For sanitizing bottles, I always go with k-meta. It's very easy to spray some in each bottle and let it go to work. The k-meta creates SO2 that sanitizes the bottles in approx 6 minutes. Leave the bottles upright so the SO2 doesn't get out. Star San has a tendency to foam up, especially in bottles. This makes draining a nuisance and could result in a PH impact.


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## robie (Jan 9, 2013)

I use StarSan mainly in the spray bottle and love it. However, I always rinse after using it; I know this practice is controversial, though. I use it mainly for sanitizing things like the thief, hydrometer, spoon, ..etc. I sanitize carboys, fermenters, and bottles using a Kmeta solution.

I make up a gallon at a time. It doesn't ever have a chance to get old.


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## bakervinyard (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks everybody for the quick responses. My future son-in-law uses Star San, I normally use K-Meta. Think I'll stick with K-Meta. Using new bottles and will do a spritz in them . Thanks again. Bakervinyard


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## robie (Jan 9, 2013)

bakervinyard said:


> Thanks everybody for the quick responses. My future son-in-law uses Star San, I normally use K-Meta. Think I'll stick with K-Meta. Using new bottles and will do a spritz in them . Thanks again. Bakervinyard



I use StarSan to sanitize things like spoons, hydrometers, hoses, thieves, ..etc. Things that can't easily be placed inside a closed container to be sanitized with the fumes of Kmeta.

I sanitize carboy, buckets, and bottles always with Kmeta.

I keep a spray bottle and a gallon jug of both Kmeta and StarSan in my wine making area. I can't image not having both types of sanitizers.


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## derunner (Jan 9, 2013)

TonyP said:


> I don't think the PH variance is a big deal, although I know some do. However, John highlights a point I missed as I didn't realize you're sanitizing 180 bottles. For sanitizing bottles, I always go with k-meta. It's very easy to spray some in each bottle and let it go to work. The k-meta creates SO2 that sanitizes the bottles in approx 6 minutes. Leave the bottles upright so the SO2 doesn't get out. Star San has a tendency to foam up, especially in bottles. This makes draining a nuisance and could result in a PH impact.



Tony, what doyou mean by leaving the bottles upright? Is it not sufficient to spritz the bottle tree with k-meta, and then use a vintonator to pump 2-3 squrts inside the cleaned/rinsed bottle? Wouldn't the bottle dripping on the bottle tree upside down have plenty of so2 for 6 mins to sterlize? It would take hours to dry out maintaining so2 gas?


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## TonyP (Jan 10, 2013)

derunner said:


> Tony, what doyou mean by leaving the bottles upright? Is it not sufficient to spritz the bottle tree with k-meta, and then use a vintonator to pump 2-3 squrts inside the cleaned/rinsed bottle? Wouldn't the bottle dripping on the bottle tree upside down have plenty of so2 for 6 mins to sterlize? It would take hours to dry out maintaining so2 gas?



I see what you're saying and that I wasn't clear when I said I keep the bottles upright. I should have said I keep the bottles upright for a while.

I'll admit I'm possibly more concerned about cleaning and sanitizing than some, so I may go overboard. However, I know SO2 is more than twice as dense as air so it will not stay in an upside down bottle. How long it stays is anybody's guess. When I bottle, cleaning and sanitizing them is the first thing I do. I use a sulfiter to sanitize the bottles and keep them upright while I finish the rest of my preparation. I do drain the bottles at some point after I'm satisfied the bottles are sanitized, although I'm not concerned about a small amount of residual k-meta in the bottles.

FYI, I mentioned in a forum post a few months ago that I got sick from inhaling all the SO2 released from the bottles at the same time in a confined area.


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