Disinfecting a lee stirrer

[Xlev]

Hi guys

Im making a chardonnay and are aging sur lie.I use a lee stirrer but I find it cumbersome to desinfect it each time before stirring. So far I have filled a PET carboy all the way up with starsan and dipped it inside before each stirring. I read that the starsan solution should be changed once a month which means I have to bring the heavy carboy from the basement and make a new solution,which is heavy and I go through a lot of starsan.I am also worried that Im adding too much acid each time I do it since I dont rinse it.I am wondering what do the others do,is there a better way that is as good or good enough?

I was also considering a magnetic stirrer (making only 6gal at a time in glass carboys).

Any tips?

 

[BarrelMonkey]

I just rinse mine in water and spray with 70% ethanol. Vodka works in a pinch if you can't find high proof ethanol. Or maybe make a little spray bottle with Starsan? You could also spray K-meta, though I wouldn't keep that in the spray bottle, it will eventually erode/clog the mechanism.

I wouldn't worry about adding too much acid with a Starsan rinse, it's negligible compared to your volume of wine.

 

[BigDaveK]

I make 1-gallon and 3-gallon batches. I put the container on a lazy Susan and spin, 30 seconds or less is all it takes. Never have to open.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Wine is a preservative solution, you could wipe or spray the mixer down with wine on a cloth. , , , Your main quality risks are from chemical oxidation (opening letting O2 in)

I clean my repetitive equipment as plastic tubing by running water through and air drying, before the next use I will siphon some metabisulphite sanitizer through, I do not worry about drops of contrasting liquid. If tubing gets dirty (elderberry gunk) I replace it. , , , , Your stirrer can have similar treatment, after use wash off any solids with water/ water with a cleaner as powder brewery wash. You can reach all parts therefore if there is soil I would brush it with a tooth brush. > Store dry. > Before use you could wipe the SS rod with star San or metabisulphite. , , , The head with blades, I would insert in a one liter plastic pasta sauce bottle > add 50 ml of sanitizer > drill a hole in a cover then run the rod through the cover > finally shake the head with blades in the sanitizer solution.

Wine has solids in it which buffer the pH. You will not be able to measure a change in pH with a home pH meter if you have 1ml of drops of star san adhering to the mixer. If you did this test with distilled water (no solids) you would need a research grade (0.001 accuracy) pH meter to measure the pH change from the drops on the mixer.

 

[Raptor99]

I keep some Starsan in a spray bottle, and use that to spray down things like my stirrer. Starsan is a contact sanitizer, so if you get it wet with Startan and wait a minute or two it will be sanitized.

 

[Xlev]

Excellent thanks for all your great suggestions,I will give it a go and ditch the 6gal carboy for sanitizing the rod

 

[NorCal]

I too keep a spray bottle of Starsan for such occasions.

 

[winemaker81]

Supposedly if the pH of StarSan is 2.9 or lower, it's still good. [If I have the pH wrong, please correct me.]

 

[wineview]

Supposedly if the pH of StarSan is 2.9 or lower, it's still good. [If I have the pH wrong, please correct me.]

You are correct. Any reading below 3.0.

 

[wineview]

I have a bottle of kmeta and StarSan solution on hand at all times.

 

[Jim Welch]

... I read that the starsan solution should be changed once a month ...

Unless one has a commercial operation most if not all of the boiler plate recommendations can be judiciously ignored in my experience. Star San, properly mixed and stored, is very stable provided it is made with purest water available, i.e. Distilled water for me. I've had 4 year old jugs that were still at or below 2.8 ph and crystal clear.
Now if you have a commercial operation its best to just use it within 30 minutes of mixing, as they recommend.