Non-foaming Star San?

[Brant]

A while back I came across a video of a company that developed a Star San like product that was specifically non-foaming (low foaming). It wasn't Saniclean or One-Step. It was specifically compared to Star San as an acid based sanitizer that worked just like it but didn't have the persistent foam like Star San does. The video showed comparisons between the two chemicals and it was indeed superior in less foam and what little foam was made quickly broke down.

I meant to write down the name but I cannot find it. I also cannot find it online (Google). Does anyone know what product I'm referring to?

 

[Brant]

I think it might be San-Step. Has anyone used this?

 

[Jim Welch]

I think it might be San-Step. Has anyone used this?

I haven’t but I “don’t fear the foam” as the saying goes. The relative minuscule amount of Star San that may remain after a good inverted draining has no perceptible affect on wine or beer in my experience. I use Star San to sanitize everything, couldn’t be happier with it tbh. Plus I have a large supply so am not inclined to try anything new for sanitizing.

 

[sour_grapes]

I am also in the "don't fear the foam" camp. Nonetheless, I would be happy to use the product that you found instead (San Step). San Step - LOGIC, Inc.

 

[Brant]

I am also in the "don't fear the foam" camp. Nonetheless, I would be happy to use the product that you found instead (San Step). San Step - LOGIC, Inc.

Let me know if you try it. I might order some when I order by Oxyfresh for my barrel.

 

[sour_grapes]

Let me know if you try it. I might order some when I order by Oxyfresh for my barrel.

Okay, but don't hold your breath! I have a large quantity of Star San on hand!

 

[Brant]

Okay, but don't hold your breath! I have a large quantity of Star San on hand!

Yeah, I have probably 5 yrs worth of star san but HATE the foam. I know it's nothing to worry about but it still bugs me for some reason. Plus it's impossible to use with my bottle washer and vacuum pump. The stuff is cheap enough I don't mind trying something new.

I clean everything well enough that kmeta does a fine job. @winemaker81 put my mind at ease on this. I'm a little ocd when it comes to sterilization. I will not quit using kmeta when racking and bottling. I'm really looking for a cheaper and less foamy alternative for bulk cleaning/sterilization (post racking/bottling) and also a product to use for cleaning used/donated/nasty bottles. I currently use oxyclean on used bottles but would like a sterilizer that I can use as a post rinse with my bottle washer. Up to this point I've been using kmeta for everything.

I like that I can make multiple gallons for pennies with star san. Kmeta in large volumes is definitely more expensive. If san step is just as good without the foam, it sounds like a winner. I'd love a cheap product that I can run through my bottle washer and not turn my kitchen into a foam party.

 

[Raptor99]

Has anyone else tried San Step? It might be worth a try.

 

[David Violante]

I use Star San and kmeta, and just started using Sani-Clean. It’s low foaming but requires a smidge more contact time (2-3 mins) than Star-San (wet 1min then air dry). Totally fine by me as I’m usually doing something else while I’m waiting. Here’s their website: Five Star Chemicals

 

[Brant]

I use Star San and kmeta, and just started using Sani-Clean. It’s low foaming but requires a smidge more contact time (2-3 mins) than Star-San (wet 1min then air dry). Totally fine by me as I’m usually doing something else while I’m waiting. Here’s their website: Five Star Chemicals

How do you like sani clean compared to Star San? Would it still foam up a lot if agitated like if ran through a bottle washer?

 

[David Violante]

I use mine in a bottle washer and it foams slightly but nothing like Star-San. I’ll try to find a picture.

 

[Mekpdue]

How do you like sani clean compared to Star San?

I use SaniClean. I've got 3/4 of a bottle of Star San on my shelf and an almost new bottle of SaniClean. I hate the suds and the sometimes present white film on top of my wine in a Carboy caused by Star San. That is after the carboy's were cleaned with PBW and rinsed and sanitized and dried. This occurred about 3 times until I figured out it was the Star San. I switched back to SaniClean and have had no issues (before and after the Star San experiment). The only thing I see is due to the SaniClean/Water mixture, you will use more product and the 'shelf-life' of the sanitizing solution once mixed isn't as long as Star San.

 

[JBP]

I use SaniClean. I've got 3/4 of a bottle of Star San on my shelf and an almost new bottle of SaniClean. I hate the suds and the sometimes present white film on top of my wine in a Carboy caused by Star San. That is after the carboy's were cleaned with PBW and rinsed and sanitized and dried. This occurred about 3 times until I figured out it was the Star San. I switched back to SaniClean and have had no issues (before and after the Star San experiment). The only thing I see is due to the SaniClean/Water mixture, you will use more product and the 'shelf-life' of the sanitizing solution once mixed isn't as long as Star San.

I have long had an unopened bottle of SaniClean and mixed some up today for the day's work based on this thread. Thoughts on what the expected shelf life is? Testing based on pH?

 

[David Violante]

The picture I posted about what I was doing with the sanitizing actually had saniclean in it… see below…

 

[Mekpdue]

Thoughts on what the expected shelf life is?

Sorry I missed your question. In mixing the Saniclean as long as the PH is below 3, it is still good. Once mixed, the sanitizer is good for up to 3 weeks or I swap it out if I'm doing heavy sanitizing...4 plus Carboys, 60 bottles, and equipment, and buckets. Shelf life of the product? That is a good question, I've seen some sites say up to 10 years...but since it's there, just mix with water, check the ph, and if it is below 3, use away.

 

[Brant]

Does saniclean require rinsing or not? I keep seeing mixed answers to this question online.

 

[Mekpdue]

Does saniclean require rinsing or not? I keep seeing mixed answers to this question online.

I do not rinse. Some people do, but the process is the same whether in Food Service in a 5 Star restaurant or home vinting up some wine. Wash (I use PBW in my Carboys and Fermentation Buckets), Rinse well, then Sanitize. I then let equipment air dry.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

I hate the suds and the sometimes present white film on top of my wine in a Carboy caused by Star San.

Is that white residue maybe due to hard water? I use Starsan (amongst other things) and I've noticed white precipitates in carboys, etc if I leave them soaking - in fact as soon as they are full the solution looks a bit cloudy. (I have very hard water...)

I see that the Sanstep discussed above specifically mentions that it "Works on the same principles of foamy acid sanitizers without the problems with rinsing and hard water tolerance". Maybe I'll give it a try...

 

[Mekpdue]

Is that white residue maybe due to hard water? I use Starsan (amongst other things) and I've noticed white precipitates in carboys, etc if I leave them soaking - in fact as soon as they are full the solution looks a bit cloudy. (I have very hard water...)

I see that the Sanstep discussed above specifically mentions that it "Works on the same principles of foamy acid sanitizers without the problems with rinsing and hard water tolerance". Maybe I'll give it a try...

Good observation, I have well water and it is hard, even with a water softening system added. That said, I haven't noticed anyone commenting on the 'film' or small clumps on top of the wine or on the neck using StarSan, so I would agree, it has something to do with my water. I only used StarSan to rinse out 3 Carboys prior to use and once I isolated what the white film was coming from, I switched back to Saniclean. By the way, I've not noticed any harm to the wine, or off aromas coming from it. It just looked bad looking at it. I ended up using a 50ml syringe to remove the film and a sanitized napkin to swipe what I could. No return problems or issues since. I'm not knocking StarSan, it is a great product used by many...for me and my water it just seems to have issues.

 

[wineview]

Is that white residue maybe due to hard water? I use Starsan (amongst other things) and I've noticed white precipitates in carboys, etc if I leave them soaking - in fact as soon as they are full the solution looks a bit cloudy. (I have very hard water...)

I see that the Sanstep discussed above specifically mentions that it "Works on the same principles of foamy acid sanitizers without the problems with rinsing and hard water tolerance". Maybe I'll give it a try...

Use distilled water with StarSan and it will be crystal clear.