Sanitizing bottles

[bkisel]

Can the Starsan solution (I'm assuming you make a solution) you use one day be saved and reused effectively a month or two later?

Yes. I was told as long as it foams, it is good. I store 1/2 gallon (mixed) in a 1 gallon bottle (because of the foam). I reuse it for about a month or two, and then mix a fresh 1/2 gallon.



Yes.

8 ounce bottle of Star San costs $10. Use 1 ounce per 5 gallons. At that rate, the $10 bottle of StarSan will last me years.

FYI: Metabisulfite primarily sanitizes by SO2 gas. That is fine for bottles and carboys. But, if you are sanitizing spoons, hydrometer, and such, I wonder how well it works. Thus my preference for Star San. Star San is a contact santizier.

Great! I'll pick some up during my next shipping trip to my LHBS and give it a try. The price seems cheap enough to make a fresh batch for each use.

What happens with the foam in the bottle or carboy? Does it just get dissolved by the wine?

Will I eventually stop loving the smell of SO2 in the morning?

 

[cimbaliw]

K Meta sanitizes both by gas and direct contact. Regardless, I use a large sterlite container that fits my spoon, racking canes, carboy caps, tubing etc. I spray whatever I will be using on a given day with kmeta, toss it into the bucket and close the lid. To pick up on what cmason eluded to is that you will develop a process that accommodates sanitization times efficiently.

BTW, before opening the kmeta gas chamber, I take a big breath in and hold it until the lid is closed again.

 

[spunk]

Interesting stuff now I'm not sure yet what to use. But so...all this time the easy clean wasn't sanitizing my bottles and equiptment? Or the one step either? I want something I can store and spray maybe. Sometimes you just need to sanitize a spoon or rod to stir or take a small sample to test. I have several different gal and different levels. Thanks everyone

 

[bkisel]

Interesting stuff now I'm not sure yet what to use. But so...all this time the easy clean wasn't sanitizing my bottles and equiptment? Or the one step either? I want something I can store and spray maybe. Sometimes you just need to sanitize a spoon or rod to stir or take a small sample to test. I have several different gal and different levels. Thanks everyone

It looks like either/both the k-meta or Starsan will do the job. Both will last/be effective for awhile.

An advantage I can see for the k-meta is its use in a corkidor.

 

[cmason1957]

I have both in spray bottles and premixed. For the wines I make whichever I grab will work just fine. For any beer making I do, I have to be careful to only use the Star San. Pick one and use it. They both work.

 

[calvin]

I keep my star San for 1-2 months at a time.

I try to keep the foam in the carboys to a minimum. It dissipates over time and turns back to a liquid. then pour it out. I do the same with my bottles. But when I fill them with wine I let them overflow for a split second. The foam floats on top of the wine and comes out first.

 

[Brian55]

Interesting stuff now I'm not sure yet what to use. But so...all this time the easy clean wasn't sanitizing my bottles and equiptment? Or the one step either? I want something I can store and spray maybe. Sometimes you just need to sanitize a spoon or rod to stir or take a small sample to test. I have several different gal and different levels. Thanks everyone

Ever since I started, I've been using easy clean on all my equipment, and k-meta on my bottles. I've only been at this for a bit over three years, but I've never had an issue with sanitation.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I am afraid of excessive foaming if I use my pressurized bottle sanitizer if I use star san - But I should try it one of these days

 

[tanddc]

I have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid for my star-san. Anything small (like bottles) I just throw in the bucket for a couple of minutes. To do a carboy, I just rack the star-san solution from the bucket to the carboy and pour it back in. That sanitizes my tubing and siphon at the same time. I keep mine for about three weeks or so. I usually make new when I start a new batch of wine. I mix it in my primary and pour it into my bucket. I have been told you need to keep it covered to make it last but I don't know if that is true.

 

[spunk]

What is a corkidor?

 

[bkisel]

What is a corkidor?

Sealed container in which you put corks so that they are fumigated with SO2.

I use a bucket with a sealed lid - similar to a primary fermentor. in the middle of the bucket I have placed a smaller container with k-meta solution in it and a cover with small holes drilled. The corks are placed in the bucket and get gassed. They do net get wet. Again, you don't want to be inhaling when you open the bucket to pull the corks for bottling.

 

[Norton]

I use the dishwasher whenever possible. Biggest problem is making sure no labels to get washed off also. So far no problems using the dishwasher to clean and sanitize. But almost all of my bottles are rinsed immediately after the last use.

 

[tonyt]

I use the dishwasher the night before bottling. I take my already completely clean and de-labeled bottles and run them in the dishwasher without detergent on the hottest setting and heated dry. I too believe it is the heated dry that is the real benefit. I then rinse with my regular sanitizing solution and bottle. I in no way depend on the dishwasher to clean or de-label my bottles.