Star San is my homebrew sanitizer of choice. When mixed properly, it’s food safe and no rinse. Required contact time is one minute. It has worked very well for me for quite some time and I’m convinced that it’s one of the most economical solutions available if you’re using the “Spray Bottle Method” outlined here.
Cleaning, Sanitizing and… Sterilizing
The first step in sanitizing is cleaning. Cleaning and sanitizing are two separate steps. Cleaning physically removes dirt and large contaminants. After your item is physically clean it can be microscopically sanitized. Sanitization kills many (but not all) germs, bacteria and microorganisms on an already clean surface. I typically use a mixture of PBW for cleaning. Sanitizing and Sterilizing are different. Sterilizing is killing every living thing. In home brewing typically, we’re not interested in sterilizing, we’re only interested in sanitizing.
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Star San Acid Sanitizer. 32 oz size. No rinse when mixed properly. Container includes built in measure.
More Info
From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:
32 oz Star San
Handy measuring tool built into the container
No-rinse sanitation
Everything you love about five Star sanitizer (Star San) but in an economical 32 oz. Container. The folks at Star San even kept the handy measuring tool built into the container making dilutions quick and easy. Star San is a go to sanitizer among home brewers, proving a true no rinse sanitation step that requires 1 minute or less. You can even place your dilutions into a spray bottle and apply directly to surfaces you want to sanitize, stretching your juice even further. Truly this stuff is a one stop shop for killing the bugs!.
As of this posting, CRAFT’R has the 8 ounce size Star San marked down to just $10.99. Shipping is also free to addresses in the lower 48 states with a $49 order. Check out CRAFT’R’s Best Sellers to help you put together and order that qualifies for free shipping. Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time this this post was published; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit the product page. Check the product page for current price, description and availability
My Favorite Size and Why: Considering the shelf life of Star San concentrate is 1 to 2 years, If you’re using the Spray Bottle Method [See: Tip: Star San Tips, Tricks and Guidelines – Using Star San In a Spray Bottle], I generally recommend purchasing the 8 ounce size. 8 ounces of concentrate yields about 39 gallons of mixed solution. The spray bottle method is very efficient, so you don’t end up using much sanitizer per batch. Let’s say you use 1/4 gallon (which I personally think is high) for each batch, the 8 ounces size yields enough mixed solution for around 157 batches. That figures to about 13 batches per month over a 1 year period. If you use 1/8 gallon (which I think is more realistic) that equates to about 26 batches per month over a 1 year period. The larger 16 and 32 ounces sizes may be a lower cost per ounce, but if you’re unable to use it within Star San’s shelf life, you’ll just be throwing sanitizer away or using less effective past date sanitizer. Getting a smaller bottle more often means your Star San is fresher.
Star San is my sanitizer of choice. It’s food safe and no rinse. Required contact time is one minute. It has worked very well for me for quite some time and I’m convinced that it’s one of the most economical solutions available if you use the spray bottle method [See: Star San Tips, Tricks and Guidelines]
What’s the Shelf Life of Star San?
With regards to mixed Star San Solution: The official answer is probably… you should mix a fresh batch each time you use it. To really test the effectiveness, you need to titrate the solution and test the PPM.
Practically speaking, many homebrewers use and re-use Star San. If you’re going to do that, the solution should be relatively clear and the mixture should have a pH of under 3.5. Previously the recommendation I received from Five Star Chemicals was that the solution should by crystal clear, however, for bottles of Star San not older than 1 year (check the manufacture date on the bottle) crystal clarity isn’t necessarily a requirement.
From “Better Safe Than Sorry” Department: If you doubt a mixture it’s better to be safe, dump it and make a fresh batch
More About Clarity
Years ago, I received this information from Five Star Chemicals: “The cloudy solution could be okay, but it could be bad. The cloudiness is the surfactant coming out of solution. It has reacted, or is reacting with the metals in the water. I don’t know if it is still good, because I don’t know how much surfactant has reacted. I error on the side of caution and suggest that you don’t even mess with it. Use DI water.”
Previously testing the effectiveness of diluted Star San involved two things… Crystal clear solution and pH under 3.5.
As of this update on 9/2018, clarity is not considered an issue – via Emily Lovato at Five Star Chemicals
My personal opinion (not official) is that crystal clear Star San is preferable to cloudy Star San. If you have hard water and your diluted Star San mixture immediately turns cloudy, and you want it to be clear, you can use RO or distilled water.
With regards to Star San concentrate: Five Star Chemicals recommends replacing bottles of Star San concentrate that are over 2 years old. – via Emily Lovato at Five Star Chemicals.
What size to buy? Because of the 1 or 2 year freshness recommendation via Five Star, my recommendation to most homebrewers is to purchase the smaller 8 oz bottle of Star San. If you’re using the spray bottle method [See: Star San Tips, Tricks and Guidelines] 8 ounces of Star San should last many homebrewers for at least a year. My reasoning on the 8 oz recommendation is… why buy a larger bottle that you won’t be able to get through before it needs to be replaced? There’s a calculator in my tips post to help you estimate your usage.
Testing pH of your diluted Star San Mixture…
Testing pH question involves using either a pH meter or strips. The pH meter option is straightforward [See: Amazon’s Best Sellers in Lab pH Meters]. pH Meters can be costly and do require calibration, maintenance and, eventually, replacement. Because of that, I wanted to find pH strips that work well for this task. I ended up trying a few different styles and manufacturers before finding strips that I think work well.
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As of this posting, CRAFT’R has the 32 ounce size Star San marked down to $22.99. Shipping is also free to addresses in the lower 48 states with a $49 order. Check out CRAFT’R’s Best Sellers to help you put together and order that qualifies for free shipping. Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time this this post was published; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit the product page. Check the product page for current price, description and availability
