Sterilizer

wiggins · Post by **wiggins** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 3:19 am

Ive been using sodium metabisulphite to sterilize my fermenter and bottles and so far had no infections. I dont even soak in this solution, rather just swirl it around for a couple of minutes, then rinse.What i want to know is bleach a better option to sterelize or am i doing the right thing with what ive got?

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 1:54 pm

I found that sodium metabisulphate made it difficult for me to breathe (so the stuff must work on bugs!!!)

Instead Iswitched to 'Miltons' tablets, those baby bottle sterilising thingos. No infections since and I can breathe.

(I don't know why this happens to me, I'm not asthmatic...)

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 2:02 pm

shane_vor wrote:'Miltons' tablets, those baby bottle sterilising thingos

What are they worth to buy, do you know?

Hashie · Post by **Hashie** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 3:38 pm

In 12 years of brewing, I have never had any trouble using plain hot water (no chemicals)

Rinse all empties, as soon as they are empty. wash with hot water before re-filling. Same goes for my kegs and fermenter.

IMHO, home brew is about making good, natural beer, with nothing artificial and no preservatives. So why take the chance of spoiling a good beer with bleach or sodium metabi sulphate (sp), or any other chemical that could leave residue behind to taint or flavour what could have been a very good, natural beer?

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 3:51 pm

Hashie wrote:In 12 years of brewing, I have never had any trouble using plain hot water (no chemicals)

Rinse all empties, as soon as they are empty. wash with hot water before re-filling. Same goes for my kegs and fermenter.

IMHO, home brew is about making good, natural beer, with nothing artificial and no preservatives. So why take the chance of spoiling a good beer with bleach or sodium metabi sulphate (sp), or any other chemical that could leave residue behind to taint or flavour what could have been a very good, natural beer?

I hear ya mate...the whole 'sterilisation' stuff seems to be very important but for someone who has been brewing as long as you have & never had issue with it, then there must be something you're doing right!

Hashie · Post by **Hashie** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 3:57 pm

Just gotta keep everything clean, you don't need chemicals or detergents for that.

I have a brother in-law that can't make a good brew. He'll leave the fermenter,dirty, in his shed until he wants to use it again. Then complain how hard it is to clean and gives up for another year.

It's not rocket science.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 4:01 pm

I just used a solution of stinking hot water & a sprinkle of napisan & then rinse with stinking hot water again it all comes up sparkling...there's still a resident beer smell in the fermenter but that I am assuming will never go away, being plastic & all...damn stuff likes to retain smells!

shane_vor · Post by **shane_vor** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 4:25 pm

Dunno about the miltons cost, I get the missus to buy it in the shopping occasionally!

I use all glass so no plastic/beer smell.

Rubber.Piggy · Post by **Rubber.Piggy** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 5:37 pm

JaCk_SpArRoW wrote:I just used a solution of stinking hot water & a sprinkle of napisan & then rinse with stinking hot water again it all comes up sparkling...there's still a resident beer smell in the fermenter but that I am assuming will never go away, being plastic & all...damn stuff likes to retain smells!

Jack, this beer smell will probably eventually become you unique character.

shazzam · Post by **shazzam** » Monday Jan 16, 2006 6:37 pm

Miltons comes in liquid( 1 litre i think ?) or tablet (30 tabs)
1 tab treats 2 litres
they are about $8 a pack - they are quite good - if you need to clean kettles, thermos etc they are marvelous - and funky plastics - they would probably be good for smelly PET longies.
active ingredients:500mg sodium dichloroisocyanurate available chlorine 32% w/w per tablet
mentions home brewing on the back of the pack !
I have used it as a solution for more kitchen type uses and it hasn't mucked up on me yet - I'll give it a burl with the home brew I think
thanks

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Tuesday Jan 17, 2006 7:08 am

Rubber.Piggy wrote:
JaCk_SpArRoW wrote:I just used a solution of stinking hot water & a sprinkle of napisan & then rinse with stinking hot water again it all comes up sparkling...there's still a resident beer smell in the fermenter but that I am assuming will never go away, being plastic & all...damn stuff likes to retain smells!
Jack, this beer smell will probably eventually become you unique character.

Yeah thats true RP....nothing wrong with that tho, as long as it doesnt become an 'off' unique character!

tyrone · Post by **tyrone** » Tuesday Jan 17, 2006 9:31 pm

Theres a thought , does a fermenter become better with use

I know a cast iron pan does...

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:18 am

I'm using the Milton at the moment and it works for me.
Although, Hashie, I rince bottles and fermenter well after use perhaps I might try your ideas.
I've been cutting down gradually over time the amount of Milton and rinsing that I do.
Mostly for time and the cost of water (Sydney water restrictions and all), and taste.
I might keep working down to little or no chemicals.
Thanks Hashie for the goals.....
Milton is cheaper by the liquid 1 litre and lasts for I don't know how many brews. I've only ever bought one bottle - so far 8 brews and still almost full.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:25 am

Has anyone had an issues or hassles using Napisan for cleaning etc?....I dont know how good this is for sterilising tho!
Thinking of just getting some sterilising powder from the local HBS or some of this 'Miltons' you speak of silky!

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:44 am

Sanitise guys, Sanitise.

Unless you can get in an Autoclave

(Sorry I can't help it)

Dogger

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:46 am

Find Miltons in the baby section of supermarket (not cleaner section)
Also, JaCk, check out other thread on Iodophor...
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... =sanitiser
I'll give it a go when the Miltons runs out....

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:49 am

silkworm wrote:Find Miltons in the baby section of supermarket (not cleaner section)
Also, JaCk, check out other thread on Iodophor...
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... =sanitiser
I'll give it a go when the Miltons runs out....

Cheers for that silky, I'll give it a whirl & see what happens!

Hashie · Post by **Hashie** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 3:50 pm

silkworm wrote: Mostly for time and the cost of water (Sydney water restrictions and all), and taste.
I might keep working down to little or no chemicals.
Thanks Hashie for the goals.....

I hope you get there one day Silkworm.

I'm not trying to suggest that you don't need to sanatise, just that IMO you don't need chemicals to achieve the clean state needed for making good, natural beer.

yardglass · Post by **yardglass** » Wednesday Jan 18, 2006 8:40 pm

Dogger Dan wrote:Sanitise guys, Sanitise.

Unless you can get in an Autoclave

(Sorry I can't help it)

Dogger

i should've run a book on this, i was almost spot on to the hour.

coit · Post by **coit** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006 9:05 pm

The reason I stopped brewing last century(I love saying that)is that after a few beers I'd feel sick in the stomach and be short of breath-it was the sodium metabisuphite.Why they still sell it I don't know.Use Napisan,bleach or hot water.