cleaning fermenter after a brew

thisispants · Post by **thisispants** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 5:40 pm

What's the best way to clean the fermenter after a brew?

Any ideas most welcome!

mikey · Post by **mikey** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 5:47 pm

The main thing is to not scratch the fermenter.

I use a rectangular aluminium-looking cleaning pad most people use to wash dishes. It takes the crud off very quickly and with very little effort.

I then sterilise with 1/2 a cup of el-cheapo non-scented bleach (some people dislike bleach but I find it very good), and after 30 minutes, rinse two or three times.

While it's sterilising I get the next brew ready to go.

Kippo · Post by **Kippo** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 5:59 pm

I usually just get a type of brewing steriliser, be it coopers or what ever. Add about 50grams to every 4 litres of water (so if i fill the fermenter to 25L mark i chuck in around 250grams odd grams). Then i get a 'chux' cloth to clean the fermenter because it is really soft and will not scratch the fermenter. Then let it sit for 15-20mins and rinse thoroughly. Have only done 2 brews as of yet and have not had an infected brew yet

.

Phantom · Post by **Phantom** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 6:37 pm

Well I rinse out as soon as I've finished and leave it till next brew time,

Refill to 25 L mark with cold water with small amount of bleach and leave overnight.

Rub down the fermenter with chux style cloth, actually ALDI sell great ones and cheap too.

Put 4 L water in with Steriliser and swill heartily, leave for 10 mins and swill again with lid on.

leave for an hour cold rinse and prepare brew.
never had a problem and this is with an old pail fermenter with the clip on lid.

a mate is passing on a newer one at work complete with accessories as he's moved on to kegs .

hope this helps and if anyone likes please comment on this one.

Phantom.

501 · Post by **501** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 7:21 pm

If you use 'No Rinse' sanitiser then
. scrub with brewers detergent and hot water.
.. spray with no rinse, and then again if you are gonna leave it for a while.

I Reckon Napisan (read homebrand) is better for getting the last brew smell out of fermenters.
Not really necessary every brew if brewing straight away.

there are many articles on sodium percarbonate being a very effective
cleaner - deodoriser / sanitiser.

pros are It deodorises better than bleach and chlorine (and therefore phenols) are not an issue.
When you get a keg or 2 it will Not corrode stainless either.
also, the fumes don't curl my nostrils as much. !!

cheers 501

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 7:53 pm

Rinse with cold clean water, rub with soft clean dishcloth. If really messy use a bit of Neo-Pink.

Cheers.
Greg

porridgewog · Post by **porridgewog** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 8:34 pm

Like others I use the chux style cloth to remove the crud. Then wash with a bit of neo pink in about 4 litres of water (chux and swirl) and then rinse a couple of times ready for next brew. If I am not going to brew right away (not very likely!!!!!) I just put the lid on and quickly rinse with hot water before next use.

Cheers

Porridge

Longbeach Brewer · Post by **Longbeach Brewer** » Monday Jan 30, 2006 9:03 pm

I've moved away from using bleaches, sanitisers etc.
I just rinse with cold water and a sponge to remove crud.
Before the next batch, whether it's minutes or months, I rinse with boiling water - put the lid on and give it a good shake to contact all internal surfaces, run some out the tap (make sure you give the tap a good rinse with cold water first too).
I've been using this method for the last 12 months, and all my best beer has been made in the last 12 months! (read: still haven't had an infected brew)

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 3:43 am

Wash and a rinse

GLass I will let a bleach solution sit in it if it is really crappy, and a bottle brush

Dogger

beerboy · Post by **beerboy** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 3:58 am

Put some bottle washing detergent in it and a jug of boiling water, get a soft bristled brush (the type used for washing dishes) and scrub the crud off. Comes off very easy using the boiling water, because the detergent dissolves straight away. Rinse well and leave in the sun to dry.

JaCk_SpArRoW · Post by **JaCk_SpArRoW** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 5:48 am

I usually use fill the fermenter to the top with hot tap water, throw in the airlock & anything else you want to sanitise, then sprinkle (yes, sprinkle...the same way you sprinkle yeast...ahhhh yeasties) on top & let it do its thing for 15-20 minutes, wipe all over inside with an old, soft cloth then rinse thoroughly.....hey, if it can sanitise babies nappies then its gotta work for beer!

Kippo · Post by **Kippo** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 2:39 pm

Another useful tip when cleaning the fermenter is not to leave it to drain outside on a hot day. What will happen is if you have a plastic fermenter it will absorb the heat and give you a false reading on your temp strip if you plan on using it a day or two after it has been cleaned. I made this mistake and a couple of weeks ago and i pitched a batch on a 23deg day, and the temp strip initially read 32degs!

Initially i thought shite i have pitched the yeast at a too high temp but as the ambient temp got to the fermenter the true temp came through (about 24).

Neadless to say i will not do trhat again!

Kippo.

Clintsc9 · Post by **Clintsc9** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 9:08 pm

Kippo, did I read this right?

I usually just get a type of brewing steriliser, be it coopers or what ever. Add about 50grams to every 4 litres of water (so if i fill the fermenter to 25L mark i chuck in around 250grams odd grams).

I have always been under the impression that you only need put about 4 litres of water with 50 grams of Sodium Met. Leave for an hour then rinse.

The sanitizing is done by the evaporating gas rather than the water solution.

You haven't had any infected brews yet so whatever floats your boat, but using 250g of powder every brew is a bit expensive. That's nearly a full bottle, which going by the directions should last about five brews.

Kippo · Post by **Kippo** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006 9:16 pm

Yeh valid point. Seems like it is my bad on this one. I read the instructions and it just says add 50grams to every 4L. Now i just assumed that would mean fill fermenter (to your liking) and add the amount needed going by that scale. But looks like i read wrong.

Thanks for that Clintsc9. Thanks for telling me because that would get expensive over time.

Cheers, Kippo.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 7:54 am

Most sanitiations are done by oxidizing actions or incredible osmotic pressures

Dogger

Clintsc9 · Post by **Clintsc9** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 8:00 am

incredible osmotic pressures

Unbelievable!

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 8:05 am

Yeh, it just rips the water right out of the beastie and leaves it a husk

Dogger

Mackers · Post by **Mackers** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 8:22 am

I've tried all methods and there's no doubt that napisan is the best. Few inches of hot water, some napisan, shake the billio out of it, and it's clean. If it isn't, give it a shake over a day or so - cleans anything. Don't tip it down your septic though. I generally leave it in until my next brew, rinse it out with cold water, and brew again.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 8:31 am

You know Mackers,

You have brought up an excellent point there, nice.

Dogger

501 · Post by **501** » Thursday Feb 02, 2006 9:28 am

Yeh It seems good the sodium percarbonate.

At the price you can afford to fill and soak fermenter.

cheers 501