Cleaner v. Sanitizer

[BrewMasterGeneral86]

Is there any difference between star-san, b-brite, LD carlson etc? By that I mean are some specifically for sanitizing and others for cleansing, or are they one in the same. I use LD Carson to both cleanse and sanitize. Is this ok?

 

[theveganbrewer]

Star-san is a sanitizer. It needs 1 minute of contact to work. B-Brite is primarily a cleanser, but if you soak for 15-20 minutes it can be a sanitizer. LD Carlson Easy Clean is a cleaner.

IMO, clean first with a cleaner, then use Star-san for sanitizing. Star-san is safe for your beer and the foam is your friend.

 

[twistr25]

+1 to the above. PBW is also another popular cleaner, and One Step is a "no rinse" cleanser, though it is still recommended to do so. Star-San is the go to for 95% of homebrewers in sanitizing

 

[malkore]

One-step used to be sold as a sanitizer, and still is outside the USA, but it requires a long wet-contact time, doesn't last long, and just isn't as cost-effective as something like star-san.

 

[BrewMasterGeneral86]

Thanks for the tips guys. I always wondered if there was a difference. Used to both wash and sanitize with LD, but looks like starsan is the way to go for sanitization. I like how their bottles have the dose-measurement chamber built in. Beats constantly looking for measuring spoons!