PBW or Just Rinse Glass

[Surly_goat]

So I'm starting to brew twice a week and I'd like to stream line some processes.

I'm doing my starters in a 2 litre Erlenmeyer. I always just throw it in my on going bucket of star San to sterilize.

To clean it though If there is no visible debris or residue does it really need PBW? If I pour my last starter into the fermenter and immediately rinse with 60c(140f) water and it looks visually spotless is that good? Then I could just throw in star San cover with seran wrap and wait for next go.

 

[day_trippr]

I just use dishwashing liquid with an e-flask brush and hot water with a good rinse.
I don't sanitize my flasks until day of use...

Cheers!

 

[Surly_goat]

Why brush it though? How do you know if you even hit every spot. Seems unlikely you could possibly get every last inch of the thing. You can't visually tell cause it looks clean.

I'm wondering for bottles too. I keg, but I like to bottle to give to friends and what not. Kegs obviously your gonna wanna soak cause it's easy and you can't inspect. Bottles though if you rinse em everytime when your done with em immediately, don't they just need starsan, drain and beer?

 

[Boomer]

That’s what I do with nearly everything. Hot water rinse, air dry, Star-San before using it again.

 

[day_trippr]

Why brush it though? How do you know if you even hit every spot. Seems unlikely you could possibly get every last inch of the thing. You can't visually tell cause it looks clean.

That seems a bit contradictory - if there were actual deposits that needed a bit of brushing to remove the fact that the flask is easily inspected should bely concerns about "missed spots".

I run my stirred starters for just 18 hours before cold crashing and decanting for the next step or pitching and generally there's nothing clinging that needs much more than a good shake of hot soapy water to remove. But I have the brush, it takes about 30 seconds to hit every bit of a 2 liter e-flask interior - a bit longer for my 5 liter flasks - so I use it whether it's "needed" or not, and I've never had an evident infection in over 15 years of brewing.

I'm wondering for bottles too. I keg, but I like to bottle to give to friends and what not. Kegs obviously your gonna wanna soak cause it's easy and you can't inspect. Bottles though if you rinse em everytime when your done with em immediately, don't they just need starsan, drain and beer?

When I bottled I was OC about immediately hot-rinsing the bottle thoroughly after the pour, with a soak in cold Star San on bottling day.
That seemed to work fine, but one must consider that a contaminated bottle isn't going to ruin an entire batch as a contaminated starter could, so I wouldn't use the same practice on my e-flasks...

Cheers!

 

[fragged]

I just use oxiclean rather than pbw. Typically I clean the e flask the same time I clean my kettle, as that's when both are empty and dirty (I rarely crash/decant). Based on that timing, I use hot oxiclean from the kettle and shake around in flask. Then I dump, rinse with jot, then cold, then put upside down to dry. Sanitation occurs just prior to its next use via star san.

On occasion I do need the brush, but usually only when making a 3 liter starter because I use a 1 gallon wine jug in those cases.

 

[Surly_goat]

I was doing it this way but then i stopped doing a full kettle soak as i just found it to be over kill and waste of cleaner in my case. If its filthy then for sure i will do it. Typically i just have a slight ring at the top of the kettle and on my burner at the bottom. A sponge with water or a little soap deals with it.

Thanks for the ideas and info guys.