Reusing a cleaning station (for occasional bottling)?

[Gizzygone]

I'm new to home brew, and finally getting some friends who want to take some samples of my beer home with them...

I plan on washing up some bottles/growlers and tossing them in the freezer to be ready when somebody asks for a to-go...

Seeing as 3 bucket cleaning is fairly standard: is there any harm in perhaps keeping a 5 gallon bucket of PBW and Star San sealed up for cleaning? I'd hate to waste the PBW and Star San to clean a bottle or two, but if I could just keep it sealed and wash, rinse,sanitize here and there, I feel it'd be easier?

Just thinking out loud...

 

[Konadog]

Not sure about PBW, but I keep a 5 gal bucket of StarSan all the time. Just check the pH before using to make sure it's still good. I would think the PBW would be OK if you don't wash in the same bucket, keeping it clean until you run out, but that's just a guess.

 

[IslandLizard]

You can store PBW almost indefinitely, but...

The O2 that's released by the Sodium Percarbonate component in PBW will be gone within 30-60 minutes after adding it to water, leaving behind Sodium Carbonate (aka 'Washing Soda'). So you're left with a solution of 70% Sodium Carbonate and 30% Sodium Metasilicate, some EDTA and a surfactant. It works just as fine in most cases.

I find the Oxygen action very overrated, so I'm always happy reusing the saved PBW solution as is. The Metasilicate is a very good degreaser/cleaner, has a lot more oomph than Washing Soda by itself, which I also commonly use.

I compound homemade PBW for about $2 a pound from 30% TSP/90 (4 pound bags) and 70% (generic) Oxiclean Free, bought in 3-5 pound tubs.

 

[IslandLizard]

Starsan may turn cloudy over time, but I haven't found it working any less. If stored, over time, a few days to a week, a white precipitate settles on the bottom and everything left in there. I carefully decant the clear solution on top into another bucket, and rinse away the leftover precipitate.

If I don't have my pH meter handy, I simply use a 1/4" snippet of multi-range pH paper to test the pH. As long as it reads pH 3 it's fine. Starsan's pH should be 3 or below to work properly.

 

[CanAm]

I make my Starsan with distilled water and it does not turn cloudy or have any precipitate. I make 5 gallons and pour the unused back into the gallon distilled water containers.

 

[Jayjay1976]

If you plan to store either of these as ready-to-use solutions, I would think its worth using RO or distilled water. If you thoroughly wash the bottles/growlers ahead of time, air dry them on a bottle tree and then store them in the freezer with a cap of some sort, they really should only need a quick starsan rinse at filling time. If you plan to store them at room temp, after cleaning and drying then bake them all with tinfoil 'caps', you can probably store them indefinitely though I would still probably rinse with starsan before filling, if anything just to reduce foaming and lost carbonation.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If your bottles are stored reasonably clean, I would think you could spritz a bit of starsan in with a spray bottle and bottle up a “to go” order as you say...

As long as your “to go” customers keep the beer cold and consume in the near future, the risk of contamination is very low!

Bottle cleaning and sanitizing is critical for bottle conditioned beer that may be cellared for a while, much different than filling a bottle off a cold keg, storing the bottle cold and consuming quickly...

Jmo I think your overthinking it...

When I fill bottles off a keg, I just take a clean bottle, fill it and consume within a couple days, inadvertently I have had bottles like this sit in the fridge for a couple months with no adverse findings.
Ymmv

 

[Jayjay1976]

Keep a supply of cheap crappy macro trash beer on hand and when someone wants one of your home brews to go, dump out the Boston Lager and refill the bottle with your own sweet nectar; pop a cap on it and bob becomes your mom's brother.

 

[ncbrewer]

One option for the PBW is to just measure out a small amount with a teaspoon (or half, etc.).