Sodium metabisulfite

[nlkips]

I've come across some of this stuff at work used for a water treatment unit. Could I use this for cleaning bottles/kegs at home or should I be wary of it. On the label it says "repackaged from food grade material."

 

[LuiInIdaho]

I don't think that it is a cleaner. I think that it is used in making wine, along with Potassium Metabisulfate, to stabilize wine. I just use Ocyclean for all my brewery cleaning needs.

Mark

 

[jwalker1140]

Mark's right, it's definitely not a cleaner. Winemakers sometimes use sodium (or more often potassium) metabisulfate as a sanitizer because it's cheap and they already have it on hand since it's widely used as a wine preservative - it helps protect against microbial spoilage and oxidation.

0.5 teaspoons of sodium or potassium metabisulfate and 1.0 teaspoon of citric acid per gallon of water makes an effective sanitizer for wine, but it's not strong enough for beer. Higher acid and alcohol levels, along with proper sulfite additions, give wine more protection than beer.

For beer, stick with Star San or Saniclean for your sanitizer and something like PBW or a fragrance-free oxygen cleaner like OxiClean or Sun for your cleaner.

 

[nlkips]

Thanks guys. I will pick up some of that cleaner when I go to the hbs next time

 

[signmastr]

I use potassium metabisulfate to treat my brew water. !/4 t. per 5-8 gallons of water will remove chloramine

 

[Gixxer]

I use potassium metabisulfate to treat my brew water. !/4 t. per 5-8 gallons of water will remove chloramine

Me too...

 

[jwalker1140]

I use potassium metabisulfate to treat my brew water. !/4 t. per 5-8 gallons of water will remove chloramine

I do this too, except I weigh it out. Stupid chloramines....