First Brew Day tomorrow.... HELP!!!

[hmiles86]

Good afternoon HBT! I'm getting prepared for my first brew day tomorrow and I had a few quick questions. I'm trying to clean the carboy, kettle, and I was gonna use my bottling bucket as my sanitizing bucket.... What's the best way to clean these brand new items. Worried about scented dawn and what ever else's scent staying behind. Also, can I prepare the sanitizing bucket the night before? Thanks and much appreciation. Chees

 

[CBMbrewer]

I'd wash them with warm water and *light* dish soap and rinse well. Then you can sanitize with some Starsan. Starsan will actually keep for a while, as long as the ph stays low enough. Can't remember how low though. Have fun! There's nothing quite like your first.

 

[kh54s10]

What cleaners and sanitizers do you have? A lot depends on what you have available.

 

[hmiles86]

Well all I have is gain dish washing liquid and a bottle of star San. How long is the equipment suppose to be sitting in the sanitizer? So I can set everything in the bucket the night before? Sorry, mega noob

 

[mikescooling]

The sanitizer (star-san) is a contact thing that only takes 30 seconds. As far as cleaners (like soap, not sanitizer) just make sure to get it all off. You don't have to use sanitizer on the brew pot, it just has to be clean.

 

[JoshJoshua]

Generally on my brew days, everything goes into the sink to wash off dust with warm water. Then I fill my bottling bucket with warm water and StarSans, and place everything I'm going to use in it. When I'm ready to mash I move the water into my Tun and use a paper towel to get in every nook and cranny and transfer back to the bucket. The kettle I just use dawn and a scotch brite sponge and it's ready. Once I'm ready to add to fermenter I add the starsans solution to the carboy, clean it with the brush and swish it around. So far no infections after 8 batches since starting. Seems to work fine. When bottling I do everything in starsans except for the bottle and caps, for some reason I use iodine for those. Just remember anything that comes in contact with cool wort, soak it in starsans or iodine.

 

[hmiles86]

Thanks for all the excellent advice everyone!!! Brew day was a success and I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[Whatsupbrew]

Generally on my brew days, everything goes into the sink to wash off dust with warm water. Then I fill my bottling bucket with warm water and StarSans, and place everything I'm going to use in it. When I'm ready to mash I move the water into my Tun and use a paper towel to get in every nook and cranny and transfer back to the bucket. The kettle I just use dawn and a scotch brite sponge and it's ready. Once I'm ready to add to fermenter I add the starsans solution to the carboy, clean it with the brush and swish it around. So far no infections after 8 batches since starting. Seems to work fine. When bottling I do everything in starsans except for the bottle and caps, for some reason I use iodine for those. Just remember anything that comes in contact with cool wort, soak it in starsans or iodine.

Curious your thoughts on iodine vs starsan for the bottles / caps?

 

[kh54s10]

You do realize this is a 4 year old thread?

But to answer. If you are talking about an iodine sanitizer like Iodaphor, it is just as good as Starsan but will stain some of your equipment. The choice is yours.

 

[Whatsupbrew]

Saw the date right after I hit send