How much PBW to use?
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Rugrad02
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It really depends on what your using it for. When I bottle my beer post fermentation and have a ton of crud caked on the walls of my fermenter, I may use 4 tablespoons. I will then fill it up a few about two gallons and then lay the carboy on its side in the bath tub. I will then rotate it occasionally to be sure all sides are covered.
Kaz
Well-Known Member
For cleaning a fermenter, I go with the instructions on the container and use 3/4 oz per gallon of hot water.
All the instructions you need are on the jar.The amount to use depends on what you're trying to clean off. So spend some time reading those instructions. I use 1.5oz by weight in one gallon of water. Use your digital scale to weigh it out. I came up with using 4TBSP in a fermenter filled to just above the crud line with cold water to soak them for a few days. You have to stir the PBW pretty well,as it doesn't dissolve very quickly in cool or cold water. It's made to be the most effective in hot water,around 140F. But not in plastic fermenters or better bottles,no way! I also store mixed PBW or Starsan in 1 gallon SunnyD jugs. They're tougher than milk jugs & take more than a year before they might spring a leak.
I'm with you on the incredible sturdiness of some of those disposable containers. I use 1 gal tropical punch containers (PET) for about anything, even fermentors. Looking for 2.5 gallon varieties...
I think storing dissolved PBW reduces its oxygen activity over time.
PBW starts releasing its oxygen when dissolved in water, you can see the bubbles. Have you noticed a pressure build-up in the SunnyD jugs over time? After a few days have passed have you noticed a reduced oxygen activity when using the solution? It's almost inevitable.
Sodium percarbonate (the oxy component) --> Sodium carbonate + O2^
Sodium carbonate = (regular, old-fashioned) washing soda.
IMO you're better off mixing PBW fresh, and instead store a working solution of washing soda in the jug.
I use a lot of washing soda in my cleaning processes, e.g., carboys, buckets, bottles. I only resort to ($$) PBW when really needed, using it hot (140°F and up) when cleaning hoses, pump, plate chiller etc.
Recirculating hot PBW is an amazing sight, seeing its bubble action at work. It removes a lot of post-brew crud.
Starsan:
A container of Starsan is always good to have around. If it's been standing for a few weeks I test the pH before use and if needed add a few drops of Phosphoric acid to bring the pH down to 2.3-2.4.
Even better than a jug, Starsan solution in a spray bottle is totally "indispensable."
Starsan cloudiness
I also keep a spray bottle of starsan around. The heavier plastic jugs seem to help either one last quite a while. Tightly capped,the "oxy" part has nowhere to go. And no,my jug of PBW solution doesn't swell unless I use some very warm water to initially dissolve the grainy PBW before adding cold water. I don't really have any metal stuff that needs to be cleaned with PBW strictly,so storing it cold works fine. Again,the jugs being capped tightly don't allow for leaching off the volitile ingredients,ime.
Just curious, what's the issue here? I used to do this, but my workflows have changed and I find I no longer do. But nonetheless, I'm curious on the fright here.
Hot water at 140F might not be such a good thing for the plastic. Least of all,I think,on the spigot seals & such. I've heard stories of warping,etc & won't tempt fate that way. So I use it cold,even though warm to the touch might be ok. The better bottle label says no higher than 140F,but the brewer at JW Dover (my lhbs) cracked his BB with PBW somehow that he wouldn't say precisely. I like to think,from what he did say,that it was a combo of the temp & stength of solution from the high temp. Fivestar says it works best at that temp. But that's commercial SS or the equivalent imo.
As a rule of thumb, the speed of a chemical reaction (chemical reactivity) doubles with every 10°C (18°F) raise in temperature.
What surprises me is that if Better Bottle uses an extra 2-3 oz of PET resin per 5 gallon carboy, it will likely withstand the test of brew time better. I'm going to stick with buckets and glass carboys for now. Way easier to clean.
What surprises me is that if Better Bottle uses an extra 2-3 oz of PET resin per 5 gallon carboy, it will likely withstand the test of brew time better. I'm going to stick with buckets and glass carboys for now. Way easier to clean.
Yeah,I think they could be a tad heavier after having worked with it to clean it out. But 1 gallon of cold tap water with 2tsp PBW & a carboy brush cleaned the mildew spots out of it prety easy. Sanitized with Starsan. I found that those 5qt ice cream pails are just the right size for draining the foam & stuff out after sanitizing it. No more spots & it smells cleaner/fresher now.
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