Star San 2-3 years old and sitting in garage still good?

[8rnw8]

So, I moved last year and just found 30 some ounces of star san that has been sitting in my garage through a full summer and winter. The star san was already 2 years old before it ended up in the garage when we moved.

I know I could just buy more to be safe, but my question is whether or not the temperature fluctuations and age would render the star san no longer effective.

Thanks!

 

[kh54s10]

Mix some up and use some pH test strips to check it. If under 3.0 it is good. Mine has not been in a garage but it is 5 years old. I have about 1 ounce left.

 

[8rnw8]

I'll have to buy some test strips.

So the PH AFTER diluting with water should be under 3.0?

 

[jddevinn]

I'll have to buy some test strips.

So the PH AFTER diluting with water should be under 3.0?

Yes

 

[8rnw8]

Ok, thanks for the replies thus far. Any certain brand or type of ph strip I should buy?

 

[Bensiff]

Hack pocket pro +...a little more spendy than some litmus paper but you get an accurate instrument you can rely on

 

[8rnw8]

Hack pocket pro +...a little more spendy than some litmus paper but you get an accurate instrument you can rely on

Do you have a link? Neither google nor amazon seem to know anything about this.

 

[invictusbrew]

Do you have a link? Neither google nor amazon seem to know anything about this.

That's because it's "Hach"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R3EIYQS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[augiedoggy]

Do you have a link? Neither google nor amazon seem to know anything about this.

try Hach pocket pro +... I think that was a typo above..

Edit... someone beat me to it

 

[skraeling]

try Hach pocket pro +... I think that was a typo above..

Edit... someone beat me to it

70 for a good ph tester isnt too shabby.

 

[augiedoggy]

70 for a good ph tester isnt too shabby.

I wouldnt know... Ive been having good luck with the 2 $12 ones I own like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-PH-...463958?hash=item41acf2bed6:g:7qYAAOSwjXRXaMfW
... for brewing purposes they are accurate enough for what I use them for I know some will argue more is needed but after visiting some breweries Ive come to realize some home brewers are a lot more analytical than needed or justified on this scale... I've no problem with that to each his or her own. I may be wrong and going off limited knowledge here but I made great beer without a ph meter for years and I only use the ones I have now for the water and to check mash ph from time to time.. Some people enjoy the labwork,analyzing and process more than the brewing... Hell I met a guy last year whos been homebrewing for years and doesnt even like beer! Ive never seen any type of testing or side by side comparisions showing how .0x difference in ph had a noticeable effect on the beer. Everyones different and has different motivations...
I also find myself loving the engineering aspect of it as much as brewing so who am I to knock the person nurturing their inner labrat.

 

[IslandLizard]

Any cheap multi-range "litmus" paper that indicates the working solution to be around pH3 is fine. It's not that critical.

Buying a $120 pH meter just to check Starsan pH is nuts! Now if you want to check/control your mash pH, that meter will come in very handy.

It took me almost 6 years to use up 32oz of Starsan concentrate. Although it had become a little darker, it worked as well as the new gallon I purchased a few months ago.

 

[skraeling]

Some people enjoy the labwork,analyzing and process more than the brewing... Hell I met a guy last year whos been homebrewing for years and doesnt even like beer! Ive never seen any type of testing or side by side comparisions showing how .0x difference in ph had a noticeable effect on the beer. Everyones different and has different motivations...
I also find myself loving the engineering aspect of it as much as brewing so who am I to knock the person nurturing their inner labrat.

my problem is im an ACTUAL labrat... so theres that. too used to being super ocd about accuracy and precision.

 

[augiedoggy]

my problem is im an ACTUAL labrat... so theres that. too used to being super ocd about accuracy and precision.

I understand... I play an actual engineer role in real life too... I realize great beer can be made without the extensive system too but...

 

[invictusbrew]

I understand... I play an actual engineer role in real life too... I realize great beer can be made without the extensive system too but...

...what's the fun in that?

 

[skraeling]

I understand... I play an actual engineer role in real life too... I realize great beer can be made without the extensive system too but...

...what's the fun in that?

thirding this haha.

Could I get away with just a case fan in my keezer project? Sure... but why do that when I can build a full pvc air circulation rig right.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

...what's the fun in that?

I used to feel this way too. But, from a non labrat/engineer perspective, I felt like I was "maintaining" my pH meter more than I was actually using it. so I let mine die a slow agonizing death.

 

[invictusbrew]

I used to feel this way too. But, from a non labrat/engineer perspective, I felt like I was "maintaining" my pH meter more than I was actually using it. so I let mine die a slow agonizing death.

Yeah, that's fair. I've been in a similar situation... not with tech though. No, I felt like all I was doing was taking my wife's decorations out of the boxes and setting them up only to put them back a couple weeks later, so I conveniently "misplaced" them in the dumpster... or at least that's how the dream goes. One of these days I may make it a reality though.

 

[petrolSpice]

I use StarSan thats been in the garage for 3 years or so and it seems to be working fine. My garage is also not insulated, so it's subject to some large temp swings.

 

[8rnw8]

Good to hear. Thanks everyone for the ph testing and star san potency advice!

 

[tracyk]

Let me see if I have this straight, it only cost $21.00 for a 32 oz bottle of StarSan, but the pH tester cost $124.00 to test the StarSan. Which would be cheaper to go buy if I am unsure? There seems to be a problem with this equation.

 

[8rnw8]

Let me see if I have this straight, it only cost $21.00 for a 32 oz bottle of StarSan, but the pH tester cost $124.00 to test the StarSan. Which would be cheaper to go buy if I am unsure? There seems to be a problem with this equation.

Ph test strips are $5, it sounds like cheap meters can be had for under $20, while the more expensive option was brought up as a precise enough option to also monitor mash PH.

I began this thread with the acknowledgement that I could just buy new star san and be done with it, but I was curious as to whether or not there was potency degradation.

 

[petrolSpice]

Ph test strips are $5, it sounds like cheap meters can be had for under $20, while the more expensive option was brought up as a precise enough option to also monitor mash PH.

I began this thread with the acknowledgement that I could just buy new star san and be done with it, but I was curious as to whether or not there was potency degradation.

The more expensive meters also have replaceable sensors/probes. Apparently they can go bad quickly especially if you don't store them properly.

 

[augiedoggy]

The more expensive meters also have replaceable sensors/probes. Apparently they can go bad quickly especially if you don't store them properly.

I have 2 of the inexpensive one I use to check against each other just to check functionality of the meters... From the experience I have with them - they can read off if left to dry completely up but if I let them soak in RO water for a bit and recalibrate they work ok again... One of my meters is 2.5 years old and the other is about a year old...one is the lower resolution yellow and ones the newer red with the x.xx resolution.

I wouldnt trust them in a lab but they have proven to work accurately enough for things like checking starsan solution thats been sitting mixed or checking water or mash ph.
Someday maybe I'll come to realize there might be some sort of benefit for me to have a better one but I just dont see how at this point.

 

[8rnw8]

Update: used PH strips. I did have to use a little more star san to reach a PH of under 3.0, but not much at all. So perhaps some potency loss, but this is like 3 years old, and has been subjected to sever temperature fluctuations.

Thanks again everyone!