Strange color Star San concentrate? Would you use it?

[UncleBeardyBeer]

Was at a garage sale today. Dude was giving away the last of the brewing supplies he had listed. An old mr. Beer and a partial bottle of Star San. I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth so I took it. Everything had a vague odor of cat about it, including the bottle and the mr. Beer. I get it home and realize that the concentrate is quite a few shades darker than normal. And the label is different. I looked quick through the forums and saw people saying that Star San should be stable indefinitely. But this color throws me off a bit. Thoughts? Would you use it? The color difference is even more pronounced in the main reservoir.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1438438165.039696.jpg

I'm assuming that the Mr. Beer is infected and will use it as a sour experimenter. But I don't want to chance other batches with possibly compromised sanitizer.

 

[passedpawn]

If you have a way of testing pH, you could mix up some with water and test the pH. If it's where it should be, then it's OK.

It's probably OK, but "probably" isn't good enough when it comes to sanitation. I would not use it. The stuff is relatively cheap.

 

[DPveritasGold]

I agree with pastpawn. Considering how critical sanitation is in brewing, it's not worth the risk just to save a few bucks.

 

[QuadConPana]

Years ago, an employee comes into work wearing shiny black patent leather pants. I tell him that they aren't dress code. He tells me that he looked it up and there was nothing excluding leather pants. My response, "If you have to look up whether or not something is appropriate work attire, just don't wear it."

Same principle here. If you've got to ask...

Maybe it's fine. Maybe you won't waste an afternoon and $$ worth of ingredients. Maybe you'll save $10 on sanitizer. Maybe not.

 

[cannman]

Its totally fine. It has to do with the length of time that batch of San was cooked (or particular ingredients were cooked). Do a PH test in a water solution 30ml to 5 gal ratio and make sure its under 3.5ph and you're solid.

Hear it from the horse's mouth, Jon Herskovits of Five Star:
http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/membersarchive/bs_sanitation1-5-09.mp3

 

[UncleBeardyBeer]

Thanks folks. I will don my leather pants and go grab some pH testing strips.

 

[cannman]

Thanks folks. I will don my leather pants and go grab some pH testing strips.

Write 5 star, they might send u some for free if you're testing their product.

 

[IslandLizard]

Yeah, old multi-range litmus paper works fine too. I think the target for a fresh solution is pH 3, but could be as high as 3.5 depending on water composition (high alkalinity), and still work as intended. You can always add some phosphoric acid to bring the pH down.

My Starsan concentrate is 5 years old and darkened the same way. Not a problem.