Using starsan right before bottling.

[chungking]

I usually clean my bottles in the dishwasher, but after a few batches with bad head, I decided to soak them in a starsan solution before bottling. Long story short, I dunked the clean bottles in the starsan solution, drained, and shook as much out as possible. Then I bottled.

My concern is, will any residual starsan make off flavors since I didn't let it dry first? Just worried cause the starsan to beer ratio is obviously larger in bottles then in the bucket. I'm pretty sure it won't affect anything, but I need you guys to ease my fears!

 

[FastAndy]

You'll be fine. Drain as best as you can and fill em up.

Cheers,

 

[Revvy]

You want that. It's best to use a no rinse sanitizer like starsan wet, you don't really want it to dry. If it is wet it contiunues to kill what lands on it. If it is dry eventually things that come into contact with it will render it unsanitized.

The starsan in contact with the yeast breaks down into phosphoric acid (the same stuff in coca cola) and the yeast devour it....

It becomes yeastfood.

 

[BigFloyd]

Star San is a wonderful no-rinse sanitizer, but it's not a substitute for a good scrubbing/cleaning/rinsing.

You ought to clean/rinse your bottles after use (with something like PBW) and then hit them with Star San right before bottling.

 

[sniperd]

You won't taste the star san at all.

 

[unionrdr]

Da revs is right. Starsan breaks down into yeast food,& won't cause any off flavors in the beer. I use a bottle tree & vinator with starsan on bottling day.
I even dunk the caps in it. It's effective when still wet.

 

[boydster]

I often end up with Star San foam coming out the top of my fermenter when filling it up on brew days, and again coming out the top of bottles when filling them on bottling days. It's good when there is still some foam in there. The best advice I read about this when I started brewing was also the simplest advice: Don't fear the foam.

 

[dstranger99]

The best indication that you're doing things right is when the "Star San snake" exits the bottle as your filling it..........

 

[Revvy]

The best indication that you're doing things right is when the "Star San snake" exits the bottle as your filling it..........

Like this?

From my old photo thread- "Stupid Starsan Tricks" or why you shouldn't fear the foam...

 

[boydster]

Yes! Did I have that many homebrews that I missed you sneaking in to take picture of my carboy last weekend?

 

[CooperBrew]

Do yourself a favor an spend a few bucks on one of these, a Vinator. They are much more efficient with the sanitizer solution (only need a cup or two) and you soak your caps in it as well. A few pumps into your bottle to rinse the inside and and fill. Saves the time and mess of soaking a whole bunch of bottles at once.

Thanks to Revvy's bottling thread I bought one of these a few months ago....SOOOOOO worth it!

 

[jfk69]

^^^Best investment EVER^^^

 

[unionrdr]

That,& the ferrari bottle tree to fit it. Now it all fits in about a 2 square foot space. Smaller footprint def works for me at this stage of the game of life. And save those 1 gallon SunnyD jugs for your PBW & starsan. I even have one marked off in half gallon increments for measuring water.

 

[geoffm33]

Do yourself a favor an spend a few bucks on one of these, a Vinator. They are much more efficient with the sanitizer solution (only need a cup or two) and you soak your caps in it as well. A few pumps into your bottle to rinse the inside and and fill. Saves the time and mess of soaking a whole bunch of bottles at once.

Thanks to Revvy's bottling thread I bought one of these a few months ago....SOOOOOO worth it!

Went to my LHBS during lunch today to get:

1. StarSan
2. Vinator
3. FastRack

Didn't even write it down, it was that simple. Well, I forgot the Vinator and didn't realize it until I saw this post. DAMN IT!

Well, back to LHBS tomorrow, like that's a bad thing

 

[ThatGeekGuy]

Went to my LHBS during lunch today to get:

1. StarSan
2. Vinator
3. FastRack

Didn't even write it down, it was that simple. Well, I forgot the Vinator and didn't realize it until I saw this post. DAMN IT!

Well, back to LHBS tomorrow, like that's a bad thing

FastRacks rock, I don't bottle often but when I do that's what I use instead of a tree.

 

[Stauffbier]

I'll chime in to say that what Revvy said about it being better to bottle while the starsan is still wet is ideally what you want to do, but if you hang your bottles upside down after sanitizing it's ok if they dry out a little if you're filling them right away. If you sanitize them and leave them upright and they dry out, then you would want to sanitize them again.

 

[kh54s10]

Agreed with the Vinator - IMO it is a must piece of equipment.

Clean bottles - a few pumps on the Vinator with Starsan then into the bottom dishwasher rack. They drain some while I am filling them. They have just enough Starsan left so that when the foam comes out I know they are just about filled.

Rinsing in Starsan just before bottling it the best way to go.

 

[sniperd]

FastRack all the way, much better than a tree. Easier to store and has more uses.

 

[unionrdr]

Idk...I like equipment that's a bit specialized at least. that way,it won't get appropriated by someone else in da house. gogogo,downdowndown,backbackback,mineminemine!!! daffy on friday...

 

[MaxStout]

Agreed with the Vinator - IMO it is a must piece of equipment.

Clean bottles - a few pumps on the Vinator with Starsan then into the bottom dishwasher rack. They drain some while I am filling them. They have just enough Starsan left so that when the foam comes out I know they are just about filled.

Rinsing in Starsan just before bottling it the best way to go.

I like the dishwasher rack idea. Would mean not having to buy a bottle tree.

 

[TBaGZ]

I went with a tree instead of the Fast Rack. I like to use the shorter/fatter (SN & Lagunitas) style bottle, and they do not fit well in the rack.