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StarSan foaming
I'm new to the StarSan scene and I'm not sure I care for it. One thing I have a problem is that even though it's rinse free, it leaves a large bit of foam...especially if it's agitated at all. An example is that I add about a gallon of mixed StarSan to a glass carboy, swish it around, cover the mouth and shift it side to side. This creates a head of foam filling nearly half the carboy. The foam is so dense that I have to rinse it two or three times with water. What am I doing wrong? I'm mixing about a 1/4 oz of StarSan to one gallon of water (as per the directions).
Kent
You're not doing anything wrong. It's supposed to foam up like that. I would rinse out once, and then just use it. Do not fear the foam, it will affect your beer at all. I know it looks weird at first, but I had the same concerns when I started using StarSan, but now I just give it the one rinse, and whatever foam is left, is part of my brew.
Do not fear the foam. The foam is your friend...
As Ricka said, Don't fear the foam. Star San is a great product. If you really don't like the foam then try their Saniclean. It requires a longer contact time but has minimal foaming.
A few things I wanted to mention. There are multiple sanitizers out there, but the two most common I have seen are iodophor and Star San. I have used both. My complaint with iodophor is that, being iodone based, it stinks, and if you use a little too much, it will stain equipment. Not damage, just stain. I don't like that. Now some argue that if it stains, you are using too much, but I was using the amount recommended. My only other complaint is that it requires a longer contact time, about 2 minutes.
The brewery I volunteer at uses iodophor exclusively. It works fine.
Star San does not stain, it is food grade, reusable, and only requires about 30 seconds contact. I never rinse after using it, I just racking my beer right over the suds. Never caused a problem.
Some prefer iodophor, but I prefer Star San.
Don't fear the foam. Its perfectly safe and dosen't effect the flavor of the beer.
The foam has just as much sanitation potential as the liquid so all that foam is helping.
If it bothers you I recommend you sanitize early in your brew session, then let the vessel sit upside down over a bucket or something and it will slowly break down and drip out over a 1.5-2hr session. Not completely but enough so you don't have so much foam.
cubx wrote:
Star San does not stain, it is food grade, reusable, and only requires about 30 seconds contact.
I've heard from a couple people that it can stain/bleach certain countertops like formica. So just be careful when handling it in its concentrated form.
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