1st timer sanitizing question - need answer ASAP please

Just submerge it in a starsan solution and turn it around and the liquid will pass through. It seems impossible at first but if you just twist it around a few times you get the hang of it and you can sanitize it and drain it easily.

 

You can also leave starsan inside your S shaped airlock. Don't try that with bleach!

 

Starsan is a no rinse sanitizer. It ain't bleach.

Drain most of it from your fermenter, but don't rinse it or anything else you starsan-ed.

 

If you're using StarSan, there's no need to rinse. Just make sure the sanitizing solution gets on all of the surfaces and you're good to go! StarSan can make for a foamy solution, but that's totally normal. I do suggest filling your bucket with water and then adding the StarSan, lest you end up with a TON of foam.

 

I'd suggest soaking your airlock to make certain every surface gets thoroughly sanitized. So long as your bucket is clean when you start and you make certain that you get every surface of the bucket nice and wet with the solution, you should be ok with the spray bottle.

I tend to make 2.5 gallons of StarSan at a time. I mix the solution in the bucket I'm using for primary fermentation and soak my airlock and other items (that won't scratch the bucket) in there. When brew day is over, I take whatever is left in the bucket and fill a spray bottle (useful later to spray things down before pulling gravity readings) and a couple of growlers. That way, I have some ready to go in the event of an "emergency."

 

Don't fear the diluted bleach. Works fine. Pick up some iodophor, etc for next time

 

I could have sworn you had some infected batches you told us about.

 

He was hoping you forgot about them.

 

Nope, and you shouldn't swear.

 

Hmmm... give me a minute.

edit: http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...r-from-english-ale-yeast.238156/#post-3072468

 

Look all you want.

 

"...they confirmed that it was wild yeast that was the cause of the overcarbonation." Those batches were infected by wild yeast.

 

Yes.

Stop counting bubbles and use a hydrometer to measure the gravity. Then measure it again in 3 days. If it's the same, and in the ballpark of what you were expecting, it's done fermenting. Then you can bottle, or give the yeast some more time to clean up off-flavors.

Edit: Re-reading this thread, I see you brewed this one or two days ago. Leave it alone for a couple weeks before your first gravity check.

 

So the Platinum Pro Brewing Kit includes neither Sanitizer or a Hydrometer?? Seems like a poorly designed kit.
OP, if you are going to be serious about brewing, for sure you want a hydrometer, probably also a test cylinder:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/hydrometer-test-jar-12-plastic.html
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/hydrometer-triplescale.html

 

Yes, you'll have to remove the lid. Draw a sample with a sanitized wine thief, or a sanitized turkey baster, and then immediately replace the lid.

Edit: Also, I suggest reading this page on hydrometers... http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixA.html
In fact, I'd suggest reading the whole book, either on-line, or the more up to date print version.

 

Yeah, I would have preferred that style of beer to have a lower carbonation level. It instead came out with a normal carbonation level (about 2.5 volumes of CO2). There were absolutely no off flavors in that beer.

Cheers!