No rinse sanitizer poll

That's an interesting point.

 

I find the Star-San foam sort of comforting -- a slightly foamy surface is a nice visual cue that it's all safe and sanitary and ready to use, especially if I sanitize it more than a few minutes before it touches wort/beer.

 

I've always used iodaphor, and have never rinsed after dumping the sanitizer.

 

If you're going to rinse with boiled water I say save some dollars and use bleach. If you're in the mood to use a reputable product as instructed I say get you some star-san and take comfort in that beautiful foam.​

 

There's plenty other things to do on brew day than rinsing no-rinse cleaner

 

Of course, if you use bleach as a no-rinse sanitizer, there still is no need to rinse.

 

When I bottle, I fill clean bottles with iodophor solution, After I empty them, I do a quick rinse with a few ounces of still-hot boiled water kept in a sanitary cooler with a push-button spigot. I do this to remove some excess iodophor. I am aware that this isn't really necessary, but I have been doing it this way for a long time. Have always figured that I don't need any excess hungry halogens reacting with my beer.

 

My wife would kill me if I made a cheesecake... after she ate it.

 

Do you use "no more tears" shampoo and cry in the shower anyway?

 

Only when skiv's wife eats all the cheesecake.

 

Interesting on the iodophor, I've always rinsed, but really it's so miniscule how could it matter.

 

Why would you rinse a no-rinse sanitizer? That's why it's called no-rinse..

"But Dead Tom's always been dead. That's why he's called Dead Tom"

 

Though I consider myself a mere plebe in Homebrew 42's world of brewing, my theory is thus: Sanitation is about giving your yeast pitch a huge head start at becoming the dominant microorganism in that fermenter. I feel that my yeast management is very good (both in health and quantity of yeast pitched), so by rinsing the fermenter of everything right before yeast pitch, what I am essentially doing is erasing all chemicals and yes (possibly at worst) introducing very very small trace amounts of bacteria from my tap water...but my ass-kicking huge yeast pitch soon overwhelms that. Plus, if my tap water was laden with bacteria that would spoil beer, it would be making my family sick as well... Just saying.

 

Once the ph of starsan is above a certain level (3 IIRC) it becomes a nutrient for the yeast. There is no benefit to rinsing. And depending on the organism, it could not need a high concentration to be noticed in your beer. Also beer spoilage organisms are not necessarily the same ones that make you sick. In many styles lactobacillus, pediococcus, and brett would cause an "infection" however, in other styles they are normal and would be completely safe for consumption.

 

What chemicals are you trying to erase? (BTW, residual Starsan (if that's what you're using) serves as a yeast nutrient.)

 

To summarize, Please for all you doubters out there:
A) Stop rinsing your no-rinse sanitizers (iodophor, Star San, etc)!
B) If using Star San "Don't fear the foam"

I've changed a lot of my brewing practices/techniques over the years since I first started brewing in 1999 but I never rinsed after sanitizing. Maybe that's why I've never had an infection....knock on wood.

 

I think that the smell of the Iodophor in my buckets and kegs is what bothers me. In my head I think that If I can smell it I can taste it and that is why I use boiling water. This is another step however, I feel better doing it.

 

My wife has a funny story from when she worked in food service, back when she was in high school. It seems the food safety quiz at a local pizza chain had a question where you identified the appropriate order for a series of procedures: wash, rinse, dry, sanitize. The manager who graded her quiz told her she was the only person to get the answer correct in all his time there. It seems that everyone really, really wants to rinse after they sanitize.

Don't feel bad if you have done this. You are in good company. That said, learn to resist the urge to rinse after sanitizing, especially with (un-sanitized) water.

If you really want to be careful, wash everything you use before you sanitize, and after you use it, when you put it away.

 

Sometimes I add more sanatizer to a jug to knock down the foam if there is to much foam and then dump it back out before imediately syphoning my beer in so there isn't lots of floating foam when I add my yeast.

 

Side Note: Do the acids, such as phosphoric acid, etc., in some of these no-rinse sanitizers have any effect on the pH or mineral levels in the final beer? They can be quite concentrated at 50% solution, and even only using one ounce, it may have some effect. Food for thought I guess... I'm not saying this will happen.