Even if you’re new to home brewing, you’ve probably heard of Star San. It’s earned the reputation as the most popular sanitizer in the homebrewing world, and for good reason—it’s effective, easy to use, and safe when used correctly. However, there’s a common misconception among some homebrewers that Star San can be used as a cleanser. In this blog, we’ll clarify what Star San is, why it’s not a cleanser, and the proper way to use it in your brewing process.
What is Star San?
Star San is an acid-based, no-rinse sanitizer widely used in homebrewing. Its primary function is to sanitize brewing equipment by killing bacteria, wild yeast, and other microorganisms that could contaminate your beer. Sanitization is the act of eliminating microbes. For a complete discussion on sanitization, click here.
Key Properties of Star San:
- Effective: Kills a broad spectrum of microorganisms.
- No-rinse: Safe to use without rinsing, leaving surfaces ready for contact with beer.
- Fast-acting: Sanitizes in just one to two minutes.
- Easy to use: Typically diluted to a concentration of 1 ounce per 5 gallons of water.
Why Star San is Not a Cleanser
Despite its impressive sanitizing capabilities, Star San is not designed to clean. Cleaning and sanitizing are two distinct processes in brewing, each requiring different products and methods.
Key Differences:
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Purpose:
- Cleansing: Removes visible dirt, organic material, and fermentation residue from brewing equipment.
- Sanitizing: Kills invisible microorganisms on already clean surfaces. The key part is "already clean". You can't reliably sanitize a surface that is not clean.
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Chemical Action:
- Cleansers: Often contain surfactants and detergents to break down and remove grime, organic matter and invisible biofilms.
- Sanitizers (like Star San): Designed to kill bacteria and other microbes but not to remove dirt or residue.
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Usage Sequence:
- Cleansing: The first step, ensuring all equipment is free of visible contaminants.
- Sanitizing: The final step, applied to clean equipment to ensure it’s free from harmful microorganisms.
The Risks of Using Star San Without Using a Cleanser
Relying on Star San as a cleanser can lead to several issues:
- Ineffective Cleaning: Star San will not remove organic material, which can harbor bacteria, wild yeast and other annoying microbes that can lead to off flavors in beer. Any residue left on your equipment can compromise the sanitizing process.
- Increased Contamination Risk: Without proper cleaning, sanitizing alone won’t be sufficient to prevent contamination, leading to spoiled batches of beer.
The Correct Way to Use Star San
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Clean First:
- Use a dedicated brewing caustic cleaner like PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash), B-Brite or One Step.
- Thoroughly scrub all equipment to remove visible dirt, grime, and organic residue. Be sure not to scratch plastic equipment.
- Rinse well to remove all cleaning agents.
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Sanitize with Star San:
- Prepare a Star San solution by mixing 1 ounce of Star San with 5 gallons of water.
- Apply the solution to all clean surfaces that will come into contact with your beer. This can be done by soaking, spraying, or rinsing.
- Allow the solution to sit for 1-2 minutes.
- No need to rinse; the residual Star San will not affect your beer and is safe.
Final Thoughts
Star San is the most highly regarded sanitizer in homebrewing. However, it’s important to understand that it's not a cleanser and should not be used as one.
Properly clean your equipment first before sanitizing with Star San. This way, you’ll keep your brewing equipment free from unwanted microbes, and you'll produce the best tasting beer.