[Robbeversole]

I need a sanitized that will not effect beer taste or attenuation.

I am currently using Star San.

Is there a better alternative that is widely available, and cost effective?
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Straight from the brain of Robb!

[daddymem]

I use Brewvint Cleanitizer:
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_56_36&products_id=11166
I haven't had any problems and it is pretty economical I think.

[Robbeversole]

I have used brewvint and I believe that it definetly helpful for cleaning, but by my understanding it is a member of the perchlorate family of sanitizers.

Using an acid sanitized or even just bleach, afterwads rinsinsing the bleach with distiller water of course, seems like a more appropriate avenue for maximum efficacy.

Are there other brands of acid sanitizers out there?
I currently use StarSan.

Any information on sanitizers and sanitaion technique are welcome.
_________________
Straight from the brain of Robb!

[Tom_R2]

I found a restaurant/food grade sanitizer concentrate at Sam's Club. It came in a gallon jug, and is diluted to 1-oz/gallon. It is a rinse that takes 1 minute of contact time, then is sanitary after drying. I've not had any problems with it so far (using it for a couple months or so) and it doesn't seem to leave any off flavors or impede yeast action. I harvest my yeast from batch-to-batch and have several types of yeast in the refrig. I have been using White Labs liquid yeasts that come in nice large tubes, and I also found some smaller tubes/caps on eBay that can be re-sanitized. I have been using a yeast starter made with DME before each batch and have been satisfied using this sanitizer. Sanitation is a different level of clean than 'sterile' so don't confuse the two. Beer brewing needs sanitary conditions for most things home brewers do, and it gives excellent results. We can't very well operate in sterile conditions in a home kitchen.

Be sure to not have all of your equipment sitting near open windows and don't run a kitchen ceiling fan. Both stir up dust and bacteria which can fall into your kettle or fermenter. Once active fermentation takes place, a healthy batch of yeast can somewhat control a few stray bacteria that may fall into the wort, but the fewer critters you get in it the better off you are.

-Tom
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Life begins at 50 . . . . Actually, 1.050

[arlyn9391]