Kit O' Beer #2 - Canadian Blonde

[Glass]

5 days since the last test. 24 hrs on the chill. A small improvement. The beer is carbonating. Oh so slowly. I guess it's time to move on. Expecting to bottle KoB #3 around Friday so will need some room. That means the bulk of this will have to go into a fridge. That's ok. Fridge hims and forget hims.

This is a sweet tasty brew. No doubt. You would have to put this on high rotation just for the sake of supply. But it's a double edged sword because it tastes so good and it chugs so easy you are going to have to brew more anyway. Catch 22. Still it's a valid reason to home brew. Cheaper, tastier and better for your insides. Less chemicals, acids and other crud they put in macro beers.

I'm looking into brewing in jerry cans - food plastic. get a couple going side by side in less space.

[BrewTech]

When I finish a beer I rinse it out with hot water and put it on the tree. Then right before I bottle I set up a mix of 1 cap of bleach per 1 gal of hot water, submerse the bottles for 3-4 mins and spin them to make sure all areas got contacted. Then I remove the bottles pouring the bleach water back into that tub and rinse the hell out of it, let it drain and cool and bottle.

It's a lot of time and a lot of water and even more of a PITA! I'll be glad to be done with it.

Me thinks I need to get a F vs C chart, lol

TechTip: Tap water is, more often than not, loaded with beer spoiling bacteria.

Remedy: No-rinse sanitizer... available at the homebrew store.

More expensive than bleach (not much), but a little goes a long way, and the beer will be happier.

[Glass]

Tested another bottle on Sunday. That makes 5 weeks + 2 days in the bottle. This was bottle # 10 of the 30.

Now it is showing signs of improving carbonation. These beers are still lightly carb'd but at least there is some staying power to the carbonation. Head is thin and light at maybe a 1 finger if you pour it hard enough. There are some nice firm bottles in the batch so it's getting there but slow as weeks that are wet. Still good beer needs patient brewers.

There is a slight haze to the beer. It has a nice clean taste. The light carbonation helps with the ease of drinking. I think I've said all this before. I'd recommend this as a summer drinker but you'll probably need to have a batch on the go at all times. I personally think this should have conditioned a week or so ago. KoB #3 will give a comparison on the time for bottle conditioning. Same yeast, same brewing and priming method, different beer though. KoB # 4 will do the same but will be same beer as KoB #3, same brewing and priming method but different yeast.

[Libertytree]

TechTip: Tap water is, more often than not, loaded with beer spoiling bacteria.

Remedy: No-rinse sanitizer... available at the homebrew store.

More expensive than bleach (not much), but a little goes a long way, and the beer will be happier.

I hate using the bleach but at the time it was just as cheap or cheaper than the products I had found at the time. Time has changed things, along with a whole lot of knowledge!

The no rinse sanitizer was always a key component of the sanitizing station build, even if it did cost more. After some looking around I found this stuff and will use it.



I'm done with bleach, I just don't trust it with my beer.

[BrewTech]

I hate using the bleach but at the time it was just as cheap or cheaper than the products I had found at the time. Time has changed things, along with a whole lot of knowledge!

The no rinse sanitizer was always a key component of the sanitizing station build, even if it did cost more. After some looking around I found this stuff and will use it.



I'm done with bleach, I just don't trust it with my beer.

That's pretty good stuff, but it only cleans, it will not sanitize. Oxy-clean will do the same job.

Star-san is what you should get for sanitizing. Iodophor also works well.

[Glass]

I've got all sorts of sanitiser. I've got some 20:1 liquid santiser, coopers powdered sanitiser, a generic one and I scored some PBW last weekend. I haven't been able to find any star san down here though.

Anyway, happy homebrew wednesday

[Libertytree]

That's pretty good stuff, but it only cleans, it will not sanitize. Oxy-clean will do the same job.

Star-san is what you should get for sanitizing. Iodophor also works well.

What do you make of this? It is posted where the Easy Clean is sold, so I take it with a bit of salt.

What is the difference between a sanitizer and a cleanser?

• In the U.S.A., the word sanitizer is a legal term defined by the Environmental Protection Agency. In order for a product to be called a sanitizer in promotional literature or on its packaging, that product must be approved by the EPA, assigned a registration number, and have an open file maintained with the EPA. Unless a company would like to invest an enormous amount of capitol in this process (or use another company's product through a process called "sub-registration"), they may not call their product a sanitizer.
• If you purchase a bottle of bleach from the grocery store, unless it shows an EPA registration number on the front of the label, it is not a sanitizer. However, it will certainly be a good cleanser (although somewhat hazardous, not environmentally sound, and it will require rinsing).
• Is Easy Clean (One Step) a sanitizer?
• Read the above question and draw your own conclusions. Easy Clean (One Step) has been used with excellent results since 1992.
• For best results, Easy Clean (One Step) requires a 30 second contact time.
• If you feel you must sanitize equipment and bottles for added protection after cleaning, use your favorite sanitizer or use 2 oz of sodium or potassium metabisulphite and mix with 1 gallon of water. Coat all surfaces and remove excess by draining or let drip dry. There is no need to completely dry sulphite solution before using equipment or filling bottles with wine or beer.

http://www.homebrewit.com/wine-beer-sanitizers.php

[BrewTech]

I wouldn't count on that product for sanitizing, although it is an oxidizer.

There is a rule in brewing that is well known:

Cleaners don't sanitize, and santizers don't clean.

That's why brewery equipment is first rinsed with hot water, then cleaned with either acid or sodium hydroxide (or alkaline PBW), rinsed again, and then sanitized (peracetic acid is popular) before filling. My regimen includes all three. I won't be telling the boss I had to dump a batch because I wanted to save a couple of bucks by shortcutting on hygiene.

Trust me, if there was a cheap, effective shortcut, pro brewers would be using it. After all, we are trying to make money. The truth is that there isn't.

[Glass]

Confirming PBW is a cleaner not a sanitizer. Could not find a plain oxi clean type cleaner. Want something to clean couple cases 12oz glass bottles and maybe get labels off easier. Job for the weekend.

[Libertytree]

Glad that was pointed out before I bought 5lbs of the Easy Clean! My bottles are clean and was just concentrating on the sanitizing aspect, no rinse specifically and it looks like Star San is the winner.