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FAQ-Cleaning & Sanitizing

Question: Is One Step a cleaner or sanitizer?
Answer:

In the U.S.A., "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)....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Why is PBW different from other powdered cleaners?
Answer:

PBW was designed to blend the best of four factors of Surfactants, Wetting Agents, Oxygen & Chelation to attack the oils, soils & minerals specific to brewing. While other cleansers have strengths in one area or another, PBW is renowned for having achieved the superior synergy of all four. Used at proper temperature, strength and exposure times, PBW will actually outperform a caustic cleanser while being safe and environmentally friendly....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What is the difference between Straight-A and One Step?
Answer:

Straight-A is a more heavy duty product for removing tough soils and leaving equipment sparkling clean. You should always rinse after using Straight-A because it is an alkaline product and it might throw off the acid balance of your beer or wine. One Step requires no rinsing and is intended as the only treatment for reasonably clean equipment before it comes into contact with your beer or wine....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How important is cleaning and sanitizing for my beer, really?
Answer:

Home brewers can attribute the bulk of their failed batches to dirty equipment and botched sanitation. Clean equipment will last longer, function properly and keep off flavors from contaminating subsequent batches of beer. Maintaining a good brewing and fermenting environment means doing a good job of both cleaning and sanitizing. Proper cleaning will remove dirt and stains that can protect microorganisms and bacteria so you can better sanitize your equipment. Midwest does not recommend using detergents or dish soaps as they can leave behind scents and flavors that can be picked up by your beer or wine. We offer several products to help you sufficiently clean and sanitize your equipment. Considering the time and money you will invest in your brew, dumping the brew is a sad event when contamination can be prevented with a little effort to clean and sanitize....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How long is the One Step solution good for?
Answer:

Many factors come into play in answering that question. One Step works by producing hydrogen peroxide in solution, so the most important thing is to keep that peroxide. Peroxides are degraded by organic soils, light, and heat, so if you keep your solution away from those things, it will stay better, longer. In a sealed, dark, and clean container, the solution will last up to 1 week. In a closed, clean container in a refrigerator, the solution is good for over a month (but let it warm up before you use it)....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What are the differences between sanitizers?
Answer:

Practicing good sanitation is the next step to ensure infection-free wine and beer. Sanitizing means to reduce the amounts of bacteria and microorganisms to levels such that yeast can dominate the fermentation. STAR SAN – This is an acid based no-rinse sanitizer. Use only one ounce per 5 gallons of water. Star San is odorless, flavorless, and requires only one to two minutes of contact time. This product does tend to foam, which has advantages and disadvantages. Foaming action helps to sanitize cracks and crevices, but you need to allow extra time for draining. SANICLEAN – This is pretty much the same as Star San, but without the foam. You do want the contact time to be about 3 minutes for best results. IO STAR – Iodine is a classic sanitizer with a long history. A very economical sanitation choice, 1 oz. of this iodine based sanitizer is enough to make 5 gallons of solution. Requires only a minute or so of contact time. This product does slightly stain siphon tubing and other plastic parts over time, but this has no effect on your equipment, nor your beer or wine. Does not corrode steel or copper. PBW – Powdered Brewery Wash. This product is used by many commercial breweries throughout the world. This is another product that works quickly and does not require a lot of contact time to be effective. Soaking your equipment overnight will easily remove any stubborn, caked on organic deposits, without scrubbing. PBW is an environmentally friendly product that will not hurt septic systems. There are a lot of options for cleaners and sanitizers out there, and some are very specific to certain types of equipment, but don’t panic. Just make sure to clean everything well before and after use, and you will be just fine....Click to Read full Answer

Question: Are Cleaning and Sanitizing different things?
Answer:

Yes, they are! Cleaning is the process of removing soils and oils and minerals from your equipment. You use alkali cleaners to remove soils and oils and acid cleaners to remove minerals. Generally, in home brew, you rarely need to use acids, but they are available. There are two methods of cleaning brewing equipment: Manual Cleaning and Soak Cleaning. Manual Cleaning involves scrubbing the open, easily accessible surfaces of your equipment. Soak Cleaning is used to clean bottles, hoses and other difficult or enclosed containers. Remember, you can’t sanitize anything until it is thoroughly cleaned, first!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: Other useful cleaning equipment we carry…
Answer:

Airlock brush: Perfect for those 3-piece airlocks when beer or wine has worked it’s way into the chamber. Buon Vino Spray Wand: The spray wand enables you to reach into your carboys and bottles more effectively than the jet bottle washer. The spray wand hooks up to your laundry sink faucet (or any internally threaded faucet with the faucet adapter) as a water source. Midwest does not recommend using very hot water with this product so as not to damage it. Double Blast Bottle Washer: Much like the jet bottle washer except more efficient. Conserve your water AND your time!!! Connects to a laundry sink faucet or internally threaded faucets if you have the faucet adapter....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What’s the difference between cleaning and sanitization? Why are they so important to winemaking?
Answer:

Cleaning chemicals remove visible dirt and residue from your equipment. Some good cleaners are B-Brite, One Step, and Easy Clean. Sanitizing is treating your equipment with sanitizing chemicals that will eliminate, or prevent the growth of, spoilage organisms. You cannot sanitize anything unless it is clean. Some good sanitizers are IO Star and Star San. Everything that comes in contact with your wine must be clean, and properly sanitized, from the thermometer to the carboy, from the siphon hose to the bung and airlock. One single lapse could cause an entire batch to turn out poorly....Click to Read full Answer

Question: How can I get the labels off of my returnable bottles? I don't want people thinking I'm serving them Milwaukee's Best Light Ice??!!
Answer:

Label removal is made pretty easy with B-Brite. Just take your bottling bucket, fill it about three-quarters of the way with warm water and add 1 tablespoon of B-Brite. Pack as many bottles as you can into the bucket, submerging them in the solution as you go. When you have as many bottles as you think you can get into the bucket, top off with more warm water if necessary. Then, just leave 'em sit for a while. Overnight, or even a couple of hours should do the trick. When you remove your bottles from the solution, the labels will just slip right off of the bottles....Click to Read full Answer

Question: What kinds of cleaning equipment does Midwest carry?
Answer:

We have several products to help you when it comes time to clean up your bottles, carboys and airlocks. The most common cleaning equipment we arm our customers with are the carboy brush, the bottle brush, and the jet bottle washer. The carboy brush is specially designed to scrub the hard-to-reach sides of your carboy. This feature is invaluable, especially when using glass carboys as your primary fermenter, as the krausen leaves a lot of proteins clinging to the sides. The bottle brush is exactly what you’ll need to prepare for bottling day. Finally, the jet bottle washer is a great way to rinse your bottles and carboys. You’ll need the optional faucet adapter if your faucet has internal threads. It carries a life-time guarantee and conserves water, too!...Click to Read full Answer

Question: What are the differences between the various cleaners?
Answer:

Each cleaner is a proprietary blend of various components including emulsifiers, surfactants and other agents designed to make your water wetter (better to break down oils and soils) and lift them off of and unable to resettle on equipment surfaces. Brewers tend to develop an affection for one cleaner over time and it usually is a matter of personal preference....Click to Read full Answer