Sanitizing

[hookset]

My wife and I are just getting started home brewing. We are on our 3rd home brew now all made from kits so far (no guts and not much knowledge yet!) We are using plastic buckets for the fermentation and bottling process transferring with clear plastic tube and auto siphon. I sanitize bottle and caps in the sink with Star San, try to shake what I can out, and then bottle.

First brew was fantastic, next 2 were OK but had a slightly... well what my son calls a medicine taste. I have been sanitizing everything like crazy with Star San and and wondering if that could be the taste. I don't rinse anything after using the Star San since I guess that could introduce what I am killing, just let it dry. But, I think the bottles may have had a little in the bottom.

I would give more information, but again I am a rookie so fire away with the questions, and Thanks for the help

[spiderwrangler]

Does your tap water have a pronounced chlorine character? The chlorine can result in compounds that have a medicinal character.

[hookset]

Not too much Chlorine taste... but I may just be use to it. Would you recommend we use the filtered water on the next batch?

[BDawg]

Are you topping up with tap water?

[JoeBeer100]

How do you clean prior to sanitizing? Proper cleaning is just as important as proper sanitization.

For carboys, kegs and tubing, I use a powered washer with PBW solution. For my bottles, I soak them overnight in PBW solution. After cleaning I rinse the equipment off, and put sanitizer in.

It's doubtful you're tasting the sanitizer in your finished product.

Good luck, hang in there.

[hookset]

Yes, top off with tap water. we have a 30 quart SS kettle.

when we are finished with a brew fermentation, I wash out the bucket with hot water. I don't think I have used any soap in the bucket.
The SS Kettle is just rinsed out after use.
the caps, capper, tubing, and autosiphon get sanitized with Star San, immersed in the sink and then drained.

I have not heard of powered washer or PBW solution, although I did use OXYClean on the bottles to get the labels off of them.

[JoeBeer100]

Yes, top off with tap water. we have a 30 quart SS kettle.

when we are finished with a brew fermentation, I wash out the bucket with hot water. I don't think I have used any soap in the bucket.
The SS Kettle is just rinsed out after use.
the caps, capper, tubing, and autosiphon get sanitized with Star San, immersed in the sink and then drained.

I have not heard of powered washer or PBW solution, although I did use OXYClean on the bottles to get the labels off of them.

If you're doing 5 gallon batches, there doesn't seem to be a need to top off with water. A full boil will ensure all of the wort is sanitized.

One thing to keep in mind is that Star San is not a cleaner, it's a sanitizer. There are some Brew Strong episodes and at least 1 Sunday Session (3/19/06) on cleaning and sanitizing. In all of the episodes, they emphasize that it's a 2 step process: cleaning then sanitizing. PBW (powdered brewery wash?) is the product that Five Star makes for cleaning. A power washer isn't necessary.

[hookset]

that makes sense... the instructions said to boil 2 gallons and then add the 3 after it cools. Wife and I could not figure out how that sanitizes all the water. I guess they do that since getting 5 gallons to boil takes some time, but I could take the burner for the turkey deep fryer and use that to get the 5 gallons to boil.

I didn't know about the difference between sanitizing and cleaning, that really helps.

I will check out the brew strong.