Beer Minus Bacteria: Cleaning & Sanitation
What is the most important skill in homebrewing? Knowing how to clean and sanitize your equipment. Here’s a straightforward guide to doing it right and picking the proper products.
Homebrewing is all about having fun. Having fun making our beer, having fun drinking our beer, having fun talking about our beer. Yet the one subject we rarely talk about is the most important one: cleaning and sanitizing our equipment.
Why do we avoid the topic? That question is easy to answer. Cleaning and sanitizing is the boring, dull part of our hobby. Never mind that this is the most critical part of homebrewing. Cleaning and sanitizing is a lot like work, and this hobby is all about having fun, right? Right … but there’s nothing less fun than realizing that sloppy sanitation has laid waste to your latest batch.
In this article I will explain how to clean and sanitize your brewing equipment. I’ll also offer an overview of the most common chemicals available to homebrewers today: how well they work, how much to use, advantages and disadvantages, and which ones I like best. I also have listed the leading manufacturers’ Web sites at the end of the article, so you can research the chemicals and make your own decisions, if you wish.
As homebrewers today, we can choose among sanitizing chemicals that are easier to use and more effective than most products sold in the past. We also have more choices: Only six or seven years ago, the only cleaning and sanitizing chemicals available to homebrewers were those you could find at the grocery or hardware store.
Many commercial brewers use chemicals other than the ones I discuss in this article. These chemicals are not typically suggested for home hobbyists, either because they potentially are more dangerous for a novice to use, or are not easily available in small quantities.
A few definitions
First let’s define cleaning, sanitizing and sterilizing, since they are entirely different processes and should not be confused.
Cleaning your equipment means that you have removed all of the visible dirt and residue on your equipment, but not living organisms. Cleaning chemicals work by releasing the bonds of the dirt from the surface of your equipment.
Sanitizing means you’ve treated your equipment with a chemical solution (or heat) that will eliminate all spoilage organisms. You must clean your equipment before sanitizing it, since it is difficult to properly sanitize equipment that still has residue. Sanitizing chemicals kill or neutralize the wild molds, bacteria and yeast that are naturally present in our environment (and on your equipment!).
Sterilizing means the complete elimination of spoilage organisms. This is not realistic in the homebrewing environment.
Time to clean up
So, it’s been a few months (or longer) since you made your last batch of beer. Your carboy, airlock and hoses all have stains, and some dirt and residue from your last porter are visible upon close inspection. Where do you start?
Well, first you need to clean your fermenter, airlock, hoses, siphon and any other piece of equipment that is going to contact your beer. This can also include things like spoons and funnels, items that are easy to overlook. It would be easy (and tempting) to just hose them out, but that will expose your beer to contamination and could ruin your next batch.
In teaching brewing classes over the past 12 years, I often refer to the false sense of over-confidence new brewers get from their first few good batches of beer. This early success tricks brewers into thinking that they can back off on their cleaning and sanitation schedule. Of course, the problem is that these new brewers have started with new equipment, and have followed cleaning and sanitizing instructions to the letter. Then, just as their equipment has been used for several batches of beer — and has gradually gotten dirtier and less sanitary with each batch — the brewer starts thinking that a lower level of cleaning and sanitation will still do the trick. That is when they brew their first “bad” batch of beer! This event normally teaches the homebrewer that sanitation must be paramount in order to make good beer.
Soaking and scrubbing
There are two methods of cleaning your equipment: You can either use a cleaning solution and scrub your equipment, which takes less time but more elbow grease, or you can use a chemical and water and give this solution enough time to soak your equipment clean.
I normally use a combination of the two methods, since I often am too impatient to wait for the chemical to work by itself, and am too lazy to scrub everything for hours. I soak my equipment for about 20 minutes with a cleaning solution, then scrub lightly to make sure I have gotten rid of all the residue and dirt. For hoses, airlocks and siphons that you can’t scrub, a good cleaning chemical and patience is the best bet, and since these pieces of equipment are inexpensive, you should simply replace them periodically.
When scrubbing any plastic equipment, I would suggest using a sponge or soft cloth towels to avoid scratching. For glass and stainless steel, more abrasive scrubbers like carboy brushes are acceptable, but even with stainless steel it is possible to scratch the surface, so the softer your scrubber, the better.
Most household cleaners should be avoided, since either they are unsafe for human consumption (bathroom and oven cleaners) or they are too mild (dishwashing detergents) to effectively clean your brewery.
Many kinds of cleaners
Percarbonates are a relatively new group of cleaning chemicals that have become available to homebrewers. Percarbonates are a combination of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide (and other secret ingredients, which is basically what separates the various brands from each other), and they effectively remove dirt and deposits from all types of brewing equipment. Percarbonates work with active oxygen and a mild alkali to help lift the grime. The hydrogen peroxide does provide some degree of sanitization, but it is better to rely on them only as cleaners. One of the best properties of the percarbonate family is that they are environmentally friendly.
PBW (Powder Brewery Wash):
PBW is the strongest of the percabonates listed here. This is my favorite cleaner, because it is very effective in dissolving stubborn stains in hard-to-reach places. It works well to clean hoses, airlocks, fermenters, all plastic and all metals with a 30-minute soak. PBW also works well to clean the interior of your Cornie kegs.
PBW works well in hot, warm and cool water. For stubborn stains, an overnight soak is necessary. The solution can be used to soak more than one piece of equipment. A normal dosage is 1 tablespoon per gallon (3.8 liters). Heavy-duty cleaning requires 2 tablespoons per gallon (3.8 liters). Rinse all equipment twice with warm water after using PBW.
PBW is commonly used as a clean-in-place (CIP) chemical in commercial breweries, where it is difficult to reach the surface the brewer is cleaning.
Straight-A, One-Step & B-Brite:
These percarbonates are similar to PBW, but they are not as strong, at about one-third the cost. While they work as well as PBW for most cleaning jobs, they come up short on the really tough jobs. These percarbonates also do not dissolve easily in cold water. Straight-A and B-Brite are both stronger than One-Step.
I do not recommend using One-Step as both a cleaner and a sanitizer, even though the directions suggest it can be used for both. Based on my experience, I just don’t think One-Step is as effective as other sanitizers. These cleaners also work well to remove labels from commercial beer bottles. Use at a rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon (3.8 liters) of warm to hot water, and rinse after cleaning.
Sparkle-Brite (sold in Canada, called Diversol):
Sparkle-Brite is a cleaner that contains TSP (tri-sodium-phosphate) and potassium bromide. This is a corrosive chemical that requires great care when using. While it works well, other chemicals are easier to use, less dangerous to use, and more environmentally friendly. Use at a rate of 1 teaspoon per liter of water (1 tablespoon per gallon) for cleaning.
Pro-Zyme (sold in Canada):
This is an enzyme-enhanced detergent that is effective in removing protein buildup from beer- and winemaking equipment. Use at a rate of 7 grams per liter of hot water (roughly one-quarter ounce per quarter-gallon).
Pro-Zyme is a mild irritant, much like laundry detergent. Leftover residue of this chemical may cause your beer to lose foam retention.
Chlorine bleach:
Chlorine bleach is a good cleaner for glass. It’s of limited use for plastic, since it can be absorbed by the plastic, leading to off-flavors in your beer. Chlorine should never be used for stainless steel, since it can actually eat holes through the stainless steel if given a long-enough contact time.
For cleaning glass, use at a rate of about 2.5 tablespoons per 5 gallons (19 liters) of water. Let the solution soak for about 30 minutes, then scrub to remove stubborn deposits. You must rinse heavily to remove the excess chlorine smell. Chlorine is not very effective on beer stone and some other brewing residues, so I would suggest avoiding its use.
Dishwashing detergents:
Standard household dishwashing detergents can be used for light-duty cleaning on boiling pots, spoons, funnels and strainers. I would recommend one without any perfumes that could eventually transfer to your beer. A mild, unscented dishwashing detergent like Ivory should work for your routine cleaning needs. I would not use dishwashing detergents for fermenters, airlocks, beer bottles and caps.
Sanitizing your beer gear
Now that your equipment is clean, the hard part is over. It’s time to sanitize your equipment, so you can get to the fun part of brewing. All of the sanitizers listed below are added to water, and then you use the solution to soak your equipment for 2 to 30 minutes.
Bleach and Sparkle-Brite must be rinsed with water; with the others, you can just turn the stuff upside-down and let it drip-dry for 5 minutes.
Star-San:
Star-San is a flavorless, odorless, no-rinse food-grade sanitizer from the makers of PBW. Star-San is an acidic sanitizer developed for the brewing industry. When used according to directions, Star-San will completely eliminate all microorganisms with which it comes into contact. Star-San acts quickly (under 5 minutes) and it foams up, allowing it to sanitize cracks, crevices and other “impossible” places in your equipment.
Star-San will leave a microscopic film on sanitized items that will continue to protect your bottles and equipment even after they have dried. This residue will not affect the quality, flavor, clarity or color of your beer.
Star-San can be mixed at a rate of one fluid ounce per 5 gallons (30 mL per 19 liters). This solution can be put into a spray bottle and used as a spritz-on sanitizer, reducing the quantity you need. Star-San is effective as long as the pH is less than 3.5, at which point it will turn cloudy to signify its lack of ability to sanitize. Star-San is environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and will not harm the “helpful” bacteria in a septic system.
While Star-San is the most expensive sanitizer per ounce, it also is the most effective chemical sanitizer readily available to homebrewers, requires the least amount of time to sanitize, and is cost-effective when used in the spray-bottle form.
Iodophor:
Iodophor has been the most common homebrew sanitizer the past 7 years or so. Iodophor is used by the food-service and medical industries to sanitize equipment. Iodophor is an iodine detergent, germicide and sanitizer. The most common brand names are BTF and BEST.
I have used iodophor for a number of years in my brewing. I love it because it’s a no-rinse sanitizer and very easy to use. A solution of 12.5 ppm (part per million) takes approximately 10 minutes to sanitize your equipment. I like to make up a solution at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons (19 liters). I soak or spray my equipment, then allow it to drip-dry for at least 10 minutes. No rinsing is necessary at this concentration.
You can re-use the solution as long as the original orange-amber color is still apparent. The solution will hold its color for up to a week in a sealed container. The concentrated iodophor solution will stain fabric, so you need to be a bit careful when pouring to make your solution.
Sparkle-Brite:
Sparkle-Brite (or Diversol) is a sanitizing detergent, used primarily for beer-making in Canada. This is an effective sanitizer, but it must have a minimum 20-minute contact time to sanitize. This is a corrosive chemical that requires great care when using. While it works well, there are other chemicals that are easier to use, less dangerous to use, and more environmentally friendly.
Dry or wet heat:
The only effective method of using heat in a homebrewery is boiling your wort, which we all do, or using the oven and its dry heat to sanitize bottles and other heat-resistant equipment.
You can sanitize an immersion wort chiller by submerging it in your boiling wort for the last 15 minutes of the boil. If you make yeast starters, you can sanitize the starter wort in glass canning jars with metal lids. You place the jars in hot water at 180 °F (82 °C) for 20 minutes, then gradually cool them to room temperature to avoid breaking the jars.
Using your oven to sanitize heat-resistant bottles and such is effective, but does take extra time, since the bottles must be both heated and cooled slowly, and normally the stress of heating and cooling will weaken the bottles. While dishwashers have also been used and suggested for this task, the risk of bacterial contamination is fairly high due to food residue in the dishwashers, and is not recommended.
Chlorine bleach:
Chlorine bleach is a good sanitizer for glass equipment, but it’s of limited usage for plastic, since the chlorine can be absorbed by the plastic, leading to off flavors in your beer. And it can corrode stainless steel.
For sanitizing, use at a rate of about 2.5 tablespoons per 5 gallons (19 liters) of water, and let the solution soak for about 5 minutes. You must rinse heavily to remove the excess chlorine smell, and if you are rinsing with well water, you could re-contaminate your equipment.
If your tap water is heavily chlorinated, it is impossible to totally remove the chlorine, unless you have filtered the water with a carbon filter. Chlorine’s biggest disadvantage is that it can kill yeast cells in even the lowest concentrations, so any breakdown in rinsing can lead to fermentation problems. I see no reason to use chlorine in your home brewery unless you do not have access to Star San or iodophor.
My recommendations
If I had easy access to all of these cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, what would I do? My cleaner of choice is easily the percarbonate PBW. It is strong, works effectively, requires a minimum of effort, and is environmentally friendly. The cost is about $10 to $12 a pound, which should get you through about 12 to 15 five-gallon batches of beer. While this cost is slightly higher than the other cleaners, it is worth the few extra dollars in time saved and peace of mind. As a compromise, you could use a combination of Straight-A for routine cleanings and PBW for your aggressive cleanings. Standard dishwashing detergent could be used for equipment that comes in contact with your beer prior to boiling.
After I have cleaned my equipment, I would suggest using Star-San and the spray-bottle method of coating the surfaces. For the inside of glass carboys, remove the spray nozzle and pour in a few tablespoons of the solution. Then turn the carboy to coat the entire interior surface.
Using PBW and Star-San will make cleaning and sanitizing a simple task, so you can get on to the most important job — opening your latest bottle of homebrew to share with friends!
