Five Ways to Sanitise your Brewing Equipment at Home Easily
Sanitisation removes bacteria and micro organisms that remains after washing, in brewing several types of equipment are used for undergoing different processes. Several ingredients are used in beer making, beer is left in a container called fermentor for a certain period of time due to which it is more vulnerable to come in contact with the micro organisms, when processed in unsanitized equipment.
Sanitisation is different from cleaning, cleaning is done to remove dirt and dust from the equipment. Sanitisation, on the other hand, is the method to remove bacteria which if left can spoil the taste of the beer. Read below some methods of sanitization which let you devise nice beer at home.
Before sanitization, all types of equipment must first clean properly. A simple anti bacterial detergent is good for cleaning. A brush is suitable for cleaning your equipment from inside but if you have plastic equipment then you need to take care because a steel brush may cause scratches or pits in the plastic which can become a perfect place for bacteria to grow.
Different cleaning agents are available in the market which is made to clean stubborn stains from beer making equipment such as OxiClean and PBW. These agents remove stains from the fermentors and allow you to use beer making equipment kits again.
Boiled water is an effective sanitizing agent but if you used it with plastic equipment then it may result in its meltdown and deformity. When you sprayed water in your container then make sure that the water is boiling, keep the water inside the container for a few seconds for sanitization process to take place. Avoid cleaning it with a cloth, let the air dry it. Keep you beer making area clean, shut all the doors and windows from where the dust can enter your work place.
Bleach is inexpensive and easy to get, for sanitizing your fermentor mix two ounces of bleach on 5 gallons of water and soak it overnight. If you want to reduce the soak time then mix one and a half teaspoons of bleach in 5 gallons of water. For a sponge wash, mix one and a half teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water, but after that don’t forget to rinse with hot clear water. Bleach is basically chlorine and chlorine cause corrosion when comes in contact with copper, brass and stainless steel. So don’t use bleach on these surfaces.
Several chemicals are used for high-quality beer making kits which can be readily available from different stores. These chemical works similar to bleach but they work faster and therefore saves your time. They come in powder and liquid form but it’s important to read the instruction in the packages before using it. A common and effective chemical which is generally used for disinfecting beer making equipment is Iodophor. It’s in liquid form and ideal for stainless steel pots as it does n’t cause corrosion when comes in contact with steel. It’s not required to rinse, but if you want you can rinse it slightly for your satisfaction.
At the end, it’s better to sanitize all your equipment that comes in contact with your beer such as fermentors, hydrometers, bottles, spoons, and tubes. You can make good beer if all your equipment is well sanitized and cleaned.
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