possible infected fermenter

[Chard]

my last 3 batches of homebrew (elderflower champagne, and 2 kits) all came out tasting a little off. i blame the elderflower heads myself.

anyway as i used a 1st and 2nd FV for all these brews i think they are now probably both infected!

Id rather not buy any more FVs so what would be a damn good way to STERILIZE (not sanitize) them in order to make sure its all good.



Cheers!

(p.s. i havent been on this site for aaaages! nice to be back!)

[maxashton]

Hi Chard,

Unless you're using glass or stainless fermentation vessels, and have a large autoclave, you can't sterilize them.

What you really need is an intense clean and sanitize. I'd probably use a caustic soda soak, myself, taking care to follow all the safety instructions on the label. Protective clothing, add soda to water not the other way around, etc.Rinse well, then I'd then do a terminal rinse with peracetic or starsan.

If you're using plastic, however, it's very likely that you could have a scratch which is harbouring bacteria or wild yeast. Doesn't have to be a big scratch. Sometimes it's just not possible to remove that sort of infection in a cost-effective manner.

Hope this helps.

Max

[Kev888]

If you do have a scratch or two I understand that boiling water poured over it can sometimes get heat in where chemicals don't penetrate, if the plastic is up to it anyway. But its not like autoclaving so I'd imagine not really hot enough or long enough for more stubborn beasties. Scratches are an ongoing hassle though, so I usually replace cheaper buckets etc if they get scratched.

Personally otherwise I'd use a really effective (perhaps proprietry) home brew cleaner/sanitiser and then starsan or failing that a strong bleach solution (domestos or something, rather than the thin stuff I normally use) and rinse very well afterwards. But I'm no chemist/biologist and couldn't say if this was as good as Max's suggestion or not.

Cheers
Kev

[Chard]

ill have a crack at the NaOH methinks. a web search says that Boots stock a 98% w/w version but im not sure if they would have this in store or if it would only be available online for tracebility reasons (its a pretty gnarly chemical if i remember chem lab lessons).

anyone else know where it might be stocked?

[maxashton]

Boots keep in stores (in fairly large stores anyway), and you can also buy at places like Wilkinson, and anywhere where you'd expect to find house/garden cleaning supplies.

It's generally marketed as a drain unblocker, including at boots.
It's not a tracked product, it's very caustic, but not really worth being on watch lists as far as I know!

You try buying Drontal or whatever from a pet shop...!