Is starsan a brand or a product?

[bigdave]

When I google starsan it brings up a limited number of homebrew stores selling it for the best part of £10 a bottle.

That got me thinking, is starsan a premium brand rather than a product? Can I buy essentially the same liquid under a different name for half the price?

[JammyBStard]

Funny you mention it dave I was just looking at the back of he bottle at the active ingredients.
15% dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid
50% phosphoric Acid
35% inert
how hard can it be!
that said, a 16oz bottle makes 80 us gal of reusable sanitiser so it's not bad value for money.

[koomber]

Funny you mention it dave I was just looking at the back of he bottle at the active ingredients.
15% dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid
50% phosphoric Acid
35% inert
how hard can it be!
that said, a 16oz bottle makes 80 us gal of reusable sanitiser so it's not bad value for money.

Depending on the source of the dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid (DDBSA) you might need to add some mutual solvent (isopropyl alcohol works well) to the DDBSA, however you can get it with the Isopropyl alcohol mixed in (usually at about 30% active) I'm guessing from the colour that the stuff used in starsan has the solvent mixed in, so if you get 'neat' DDBSA you'll probably need to reduce the amount to account.

I've previously knocked up my own batches of this stuff for homebrewing when I had access to a lab where I could get the materials for fairly cheap.

[Snickp]

Although it seems expensive it's well worth the price. I am still using my first purchased bottle after a year of brewing. It's transformed the bottling process so much I bought a bottle each for two of my homebrew buddies for Xmas

[koomber]

There is that. I used to make my own when it was really hard to get in the uk, but the bottle I've got seems to last a fair while.

[bigdave]

I don't really want to make my own (I was always crap at chemistry) but more intrigued to find out if starsan exists under any other brand (eg; coca-cola and pepsi, it's the same stuff in the bottle but 2 different names).

[Belter]

No it doesn't. There's a very interesting podcast from the creator. He found it by accident. It's no rinse, you can drink it, it acts as nutrient for the yeast. Someone must have been looking down on him from above that day as he's filthy rich now. Very pleasant bloke as well by the sounds of it.

Pretty sure TMM sells Phosphorus to use for this purpose which is the main ingredient.

[Dave S]

I bought a bottle of Starsan some time last year and I'm only just coming to the end of my second 5 litre mix. So I would bother my arse looking for anything cheaper.

[EoinMag]

Five Star is the company, Starsan is one of their products.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/brewer ... /products/