Steam Sterilization

[floydmeddler]

Hi folks,

Thought I'd share with you my fermenter sterilization method. Basically, if you have a pressure cooker you can do this too. Eliminates chemicals and water waste. Also, this sterilizes as opposed to sanitizes. Much better!

DSCF1075.JPG (47.61 KiB) Viewed 2483 times

Can't beat a good steam clean. Give it a go!

[jubby]

I like that idea. Ive been looking for an old pressure cooker to rig up for step mashing. I may well use it for this also, so consider your idea stolen!

[floydmeddler]

Steralising requires 20 mins at 20 psi. If you could fit your fermenter in your pressure cooker you'd steralise it (if it didn't melt first).

(it may not use a sanitising fluid but it does consume gas, Star San can be reused until the ph gets above 3.5 and it turns cloudy, therefore there is genuinely virtually no waste)

STAR SAN is a blend of phosphoric acid and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid...

Steam is good old water and nout else!

[sparky Paul]

What Chris is saying is that steam will not sterilise at atmospheric pressure, the temperature is simply not high enough.

You will achieve a degree of sanitisation, but while chemical methods will reduce all spore numbers, some are temperature resistant and will be unaffected by steam at 100°C.

[mac]

It's Star San all the way for me to. The only time my pressure cooker will be coming out is for the petri dishes and slant tubes on culture day

I'd put the project on a back burner

[floydmeddler]

Damn! There's me thinking I was on to something!

However, In defense of this method, I think the bonus here is a cheap, no chemicals clean. Have been doing this for months now and have had zero problems. Still highly recommended!

[floydmeddler]

In general, regular cleaning with hot soapy water is sufficient to reduce bacteria to safe levels although it wouldn't be wise to rely on this alone (although lots of people have done). You will also get a degree of sanitation from steam, although technically you'd need to steam it for 20 mins and ensure the temperature in the vessel rose to 80+ deg c.

I wouldn't recommend reusing yeast from the fermenter or from any bottles when using this method of sanitation and if you do get an infection,I would recommend a full immersion soak in bleach for all your equipment (bleach breaks down into salt and water on contact with proteins and is therefore comparatively harmless to the enviroment).

The temp of steam within the vessel becomes around 85c. Usually steam for around 15 mins but will do 20 from now on. Cheers for advice.

Have been planning on making a yeast starter from current bottles for my next brew... watch this space.

[jubby]

Bugger!

[mac]

I like that idea. Ive been looking for an old pressure cooker to rig up for step mashing. I may well use it for this also, so consider your idea stolen!

Don't go to the expense of making one. I've heard Floyd has got a prototype for sale. It's sold with slight damage where he kicked it down the garden

[mac]

Sorry Floyd, it's bad to make a joke of another mans shattered dreams, but I had a vision of Chris sat in a Dragons Den chair saying “Sterilising requires 20 mins at 20 psi. If you could fit your fermenter in your pressure cooker you'd be able to sterilise it, but you can’t do that, and for that reason……………………….. I’M OUT”

[floydmeddler]

I WILL PROUDLY STAND BY THIS METHOD UNTIL STEAM COMES OUT OF MY EARS!

Jubby, don't listen to the jeers. Lots of brewers steam sanitize their equipment. This guy got me started on the idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du8KXg-jZfw (around 3 mins in to the vid and he does say sterilise??)

Thinking about buying me a little steam generator like his.

If you have an hour to spare, watch his entire Vienna Lager series. Brilliant!

[KevP]

I'd put the project on a back burner

badoom tish! pardon the pun