Cleaning the Spoon

[toddhauschildt]

Does anyone have a good tip to clean and sanitize the spoon before stirring every day when I push the grapes down?
Making a batch of the cleaner and sanitizer (that keeps so no biggie on that) is a pain.


Help!

 

[PolishWineP]

We just wash our spoon off with water and then spray it with sanitzier solution from our spray bottle. We always put everything away clean, so a rinse and spray is all we need.

 

[toddhauschildt]

Thanks. Do you just use Potassium Metabisulphite for sanitizer?

 

[Jack on Rainy]

When I am at that stage in the process, i.e. primary fermentation, I have a one gal plastic milk bottle with EZ clean premixed and use that. I don't believe EZ clean has a very long shelf life so I don't store it more than a week at most. I store pre mixed K meta sanitizing solutionin the same waybut it has a much longer shelf life so it is fairly conveniently available about any time I need it. So, I have a couple of jugs arround all the time for those two chemicals, but carefully marked, so Iam not tempted totaste them

!
BTW, Iuse EZ clean immediately after the spoon is taken out of the must so nothing dries on it before being washed.


So, what are you making?

 

[Wade E]

Get your self a new spray bottle from a dollar store and keep sanitizing solution in there just for these easy to clean utensils.

 

[toddhauschildt]

Thanks for the replies.


I am making a kit Cab. This is my first attempt at making wine so I am nervous and clueless! The DVD that comes with the setup is pretty good, but there are many subtle things that I think will only come with experience.


I love to see all the Minnesota people here!

 

[Tom]

That's why we are to help. Get a pound of K-MET. That way you will never run out. Next time you make a gallon add some to a spray bottle.
Have you started the kit yet?

 

[toddhauschildt]

I started two days ago and it seems to be going well. The stuff was all foamy today and the aroma getting strong. I've been keeping good notes so I can improve my process. It seems like the forum here will be a great resource as well. Thanks!

 

[Tom]

Remember 2 things


CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN


Patience Patience Patience


There is a wealth of knowledge here ASK for some when you need some.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Personally...I lick the spoon....

Then, wash and sanitize....
Store...
Then, wash and sanitize.
Use...lick...
Repeat.

 

[Wade E]

Im with NW on that 1 and its typically how I do most of my tastings to see whats going on in there!

 

[Rocky_Top]

I just keep my spoon in the humidor. use, rinse , replace.

When making and mixingwine I like to keep a wallpaper try to keep things in.

 

[grapeman]

I just let the dog lick it clean after using. They all say that dogs have very sterile tongues!

Just kidding... DOn't try that at home.


I rinse and spray.

 

[fratermus]

StarSan in a spraybottle is easy and effective. If you use distilled water as the base the starsan will not be affected by minerals and will stay clear and acidic longer.

 

[Wayne1]

I'm with Rocky Top - I got a wallpaper tray and fill it with sanitizer so that I can submerge spoons, hydrometer, thief, bungs - anything that will touch the wine. Don't know if submerging is really necessary but I feel better about it. I found a shorter tray at Lowes that works for some things but had to go to an independent hardware store to find an longer tray that would accomodate the autosiphon. I found that wallpaper is out of fashion!

 

[rgecaprock]

I use the spray bottle method...but have found that the plastic spray bottles that you get form.....where ever...out there...tend to sping leaks...due to the Kmeta....possilbly......I had a couple of bottles just leak right out. I had a bottle under the sink that I used last time. But when I pulled it out it was very lightweight...put fresh Kmeta in it and after an hour it was all over the kitchen counter.

 

[Wade E]

I think I got mine at Home Depot and have had it for 2 1/2 years now.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I use a finger cut from rubber gloves to cover the spigots on my primary/bottling buckets...Soak the finger in K-Meta [sulfite] solution and find over time the rubber finger melts away.

Think there is various quality in rubber and plastics out there....Some melt from different solutions.

 

[uavwmn]

NW.......that is hilarious!!!!

 

[uavwmn]

ummmmm I have 2 dogs....the other one can lick the drill stir paddle.