sanitize

[JLS]

What is the best way to sanitize all wine making equipment? Thanks

 

[Minnesotamaker]

I view it as two separate steps.... cleaning, and sanitizing. If your equipment is already clean (like dishes coming out of the cupboard and ready to eat on), then I just sanitize it. If you are cleaning equipment before or after use because it has gunk or residue, then I use a cleaner on it. Any wine supply house will have cleaners that you can use (I use B-Brite or One-Step. I use potassium metabisulfite for sanitizing. Some cleaners and sanitizers require a specific minimum contact time to be effective, so read the label on the package.

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with everything Lon said. I also keep a qt spray bottle with K-meta sanitizer in it for sanitizing things like spoons, hydrometer, thief, etc.

 

[wvbrewer]

I clean everything with 1-step and then sanitize with starsan. I also sanitize my work area as well incase I don't pay attention and set something down on the counter. You can get starsan online or at your LHBS.

 

[JLS]

Do you used 2 oz. of Potassium Metabisulphite to 1 Gal. of water to make your sanitizer?
And It can be kept for a while in a close glass jar, Right?
Thanks

 

[Runningwolf]

3 tablespoons per gallon. Yes it will last a long time in a closed container.

 

[ibglowin]

+1 on everything said above!

 

[robie]

I utilize two different types of sanitizers, each for a very specific purpose.

Somethings, like a stirring spoon or a hydrometer, need to be sanitized on the outside. Other things, like carboys and wine bottles need to be sanitized on the inside.

For things like the spoon, I spray it with Starsan, which sanitizes on contact. Give it at least 30 seconds on the surface before using it. So, when I use the hydrometer, I spray it with Starsan, give the sanitizer about 30 seconds to work, then rinse it and use it. (Same for my hands.)

Now for things like a carboy, wine bottle, or gallon jug, since they can be sealed up after adding the sanitizer, I use Kmeta. Kmeta does most of its sanitizing via its fumes, not as much by surface contact. I will pour or spray Kmeta into the container, seal it up for a few minutes, then use the container.

Kmeta will also work by spraying it on the surface; it is just not quite as affective on outside surfaces, IMO.

I know that Starsan does not always require being rinsed off, I do it anyway. Same for Kmeta; I always rinse it away.

 

[jet]

I never rinse for fear of re-contamination.

 

[Runningwolf]

I never rinse for fear of re-contamination.

+1 here. If I do anything wipe dry with clean paper towel.

 

[Dugger]

Like others, I use a diversol type cleaner and a sulphite sanitizer, but I also use other non-toxic and more environmentally friendly products because I am on a septic tank disposal system. These products are oxygen based and do a good job; however, they are not reusable so are one time use once mixed.

 

[Malkore]

I know that Starsan does not always require being rinsed off, I do it anyway. Same for Kmeta; I always rinse it away.

This de-sanitizes your equipment bud. If its no-rinse, its NO RINSE.

Tap water isn't always as clean as we think. The only way to rinse (bleach sanitizer) correctly is with sanitized (i.e. boiled and cooled) water.

 

[JLS]

You wipe dry with clean paper towel. But the paper towel could re-contaminated, right ?
What about a clean paper towel with potassium metabisulphite solution ? would that be safer ?

+1 here. If I do anything wipe dry with clean paper towel.

 

[Flem]

I don't know that it would be necessary, but it would be safer.

 

[JLS]

Dan, do you rinse after spray K-Meta on spoons, hydrometer, thief, etc.
Thanks

I agree with everything Lon said. I also keep a qt spray bottle with K-meta sanitizer in it for sanitizing things like spoons, hydrometer, thief, etc.

 

[JLS]

Hi Robie,
Do you add Citric acid to you K-Meta?
Thanks

I utilize two different types of sanitizers, each for a very specific purpose.

Somethings, like a stirring spoon or a hydrometer, need to be sanitized on the outside. Other things, like carboys and wine bottles need to be sanitized on the inside.

For things like the spoon, I spray it with Starsan, which sanitizes on contact. Give it at least 30 seconds on the surface before using it. So, when I use the hydrometer, I spray it with Starsan, give the sanitizer about 30 seconds to work, then rinse it and use it. (Same for my hands.)

Now for things like a carboy, wine bottle, or gallon jug, since they can be sealed up after adding the sanitizer, I use Kmeta. Kmeta does most of its sanitizing via its fumes, not as much by surface contact. I will pour or spray Kmeta into the container, seal it up for a few minutes, then use the container.

Kmeta will also work by spraying it on the surface; it is just not quite as affective on outside surfaces, IMO.

I know that Starsan does not always require being rinsed off, I do it anyway. Same for Kmeta; I always rinse it away.

 

[robie]

Hi Robie,
Do you add Citric acid to you K-Meta?
Thanks

I don't, but I think it is not a bad idea for a sanitizing spray or rinsing the insides of your siphon and hoses. I always rinse after sanitizing, except for wine bottles just sanitized for filling.

I know you don't have to rinse, but I always rinse both kmeta and StarSan sanitized items.

Especially for kmeta, I like to control the amount of sulfites that ends up in my wine. Taste-wise, I am pretty sensitive to wine being over sulfited; I sometimes find two year old commercial wines that I think have too much sulfite in them to be enjoyed. Sometimes different wine clubs will pawn off over-sulfited wines, which some winery couldn't sell on the open market. When the offering price is really low, you can suspect this might be happening.

 

[JLS]

You mention “I always rinse after sanitizing, except for wine bottles just sanitized for filling”
To sanitize my bottle I will use an avvinatore (I just bought one yesterday) and from what I understand I should spray the inside of the bottle with a K-Meta solution (3tsp of Potassium Metabisulphite to 1 Gal. of water) then I put them on bottle tree to dry but the bottle (Red wine bottle) still hold some Kmeta solution from the spraying in the neck of the bottle, I read you do not rinse the bottle, but what about the solution that stay in the neck of the bottle?
1) Will that affect the wine.
2) Should I rinse when this happen (Using the avvinatore with filter water)
3) Or, just don’t worry about it and just bottle
Sorry to be so confusing
Thank you

I don't, but I think it is not a bad idea for a sanitizing spray or rinsing the insides of your siphon and hoses. I always rinse after sanitizing, except for wine bottles just sanitized for filling.

I know you don't have to rinse, but I always rinse both kmeta and StarSan sanitized items.

Especially for kmeta, I like to control the amount of sulfites that ends up in my wine. Taste-wise, I am pretty sensitive to wine being over sulfited; I sometimes find two year old commercial wines that I think have too much sulfite in them to be enjoyed. Sometimes different wine clubs will pawn off over-sulfited wines, which some winery couldn't sell on the open market. When the offering price is really low, you can suspect this might be happening.

 

[robie]

You mention “I always rinse after sanitizing, except for wine bottles just sanitized for filling”
To sanitize my bottle I will use an avvinatore (I just bought one yesterday) and from what I understand I should spray the inside of the bottle with a K-Meta solution (3tsp of Potassium Metabisulphite to 1 Gal. of water) then I put them on bottle tree to dry but the bottle (Red wine bottle) still hold some Kmeta solution from the spraying in the neck of the bottle, I read you do not rinse the bottle, but what about the solution that stay in the neck of the bottle?
1) Will that affect the wine.
2) Should I rinse when this happen (Using the avvinatore with filter water)
3) Or, just don’t worry about it and just bottle
Sorry to be so confusing
Thank you

Don't rinse the kmeta out of the sanitized bottle. Under typical situations, if you leave the bottle on the bottle tree to drain for 10 or 15 minutes, there won't be enough kmeta in the neck to affect the wine.

When you consider that a kmeta sanitizing solution is 3 table spoons for a gallon of water and about all that will be in the neck of that bottle will be one or two drops, that's not much with which to be concerned.

 

[JLS]

Cleaning empty bottle of wine

After finishing a bottle of wine bough at the store, I rinse with water until the water come out clean, it take about 2 to 3 rises.

Is that OK to call it clean?

Or, should I use a cleaner to clean it?

What do you think?

Thanks

Don't rinse the kmeta out of the sanitized bottle. Under typical situations, if you leave the bottle on the bottle tree to drain for 10 or 15 minutes, there won't be enough kmeta in the neck to affect the wine.

When you consider that a kmeta sanitizing solution is 3 table spoons for a gallon of water and about all that will be in the neck of that bottle will be one or two drops, that's not much with which to be concerned.