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Sanitizing with Ethanol

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hpereira98

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 17, 2017
34
0
0
Braga, Portugal
So, does this work?
If I spray or clean the equipment with ethanol bought on pharmecies or the supermarket, will the equipment be sanitized?
 

loveofrose

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Nov 9, 2012
2,582
21
38
Texas
70% ethanol is the optimal antibacterial concentration, but starsan is generally cheaper. You can put starsan in a spray bottle too!


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hpereira98

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 17, 2017
34
0
0
Braga, Portugal
In the city i live it is not that easy to find star san... and the nearest homebrew store is 60km away. So, the only way to get it is online, and the shipping costs like half of the products price. Whereas the Ethanol (96% - 250ml) costs like 0,75 cent (1/12 or so of star san's price). That's why I wanted to know if it worked, since bleach is too agressive. Is the 96% ok? or should I use the 70%?

Thank you!
 

loveofrose

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Nov 9, 2012
2,582
21
38
Texas
70% is optimal for killing of bacteria. 100% evaporates too fast to be effective.

A warning though: most cheap 100% ethanol has a bitter substance added to prevent consumption. This substance can get into your mead if you use the ethanol for sanitation. Maybe confirm it’s pure first.

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Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
621
63
28
Connecticut
Here in the States it would be called PGA - pure grain alcohol - and only available in liquor stores. Everclear is a popular brand and they have both 151 proof (75%) and 190 proof (95%).
 

Stasis

Honey Master
Registered Member
Jan 10, 2014
1,123
13
38
Malta
Doesn't have to be starsan. starsan just happens to be the brand name they use in the united states. if you live in europe then you will start disregarding many brand names they use on these forums. except maybe when it comes to yeast but those could be easily found in europe so no worries there. Instead of starsan you could probably use just about any sanitizing chemical the brewstore has as long as you follow the instructions correctly.
I bought a 1kg packet of powder which I mix with hot water which was imported from Italy. Don't even know the name of the brand but it works great and it costs a fraction of any other product I could use.
Don't know about that ethyl alcohol. the same arguments from before are still true
 

Stasis

Honey Master
Registered Member
Jan 10, 2014
1,123
13
38
Malta
don't know the name of the brand. I bought it and had to put it in a jar because the bag did not re-seal well. But again, here in Malta we get a lot of italian brands. Check what brands you get and what they do and whether or not they do what you wish.
 
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