Brewing Master

Question:

I use everclear to disinfect my equipment.

I couldn’t use Everclear.  I used to drink that stuff in High School mixed with Mountain Dew or Kool Aid.  That was almost 20 years ago and the smell still causes horrible flashbacks.  It sure was a cheap way to puke your guts up, though

Response:

I use everclear to disinfect my equipment. I couldn’t use Everclear.  I used to drink that stuff in High School mixed with Mountain Dew or Kool Aid.  That was almost 20 years ago and the smell still causes horrible flashbacks.  It sure was a cheap way to puke your guts up, though

Ahh, memories of Preakness infields… In a clean plastic gallon milk jug, 2 liters 7-UP, 2 pints Everclear, 1 jar of maraschino cherries including syrup. Pink God.

Response:

posted in rec.crafts.brewing: I use alcohol wipes (designed for pre-injection disinfecting) for cleaning the scissors and yeast package before I open the yeast.  I figure, if it gets skin clean enough for an injection

I seem to recall a study that showed that all alcohol swabbing did was move the bacteria around. — [Apparent Rennerian 567.7, 95.9] Al – rukbat at optonline dot net

Response:

Al Pure alcohol maybe, but 70% alcohol is a potent contact killer for most bugs.  100% alcohol isn’t easily able to penetrate the cell walls and they kind of pucker up, feel damaged, but are still viable (especially spores).  70% alcohol contains enough water to assist transport into the cells and denature the protein (insert maniacal laughter here). Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to recall a study that showed that all alcohol swabbing did was move the bacteria around. — [Apparent Rennerian 567.7, 95.9] Al – rukbat at optonline dot net

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I use everclear to disinfect my equipment. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve always used B-brite or bleach to disinfect my brewing equipment, but the other day it dawned on me that using alcohol might be a more effective agent- and certainly cheaper than B-brite.  It wouldn’t have any cleaning ability, but it seems like it might be a nice thing for a paranoid person like myself to use on spoons, hydrometers, etc. before dunking in the wort. Any comments? tiberius

Response:

I use everclear to disinfect my equipment.

That is an expensive way to go… Cheers, Mike

Response:

I’ve always used B-brite or bleach to disinfect my brewing equipment, but the other day it dawned on me that using alcohol might be a more effective agent- and certainly cheaper than B-brite.  It wouldn’t have any cleaning ability, but it seems like it might be a nice thing for a paranoid person like myself to use on spoons, hydrometers, etc. before dunking in the wort. Any comments?

I use rubbing alcohol on rubber parts sometimes, as bleach is kind of harsh on rubber.  But mostly I use bleach. –arne DISCLAIMER:  These opinions and statements are those of the author and do not represent any views or positions of the Hewlett-Packard Co. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – tiberius

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I’ve always used B-brite or bleach to disinfect my brewing equipment, but the other day it dawned on me that using alcohol might be a more effective agent- and certainly cheaper than B-brite.  It wouldn’t have any cleaning ability, but it seems like it might be a nice thing for a paranoid person like myself to use on spoons, hydrometers, etc. before dunking in the wort.

We use 85% ethanol at work for disinfecting many surfaces contaminated with viruses and or bacteria.  IIRC, the contact time for ethanol is not that short (10 min?) but I generally spray it on, and let it evaporate.  I also seem to remember that 70-85% is more effective than both higher and lower concentrations. HTH, Brian P.

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I use alcohol wipes (designed for pre-injection disinfecting) for cleaning the scissors and yeast package before I open the yeast.  I figure, if it gets skin clean enough for an injection, it might almost do for keeping the yeasties safe. Scott

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I use discarded Jelly’s, Jam’s and other sweets to distill my own disinfectant.  It’s not legally consumable and its a a couple of proof shy of everclear, but it works like a charm!  I even had to use it to purify a couple of bottles that weren’t ready yet when I ran short during bottling.  This stuff cleans windows, kills bugs, and will get you drunk as heck!!  I’m thinking of quitting beer and just make ‘cleaner’.       It all started at my kids’ school, when I was helping the faculty dispose of unused items.  The bilogy lab had beakers, flasks and several 36" lengths of glass tubing that they didnt want….  I used a propane torch to fashion thee into coils, and used rubber tubing to connect the joints..   Distillation is a piece of cake!!  I’m drinking a glass of my "cleaner" now!!  I forget the original point , but who cares? DSAF

Response:

I use discarded Jelly’s, Jam’s and other sweets to distill my own disinfectant.  It’s not legally consumable and its a a couple of proof shy of everclear, but it works like a charm!  I even had to use it to purify a couple of bottles that weren’t ready yet when I ran short during bottling.  This stuff cleans windows, kills bugs, and will get you drunk as heck!!  I’m thinking of quitting beer and just make ‘cleaner’.    

No joke? I fired up a distillary I used as a kid about a year ago, and I made a Southern Blended Whiskey style ‘cleaner’ out of (I sh!t you not) pre-mixed Smuckers Peanut Butter and Jelly! It was a bit tough to distill, but Dixie (my still) handled it. The resulting product was tasty after onlyh six days and cleaned well, but wasn’t as effective against an ant colony around my stove. To fix that I gathered condensation from a raid fogger, which is safe to humans and animals, and d*mn if Dixie didn’t distill me up the perfect liquid. Cheerios! (the real) Zaq

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Yes, I use it regularly as a swab, a spray for inside of taps and for small instruments.  Like you say, it doesn’t clean anything, but it’s a good preventative measure at the last minute. Best disinfection comes from 70% alcohol (about 140 proof).  It’s a standard procedure for many microbiological applications. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve always used B-brite or bleach to disinfect my brewing equipment, but the other day it dawned on me that using alcohol might be a more effective agent- and certainly cheaper than B-brite.  It wouldn’t have any cleaning ability, but it seems like it might be a nice thing for a paranoid person like myself to use on spoons, hydrometers, etc. before dunking in the wort. Any comments? tiberius

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I keep a plastic spray bottle full of isopropyl alcohol.  I spray alcohol around the rim of carboys before I remove the bung, the rims of mason jars before transferring slurries of yeast.  Anything that’s been sitting around that I cannot disinfect with iodophor solution but can potentially infect the wort/beer. John

Response:

I’ve always used B-brite or bleach to disinfect my brewing equipment, but the other day it dawned on me that using alcohol might be a more effective agent- and certainly cheaper than B-brite.  It wouldn’t have any cleaning ability, but it seems like it might be a nice thing for a paranoid person like myself to use on spoons, hydrometers, etc. before dunking in the wort. Any comments? tiberius

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