Is idophor okay for sanitizing?

It's better than OK, because it's a better sanitizer than SO2. I use Star San for both my wine and beer sanitizing.

Brian

EXCELLENT! I used to use SO2 and I still have some, but I have been brewing beer lately and I am wanting to get some wine going again. I have a gallon of ido.

Thanks

I wouldn't use it as a no rinse sanitizer. Any idophor remaining can neutralize some of the SO2 added to the wine.

I disagree. SO2 is a very effective sanitizer if used at proper concentrations and if some residual remains on the equipment you're not adding something you wouldn't normally add anyway.

I occasionally use Star San also, just to vary my regiment once in a while, but everything gets a rinse in Pot. Meta. solution before storage/use.

Andy

Although sulfite is an effective sanitizer, Iodophor is actually a _sterilizer_. It kills anything it comes in contact with. You're correct in that it is _not_ a no-rinse product. You wouldn't want any residue to get into your wine or beer.

Tom S

residue to

The reason for my previous post is there appears to be some misconception about santizers in the home brewing scene.

They tend not to use SO2 because some feel it is ineffective due to winemakers saying it will not sanitize a wine must, plus all of the bad press sulfites get. This is true because of the limit on how much sulfite we add to the must. In the concentration used in a sanitizing solution, it is very effective.

Idophor is commonly used as a no rinse santizer in homebrewing at 12.5 ppm. To me this is just plain wrong. I'm much more comfortable using sulfite solution as a no rinse sanitizer than Idophor because I know the sulfite will not harm the beer/wine. It may even have some benefit due to it's antioxidant properties and the way it can bind to other chemicals (like chlorine) than can cause other problems.

Star San is an acid based sanitizer and I don't see any real problem using it as no rinse, but I'm not sure exactly what else is in there besides acid. It tends to foam up so I'm guessing that it's not just an acid solution.

Andy