Sodium Metabisulphite

[jsmurphy]

Have any of you used this as a sanitizer? Went to pick up some Star San at a local shop but all they had in stock for sanitizer was this. It's a powder form, 1 tsp : 1 gal. water mixing ratio, no rinse. I noticed it's also used as a wine additive.

My main supplier is a good 1/2 hour drive each way, but maybe I should make the drive and get what I know works, (Star San).

Anyone used Sodium Metabisulphite?

[toneyc]

Sodium Metabisulphite I think is the same thing as Camden tablets, which are used in wine and mead before adding the yeast so that the wine and mead must doesn't have to be boiled. It kills bacteria and such things by releasing sulphur, I think, which then dissipates or breaks down after about 24 hours. I have never heard of it being used as a sanitizer before, but I guess it could be used that way. I think I would make the hour round trip, myself, just to be safe.

:)
Toney.

[jsmurphy]

Yep, I'm making the drive tomorrow.

Thanks.;)

[ray m]

just food for thought, JS...if the other store doesn't have starsan, which I think is great, in a pinch you could pick up a packet of One Step---it's an oxygen based sanitizer, no-rinse, and had worked for me with absolutely no problems for 2 years until I switched to StarSan, just for sh*ts & giggles. One Step is significantly less costly, too.

[paul84043]

I used one step for my first couple of batches, it worked great, but the Star San is the stuff!! Keeps my hands nice and smooth too, as soon as all the dead skin rubs off that is...