How clean?

[Trackman]

Does the whole kitchen need to be sanitized before brewing? Also would an electric stove with a glass top work for boiling 3 to 5 gals. of brew? Any thoughts? Thanks.

[brewmonkey]

The whole kitchen does not need to be sani, just the area and th tools you will be working with.

[Fast_Eddy]

But - it never hurts to wipe down areas with sanitizer . Also be careful to sanitize areas that grain has come in contact with.

[Stumptown]

An electric stove of any kind will be barely sufficient to boil 3 gallons.

It may never get 5 gallons to a boil. And if it does, it will take you all day. Heck, a normal gas stove has a tough time getting 5 gallons to boil.

Buy a propane stove. You can get them for $20 or so. You will not regret it.

[O2 Mash]

Originally posted by Trackman
Does the whole kitchen need to be sanitized before brewing?

No, but if you did, I bet your wife would love you for it.:D

[crashbobo]

The trick is sanitizing afterwards. Then the wife will love you. I don't know about you, but when I brew the kitchen looks like a warzone when I'm done.

[tyesai]

I spray all the counter tops, sink, stove down with bleach. My thing is not to go to crazy, you are trying to sanitize and clean, not sterilize. Sterilization is not possible. I have two big dogs and I like to clean/mop floors in the kitchen/dining room and clean counter tops, but that is it. I don't feel a need to hose down the entire room. I say relax and use some common sense and you will be OK. It has worked for me so far. I also soak anything that is going to come into contact with the wort when it is not boiling in bleach/water and then thouroghly rinse. I too have an electric stove and getting two and half gallons two come to a boil is a real bitch. It takes awhile, how long is long, maybe half an hour or a little more, but I am impatient when it comes to things like that. 2 minutes on a tv diner in the damn microwave is to slow to me. I want that Jettsons oven....................

[MrMethane]

I agree with all the above posts. I just clean the counter tops and around the sink with Fantastic. I also turn off my heat if its winter, my apartment tends to get dusty and I figure the vent blowing right where I rack can't be good. I don't want dust mites or dust in general, in my brew. Its more of a peace of mind procedure than a sanitation one.

[evilredlight]

somewhere i read (great reference) suggests using a cookie sheet with a weak bleach solution to set all tools in when brewing,
that way you always know it is sanitary when you pick it up

[Caffinehog]

Honestly, you only need to sanitize things that will touch the beer after it is done boiling.

[I'mRocketMan]

Originally posted by Stumptown
An electric stove of any kind will be barely sufficient to boil 3 gallons.

It may never get 5 gallons to a boil. And if it does, it will take you all day. Heck, a normal gas stove has a tough time getting 5 gallons to boil.

Buy a propane stove. You can get them for $20 or so. You will not regret it.

I have no problem boiling on the electric stove... It does take 45 minutes or so. The problem I have is cooling the wort quickly here in Soth Texas...

Cheers! Rocket