Using old sterilising powder
-
- margo - newbie
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:29 pm
Using old sterilising powder
I was given some old sterilising powder from Freegle as part of a wine making set. Would it be any good? It's probably anywhere in the region of 15 to 20 years old. It was bought at Boots when they used to sell wine making gear.
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:13 pm
- Location: south staffordshire
Re: Using old sterilising powder
If it's the sterilising powder that I think it is then it's sodium metabisulphate (or is that sulphide?) , anyway try mixing some up and you should be able to smell the pungent whiff of sodium dioxide which is what it decomposes into. It'll probably still be ok to use but at a guess it may have lost some of its potentancy.
Pete
Pete
-
- margo - newbie
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:29 pm
Re: Using old sterilising powder
Thanks Skippy/Pete. Yes it was and it didn't smell of anything so I'm assuming it's lost it's potency. Do you know if it will sterilise at all? I've heard that this stuff is bad anyway and any residue left on equipment can contaminate a brew.
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 425
- Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:21 am
- Location: West Norfolk, UK
Re: Using old sterilising powder
For the price of a new tub, pick-up some VWP. I wouldn't skimp on sterilising.
Curently collecting recipes for The Little Book of Liqueurs..
- Andy Hamilton
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6631
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:06 pm
- Location: Bristol
- Contact:
Re: Using old sterilising powder
I've been introduced to Starsan, which I now use instead of VWP unless I really need to nuke something. You just spray it on, no need to rinse so it makes the whole steralizing time much shorter.
I'm not sure I'd risk using old solution like that, I'm with George, for the sake of a few quid it not worth risking an entire brew.
I'm not sure I'd risk using old solution like that, I'm with George, for the sake of a few quid it not worth risking an entire brew.
First we sow the seeds, nature grows the seeds then we eat the seeds. Neil Pye
My best selling Homebrew book Booze for Free
and...... Twitter
The Other Andy Hamilton - Drinks & Foraging
My best selling Homebrew book Booze for Free
and...... Twitter
The Other Andy Hamilton - Drinks & Foraging
- phil55494
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 2:22 pm
- Location: Glossop, Derbyshire. UK
- Contact:
Re: Using old sterilising powder
Starsan is great - a little goes a long way - but only works as a sanitation/sterilisation agent. It will not clean like VWP or bleach does.
- Zech
- Site Admin
- Posts: 857
- Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:05 pm
- latitude: 52.36
- longitude: -3.84
- Location: Mid Wales
- Contact:
Re: Using old sterilising powder
Does VWP go off? I have an ancient pot of that, which I'm wondering what to do with.
---
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/
Rachel
Take nobody's word for it, especially not mine! If I offer you an ID of something based on a photo, please treat it as a guess, and a starting point for further investigations.
My blog: http://growingthingsandmakingthings.blogspot.com/