Best Homebrewing Sanitizers
BY BILLY B. 30 COMMENTS
Homebrewing sanitizers are a crucial ingredient to brewing great beer. But with so many on the market, which one do you buy? I’ve done the research for you and will explain the pros and cons of each, and give my recommendation for the best sanitizer.
BleachClorox Bleach
Very common household chemical and super cheap. Only a small amount will make a strong sanitizing solution.
Pros:
Easy to find
Cheap
Powerful
Cons:
Must rinse it out thoroughly. While rinsing you risk contaminating the equipment if your rinse water is not sterile. Rinsing also takes a lot of time and water, which costs money.
Harmful to skin, eyes, and clothes.
If any amount gets into your beer it will ruin the taste.
Overall: Bleach has a lot of uses around the house but sanitizing homebrew equipment shouldn’t be one of them. The rinsing is a time and water waster, and unless you use sterilized water you risk contamination. Also, if you’re like me, you tend to make a wet mess – not good with bleach. Go with a sanitizer that is made specifically for homebrewing.