Winemaking Made Easy
What should I clean and sanitize?
December 5th, 2008 by David in wine making tips
Be sure to clean and sanitize everything that comes into contact with your wine. You can clean equipment ahead of time and store them in a dry place until you need them. Prior to use, be sure to sanitize your equipment. Never put equipment or bottles away when wet or damp.
What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?
December 4th, 2008 by David in wine making tips
Definitions:
Cleaning: Removing visible dirt from equipment
Sanitizing: Treating equipment with metabisulphite or other chemical agents to prevent bacterial contamination.
First clean your containers by removing any dirt, manufacturing dust, oil or residue from previous batches your equipment. Use a good unscented winemaking cleaner, such as StraightA or One-Step. Do not use household cleaners because many of them contain high levels of industrial perfumes, which sink into equipment and stay, effectively contaminating plastic and even glass.
Once the equipment is clean and very well rinsed with clean water, you can sanitize it with a potassium metabisulphite solution: sluice or spray each piece of equipment and either let it drip completely dry or rinse it with clean water.
A good trick is to put your sulphite solution in a brand-new trigger-spray bottle. A couple of quick squeezes and you’ve conveniently and easily coated even large or unwieldy objects in sanitizing solution. If you keep the container of sulphite solution tightly sealed, it will last for a couple of months at room temperature before you have to make a fresh batch. To prepare the sanitizing solution, mix three tablespoons of metabisulphite powder in one gallon of cool water. Be careful not to breath solution, as it can be a bronchial constrictor.