The Important of Sanitation for the Home Brewer

Let’s face it, while it is a fun and creative activity, making a home brew can be a complicated and strenuous process. Recipes are very specific, not only regarding what is added, but also when it should be added. For these reasons, there is no need to make the job any more complicated for yourself by leaving your equipment in a mess after you are done using it.

Nobody really likes cleaning; there’s probably some sort of natural aversion to it in our genetic codes. We’d rather be cooking up the next brew. But it won’t take very long before you realize the importance of clean equipment. Many a brewer has been befuddled because their products don’t seem quite right. They may decide to meddle with the recipes and processes, never finding the root of the problem.

If you have the money, you may want to try buying different buckets and equipment for each type of drink you plan on making. Nobody wants to have the lingering taste of an experimental alcohol in the homemade cider.

The average soap or detergent won’t meet your cleaning needs. You should instead clean your equipment in a solution of bleach containing sodium hydroxide. Wear gloves and safety goggles. Be sure to rinse everything clean: you don’t want bleach in your new recipe!

Bacteria are the enemy of the home brewer, but with a little bit of patience and scrubbing you can be sure to get the best out of your home brew.