Home Beer Brewing

Question: Is vinegar an effective sanitizing agent for home beer brewing?

(Posted by: GMoney on 2007-02-16 13:03:41)

Home brew books and stores recommend using chlorine or idodine to sanitize your brew kit, but has anyone tried using plain old vinegar? Obviously I wouldn't be using a "raw " vinegar with live cultures, but couldn't the good old white stuff work to kill unwanted contaminants? Seems like it would be easier on the enviroment and my wallet, too. Let me know if you've had any experience disinfecting with vinegar. Thanks.

Posted by: John on 2007-02-16, 13:07:00

It's not as effective. Given the sensitivity of the brewing process, you're much better off and safer using bleach in hot water or a commercial sterilizing compound.

Posted by: durtydeuce on 2007-02-16, 13:07:56

No, just use a tablespoon of bleach, it all gets rinsed out anyways and you don't want to take the chance of getting weird bacteria and making your beer funky.

Posted by: wineduchess on 2007-02-16, 13:08:44

I wouldn't, if your get bacteria in your brew it will go NASTY and you'll be out more than just a few dollars. If you insist on using vinegar use it in ONE SMALL batch for a test. Good luck.

Posted by: ttruytuyf on 2007-02-16, 13:09:06

Look for the stuff that is meant to be used to clean out coffee pots, like at your local gas station. they are safe and will clean and sanitize.

Posted by: pat from ohio on 2007-02-16, 13:09:12

Bleach is much less expensive than vinegar, you only need a 5% to10% solution to effectively sanitize your equipment. No need to worry about environmental hazrds, the chlorine evaporates from the water quickly.

Posted by: tomyoung2424 on 2007-02-16, 13:27:38

You are trying to eliminate the live cultures, hence the use of chlorine or iodine

Posted by: ironbrew on 2007-02-16, 13:30:01

Don't skimp on the cleaning ingredients. If you get a wild bacteria or fungus spore growing in your brew, the whole batch gets tossed. Then how hard is it on the wallet?

Posted by: Trid on 2007-02-16, 14:22:49

No, it's not an effective sanitizer. It doesn't kill microorganisms because it's not a strong enough acid. Commercial vinegar is actually less acidic than what is produced by an acetobacter contamination in your beer/ wine/ brew of your choice. If there is any present contamination, the vinegar would be as useful as water to just rinse out what's there...it will not sanitize. As mentioned before, bleach is tons more cost effective. Moreso, it actually sanitizes. The vinegar may be useful to dissolve any mineral deposits, and that's if it's allowed to soak for a while, but it will not kill any bad bugs.