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Five Star Chemicals: Star San and PBW

Five Star Star San sanitizer (EPA Reg. No. 65001-1), PBW cleaner in powder, liquid and tablets, Saniclean, Straight-A, 5.2 pH Stabilizer and kettle defoamer.

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Five Star Chemicals in our catalogue

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Brewing chemicals & waterBrewing chemicals & water: 22Cleaning & sanitizingCleaning & sanitizing: 77

What Five Star makes in our catalogue

Five Star Chemicals makes Star San, the acid sanitizer found in most homebrew setups. It is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) and labeled no-rinse at label dilution; it foams into crevices and the leftover foam is fine. Wear eye protection with the concentrate. The catalogue carries 32 oz and 1 gal sizes.

PBW is Five Star's alkaline cleaner, not a sanitizer: powder (1 lb), liquid (1–2 oz per gallon per label) and 2.5 g tablets (1 per 32 oz of water). Saniclean is a non-foaming acid final rinse (2 oz per 5 gal per label), Straight-A is a powdered cleanser, 5.2 pH Stabilizer is a phosphate mash buffer, and Kettle Defoamer controls boil foam.

ProductLabel use
Star SanSanitizer, no-rinse at label dilution
PBW (powder, liquid, tablets)Cleaner; rinse
SanicleanAcid final rinse, non-foaming
Straight-ACleanser, 1 tbsp per gallon
5.2 pH StabilizerMash and kettle water buffer

Source: Five Star labels and EPA

Who Five Star suits

  • Every brewer who needs a no-rinse sanitizer
  • Kegging brewers soaking kegs and lines with PBW
  • All-grain brewers who want a simple mash pH buffer

Clean first, rinse, then sanitize. Use the label dilution and contact time, and store concentrates away from children and food prep.

Chemicals: label directions onlyUse sanitizers, cleaners, acids and salts only at the dilution and contact time on the label. Wear eye protection with acids and powders, add acid to water, keep them away from children and food prep. Star San is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer at label dilution.Source: EPA Star San label

Alternatives from other brands

National Chemicals' BTF Iodophor is a low-foam no-rinse sanitizer, Logic OneStep and Craft Meister Oxygen Brewery Wash are oxygen-based cleaners, and BSG's B-Brite is a rinse-required cleanser.

More in the cleaning and sanitizing hub.

Before you buy

Choose sizes by use: a 32 oz Star San lasts many batches at label dilution, while kegging brewers often buy the gallon. Buy a cleaner (PBW) as well as a sanitizer; they do different jobs. Read the current label for dilution and contact time before first use.

Five Star Chemicals products appear in these rankings: best brewing sanitizers and cleaners.

Five Star Chemicals: questions

Do I need to rinse Star San?
No, not at label dilution. Five Star labels Star San (EPA Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer when used as directed.
Is PBW a sanitizer?
No. PBW is a cleaner. Clean with it, rinse, then sanitize with Star San or another registered sanitizer.
What does Five Star 5.2 pH Stabilizer do?
It is a phosphate blend sold as a mash and kettle water pH buffer. A calibrated pH meter tells you whether it is doing the job for your water.
What is an alternative to Star San?
Iodophor is the main no-rinse alternative. OneStep is sold as a no-rinse cleanser, not a sanitizer.