Star San added to your order for me :)

[RickBeer]

I buy all my ingredients at Adventures in Homebrewing. However, their price for Star San is way too high - $23.99 for 32 oz vs. most others at $15.99.

I'm looking to ride along on your order with Midwest, Northern, or other that offers a similar price if you're located near me - I know Duff, Louie, DaYooper and some others are close. Just want a 32 oz bottle of Star San. If you're ordering a "ships free" order from one of these guys with that $15.99 Star San price, send me a private message and we'll figure out how to do it.

Thanks!

[LouieMacGoo]

Someone in my home brew club said that he bought a store branded "starsan product" from Gordon Food Service that was really inexpensive. $15 per gallon maybe. I have sent him message to get details but I do remember him saying that he compared it to StarSan and it was the same stuff! I will let you know as soon as I hear back from him.

[RickBeer]

Thanks Louie!

[LouieMacGoo]

It is called Ultimate Sanitizer by Array at GFS

[philm00x]

I think there's a GFS store here in town. Might have to go out there and check it out, see if they have that sanitizer in stock.

[BigPapaG]

Here's the MSDS for both...

Looks like both are sanitizers, but are they appear to be compositionally different though...

However, I cannot determine what impact that may have.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/wp-con ... BMSDS2.pdf

http://www.gfs.com/files/msds/869610.pdf

[mashani]

The GFS stuff is a QUAT based sanitizer where the Star San relies on its acid level/ph.

Quats are safe after they air dry, but I don't think I'd pour beer into something sanitized with them wet. I don't know that they break down fully until they dry or if they will break down into the same compounds in a wet/beery environment.

Most Quats I know of are sanitizer up to 7.5 PH... which means they do not rely on their acid content for their function...

Starsan is only a sanitizer at 3.5PH or < I believe...

So they are not the same in any sense, do not work in the same way, and do not break down into the same compounds.

So personally, I think I would "fear the foam" in the case of a QUAT and only use them as an air dry sanitizer.

[DaYooper]

The GFS stuff is a QUAT based sanitizer where the Star San relies on its acid level/ph.

Quats are safe after they air dry, but I don't think I'd pour beer into something sanitized with them wet. I don't know that they break down fully until they dry or if they will break down into the same compounds in a wet/beery environment.

Most Quats I know of are sanitizer up to 7.5 PH... which means they do not rely on their acid content for their function...

Starsan is only a sanitizer at 3.5PH or < I believe...

So they are not the same in any sense, do not work in the same way, and do not break down into the same compounds.

So personally, I think I would "fear the foam" in the case of a QUAT and only use them as an air dry sanitizer.

Darn, was looking forward to some cheap StarSan.

I also get pretty much everything at AIH as well but if some super crazy cheap deal happens that I jump on I'll let you know as am in A2 every game day. Mine tends to last a long time since I use StarSan on brew day and OneStep on bottle day unless they happen to conincide.

Have you asked them if they will match the price or at least come down a bit? Couldnt hurt to ask if you are also picking up a bunch of ingredients at the same time. If they do let me know as may come in handy down the road.

[RickBeer]

Have you asked them if they will match the price or at least come down a bit? Couldnt hurt to ask if you are also picking up a bunch of ingredients at the same time. If they do let me know as may come in handy down the road.

I brought it up to Jay directly when I was there one time. He went and looked up things and said he has it priced right, everyone else is too low. I told him I didn't know how some of the smaller guys could be at the same $15.99 as others, but it's his business.

I'm headed there likely tomorrow morning before the game, then maybe brew while watching it on TV.

[haerbob3]

Have you asked them if they will match the price or at least come down a bit? Couldnt hurt to ask if you are also picking up a bunch of ingredients at the same time. If they do let me know as may come in handy down the road.

I brought it up to Jay directly when I was there one time. He went and looked up things and said he has it priced right, everyone else is too low. I told him I didn't know how some of the smaller guys could be at the same $15.99 as others, but it's his business.

I'm headed there likely tomorrow morning before the game, then maybe brew while watching it on TV.

Never had Jay price match. He has actually told me to buy it from NB then. I did. I just do not understand how an out of state company can be that much lower, even when shipping is added. I would rather buy MI but there does come a point when it does not make sense.

PS. Quat does need to air dry completely before using the rinsed items.

[DaYooper]

Never had Jay price match. He has actually told me to buy it from NB then. I did. I just do not understand how an out of state company can be that much lower, even when shipping is added. I would rather buy MI but there does come a point when it does not make sense.

I've had AIH match when I've went in there with a recipe I printed out from other places, but I do include shipping since I think an out the door price is a fair comparisson. I too try and buy local as much as possible since I would not be a happy camper if they closed up shop. But it appears the new computer system they put in does not allow as much flexibility as last time they had to issue me a gift card in lieu of a refund on a bumbled order.

[RickBeer]

Jay price matched me once on an order for a bunch of equipment vs. a competitor, including shipping for the competitor.

I've found their pricing all over the place. Supposedly retail customers are supposed to pay the same, or less, than internet customers. He once told me that hops and yeast should be cheaper in the store. The S-05 I bought on Saturday was $3.50 on the site, $3.99 in the store. Every time I've pointed out the discrepancy they go in and raise the web price to match...

Overall it seems to be a margin-focus on every item, but that's just a guess. I like going and finding my own ingredients, weighing them, and milling. I also like that they fill my small containers for LME so I can have a pound for this Mr. Beer recipe, 1/2 pound for that.

I didn't like that I bought a 5 gallon pot for $29.99 in May, and days later it was (and still is) $19.99... But that's just my bad timing I guess.

If I was looking to buy a bunch of equipment, I'd price it in multiple places and he'd need to be competitive to win my business. I don't think it bothers him anyway since I haven't spent $300 yet over 9 months or so...

[haerbob3]

That is what I shop around. When I bought my kegging system he was the cheapest even with taxes & shipping ($5). I just find it laughable that he actually told me to buy it (stir plate & other odds & ends) from Northern Brewer. I am amazed that I can buy grain from Northern and still be under AIH's price. Our daughter lives in A^2 and I still have not been to the store

[DaYooper]

I've found their pricing all over the place. Supposedly retail customers are supposed to pay the same, or less, than internet customers. He once told me that hops and yeast should be cheaper in the store. The S-05 I bought on Saturday was $3.50 on the site, $3.99 in the store. Every time I've pointed out the discrepancy they go in and raise the web price to match...

The answer I got for that when I've purchased sale items (per the web) is that the web store and inhouse systems were not linked. They (Taylor store) have always given me credit for the difference although Ive never looked back to see exactly what price was adjusted.

I do love the convenience of being able to go in and ask for 7.2# of LME and getting 7.2#. It took me awhile to get over having to order in round increments and make up the difference with DME. The same with grains.

I am guessing they are not very sophisticated with their pricing models and probably use a set markup rather than competitive pricing models. Things like StarSan are purchased fairly rarely as the stuff lasts, and if you are running out it probably means youve bought a lot of other ingredients. So you look at things like that as more of a service than a profit center. But oh well, he has his own LHBS and I dont so he is one up on me!

[RickBeer]

I agree that have a set markup, that's what I meant when I said they are margin-focused.

I love buying the exact amount. I got 7.2 lbs, three 1 lb, and one 1/2 pound containers of LME. Then I bought 8 oz of Crystal 120 and 6 oz of Amber, and a pound of Carafoam. Weighted, milled and bagged all myself. I like that.

I usually go every 6 weeks or so, and buy two LBK sets of ingredients, and then two more for three weeks from now (working on using up my Mr. Beer ingredients and moving to extract / steeping recipes and beyond). This time I bought ingredients for a 5 gallon recipe and two more sets, so I'm good until 9 weeks or so.

I did buy the Peanut Butter stuff, and will try the tiny amount in a bottle of stout before I brew the batch, probably the three weeks from now group.