There’s been tons written on sanitation in home brewing. Here’s what I’ve learned and its based on what I call the “Bridget - Ethan Sanitation Continuum.” I haven’t had the opportunity to brew with either of them, but my sister-in-law has. Ethan is from the school of thought that you don’t touch anything that has been sanitized with anything that hasn’t been sanitized. Bridget starts her siphons with her mouth. My thought is that so long as you can consistently avoid infections (which I have, knock on wood) find a happy place in the middle of the Bridget-Ethan continuum.

For me, that means I don’t sanitize anything pre-boil. Everything that touches the beer after the boil gets sanitized. My poison of choice is iodophor. I think a good practice for a new brewer is to sanitize everything and as you go figure out what works for you.