# Coopers Pet Bottles



## loikar (1/6/09)

Evening all,

I reluctantly bought 2 box's of Coopers PET bottles yesterday as I wont have enough stubbies to brew tomorrow night.

Story is, my nipples could cut glass it's that cold at the moment and I sure as hell don't want to be playing around with buckets of water and the bottling brush cleaning them out.
Since they are brand new, and I can only assume they were washed before packing.
Do you think i'll be right to just sanitize and bottle?

Cheers,

BF


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## lobo (1/6/09)

i have used new pet bottles without any cleaning or issues.

Lobo


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## brando (1/6/09)

I read somewhere that thay are already sanitised and ready to go, but I don't like that idea. I think the definitely should be sanitised before use, but that's all you need to do. Starsan is good.


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## bum (1/6/09)

While I agree with brando I have also been guilty of doing what lobo advises without problem.

If you won't worry about it too much over the next few weeks then don't bother, otherwise sanitise. Washing would be a little over the top.

The bottles aren't as bad as you imagine, btw.


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## wambesi (1/6/09)

As others have said give them a quick shot of no rinse sanitiser and you should be right.
That's my method for all my bottles, I haven't used my bottle brush or sat there washing bottles in years.

I found the best method, is straight after emptying rinse with hot water a few times (yes even PET - just not boiling water) to clean out the gunk and rinse well. Then as we have a dishwasher I throw them in there then they get stored in the garage until bottling, then its simply a shot of no-rinse sanitiser and bottle away.

I did the same minus the dishwasher part for months with no problems too - just use the dishwasher now because its there.


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## flattop (1/6/09)

I had one start to melt in hot water so avoid that, Pets are sterile out of the box, i have around 60 or so and never cleaned them out of the box, just bottled first time round.
After that, rinse and starsan is all they need, heard the lid seals can give after about 6 brews but mine are well over that with no probs, new lids are cheap anyhow.


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## antains (1/6/09)

They'll be fine.

Also, avoid using a bottle brush with them, as it scratches the plastic. Good shake and rinse, then a steriliser. I've been using them for years and never had a problem that couldn't solved by drinking the contents.


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## Phoney (2/6/09)

My girlfriends dad has been homebrewing for nearly 20 years (k&k), I was suprised when he told me on the weekend that he simply rinses his bottles with hot tap water straight after drinking, then stacks them away upside down until the next time he bottles, he doesnt sanitize them at all and he says he's never had an "off" bottle.


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## canon1ball (2/6/09)

flattop said:


> I had one start to melt in hot water so avoid that, Pets are sterile out of the box, i have around 60 or so and never cleaned them out of the box, just bottled first time round.
> After that, rinse and starsan is all they need, heard the lid seals can give after about 6 brews but mine are well over that with no probs, new lids are cheap anyhow.



Agree with flattop!
Hot water is a no, no, had the same problem.
Used the bottles straight out of the box, no cleaning or sanitizing and never a problem.
Used bottles I rinse with water (2-3 times) than Idophor. 
Make sure you take the safety bit (ring) of the cap left behind on the bottle after unscrewing, can get in the way of the new cap and you get flat beer!


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## Bribie G (2/6/09)

I've only just started to use Starsan - previously I was a bleacher and it was frustrating the number of times I had to rinse because bleach is very 'sticky'. A bottle of Starsan is initially quite expensive but the rate I'm using it I reckon it's only a few cents per brew.

I Starsan the Coopers straight out of the box as a precaution, and for subsequent uses I rinse three times after pouring the beer, and just starsan on bottling day.

You will find that the Starsan leaves some loose foam and bubbles in the bottles, that's fine - as well as being flavourless and odourless apparently, being based on phosphates, it make a brilliant yeast nutrient  

Starsan, the sanitiser that God uses.


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