Best way to Clean and Sanitise Bottles

[Ducatiboy stu]

Stay away from sod met.

I just full mine up with a hot solution off happy san and let soak over night. Then empty and rinse with hot water .

Try to remember to rinse your bottles as soon as they are empty

 

[jaypes]

Use the RyoBrush

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/39738-turbo-bottle-washer/#entry560357

 

[JDW81]

Use the RyoBrush

I only use this method when my bottles are dirty (either ones which have come from the pub, or I haven't rinsed them effectively when emptied), but it works a treat.

Otherwise bottles get a good rinsing straight after drinking, hung on the bottle tree clean and then sanitised before refilling. Easy as.

 

[beatbreaker]

@NuggesSA - I bought a bottle of "Starsan" almost immediately after it was mentioned above, after doing some research it looks like a piece of kit I can't live without and a bottle of the stuff will last forever, I'll use that for sanitising and sodium percarbonate "napisan" for cleaning.

Don't worry people, I'm not going down the route of sodium metabisulphite.

This a better unit can wash two bottles

Looks pretty awesome, I'll need to check that it'll fit - the postage cost of $25 is pretty steep though!

Does anyone know if things like these are available in Australia?



yeah last i looked they were about 45 dollars made of brass though never seen a plastic one
thats why i made my own bottle washer

PM me when you're organised with the item, I'd like to look at it as another option.

Use the RyoBrush

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/39738-turbo-bottle-washer/#entry560357

hahaha yeah I saw that last night after looking through the forums, that's ok, my arms need the manual workout

 

[Econwatson]

The labels are on the outside and don't affect the quality of the beer within at all.

You're effectively jamming your dirty-arsed thumb in an otherwise clean bottle and you might be affecting the beer within. Consider a thumbless method that works for you.

I just think it looks better to not have labels on my bottles, it's pleasing to the eye!

And regarding my sanitation method, I never said anything about using my thumb. I use the flat of my palm to keep the sanitiser in. I feel the contact with my well scrubbed hand is minimal.

 

[roverfj1200]

I will put in my 2C here as I feel I have a good thing going..

First drink the bottle of beer.

Then (don't leave it laying around) rinse with a few short bursts from the tap and shakes.

Next moring use strait hot tap water to rinse a few more times and place on bottle tree to dry.

Store dry bottles away from dust. ( I cover mine with old towels or use big plastic tus with lids.)

Now to use all I do is use a bottle rinser (the type that fits to the top of a bottle tree)with starsan in it. Dip the bottle top in starsan and one pump on the washer on the tree ready to bottle.

I think the main thing is to wash as you go then it is spread out and is less of a chore.

Cheers

 

[brad81]

Further to roverfj1200's comment, I chuck mine in the dishwasher (for some hot steamy love) after doing the above. Spray 1-2 pumps of starsan in and a bit of foil then off to hide in the shed.

Easier again if you have swingtops too.

 

[sponge]

When I bottled (and when I occasionally bottle a couple) I just filled a fermenter with hot nappy san mix and added the bottles to there. I always tried to fill them up individually as I placed them in to avoid any air pockets within the bottles themselves.

Also means the labels come off without leaving any residue on the bottle.

After soaking, I just rinsed out with some hot water, gave a squirt of starsan, then left them with gladwrap over the top until needed.

 

[431neb]

The sink in that photo, did you just slaughter an animal in there?

That looks ******* septic, you need biohazard controls, not some piss arse bottle washer.............

Blackdevildog, I agree the sink aint a good look but it does get some pretty industrial abuse. The important thing is that everything that comes into contact with the product is clean and sanitary.

I won't post a picture of the stovetop out there. Let's just say that burnt on tempura batter and spilt wort make a fairly effective epoxy.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Blackdevildog, I agree the sink aint a good look but it does get some pretty industrial abuse. The important thing is that everything that comes into contact with the product is clean and sanitary.

I won't post a picture of the stovetop out there. Let's just say that burnt on tempura batter and spilt wort make a fairly effective epoxy.

Thanks for not posting a photo of your stovetop, I've just soaked my computer in Dettol after it was exposed to the photo of your sink and I'm not sure it could handle being exposed to more biowaste. h34r:

 

[Dave70]

All this fuss and fretting over bottle cleaning is horseshit.
If they're filthy, cut the end off your bottle brush, stick it in a drill and give them a good Rodgering.

After that just be sure to rinse clean after you finish.

I do nothing more than slosh a weak mix of bleach and idopher around using my thumb as a stopper, shove a funnel in the next bottle, tranfer and repeat. A bottle tree is the best investment you can make. Mine holds 60 or so no worries. Never had a crook bottle - due to infection at any rate.

In any case, if the beer entering the bottle is such fcuking weaksauce that the ABV cant top a few microorganisim's, then man up and brew a fcuking imperial IPA or Belgian strong ale.

 

[homebrewkid]

you lot crack me up, do you really waste your time covering the tops of empty bottles?


if you do this

you can do this,

and this



and stop wasting time covering empty bottles

p.s. sorry for the crappy phone photos no light under the house

cheers: HBK

 

[Sterlo]

when i bottled i always rinsed after empty, placed on bottled tree to drain. then when bottling sanistised with starsan and filled. worked for me until i saw the light and kegged.

Sterlo

 

[waggastew]

Why not throw another 50c into the ring? I use PET's

Pre Bottling Day
1. Pour beer from bottle and immediately rinse under the tap a few times then invert to dry
2. Usually store with original lid on but not always

Brew day goes like this:
1. Place 30 PET's in the laundry tub and fill up with warm water and a cap of HB Napisan. Leave for 30min
2. Drain tub and bottles and fill up tub with cold water and ~1/2 cup of unscented bleach. Leave for 30min
3. Drain tub and bottles and rinse each bottle with a couple of flushes (1/6 full and shake) of cold water, then put upright
4. Spray with 4 squirts of Starsan and leave for 10min (Sanitise and should react with traces of the bleach)
5. Shake bottles, tip out Starsan dregs, prime and bottle as usual

Seems to work

 

[KingKong]

Why not throw another 50c into the ring? I use PET's

Pre Bottling Day
1. Pour beer from bottle and immediately rinse under the tap a few times then invert to dry
2. Usually store with original lid on but not always

Brew day goes like this:
1. Place 30 PET's in the laundry tub and fill up with warm water and a cap of HB Napisan. Leave for 30min
2. Drain tub and bottles and fill up tub with cold water and ~1/2 cup of unscented bleach. Leave for 30min
3. Drain tub and bottles and rinse each bottle with a couple of flushes (1/6 full and shake) of cold water, then put upright
4. Spray with 4 squirts of Starsan and leave for 10min (Sanitise and should react with traces of the bleach)
5. Shake bottles, tip out Starsan dregs, prime and bottle as usual

Seems to work

If your bottles are rinsed and stored clean, you could save yourself a heap of time and just sanatise with starsan. That looks like very over the top pain the arse.

 

[Aydos]

When I'm done with the bottle it goes in the sink and I rinse it with hot water. If there is still gunk in it I grab the scrubber and clean it out. Once they are drip dried I store in milk crates that I have made a lid that fits over all of the bottles. This stops bugs and dust getting in.

When I'm ready to bottle its just a case of filling a bucket with some starsan, filling the bottles up and draining them and then hanging them on the bottle tree. Once I've waited 20mins for the bulk priming to disperse they are ready to go.

I don't bother with sodium percarbonate with my bottles as they are cleaned straight away. I haven't had any dramas doing this.

Now I keg, a lot easier to clean and sanintise a 19l bottle.

 

[QldKev]

Kegs have been mentioned before. Before you spend too much money on bottles, and trees and cleaning magic wands have a good look at a budget kegging system. About the best day of my brewing was the day my bottles left my house.

 

[KingKong]

Kegs have been mentioned before. Before you spend too much money on bottles, and trees and cleaning magic wands have a good look at a budget kegging system. About the best day of my brewing was the day my bottles left my house.

:icon_offtopic: but what do you say is a budget kegging setup ? a. new and b. second hand ? Id be interested because I would kill for an easier process then bottling.

 

[carniebrew]

If your bottles are rinsed and stored clean, you could save yourself a heap of time and just sanatise with starsan. That looks like very over the top pain the arse.

Agreed, and one squirt will do it.

 

[QldKev]

:icon_offtopic: but what do you say is a budget kegging setup ? a. new and b. second hand ? Id be interested because I would kill for an easier process then bottling.

Here's an ebay system, for $230. Then you need a bottle which you can rent initially until you can afford to buy one. And a fridge to convert, which older fridges are free/cheap.

If your lucky sometimes you can find a ready kitted out fridge a lot cheaper. Here's a keg king one including CO2 bottle etc for $350