Cleaning Bottles

[WarmBeer]

I've used a rounded Tea spoon per fermenter with good results - and some people think this is overboard. Use warm water too - think I read a while ago that optimum water temperature around 68C = whatever, never had too many worries.

Thanks Zilla.

At this rate, the 500gm of this powder I've got is going to outlast my liver.

 

[Bribie G]

Bribie,

How much Sodium Perc do you put in a fermenter full of water?

I've got a heap of pure from a bulk buy, too, and have some serious cleaning to do.

Thanks Zilla.

At this rate, the 500gm of this powder I've got is going to outlast my liver.

Yes a teaspoon would be about it, I use warm tap water. The stuff gives off oxygen, a bit like a solid version of hydrogen peroxide, and if you have it too hot the oxygen can gas off before it has time to do its job. I leave the fermenter overnight in the sink and God knows where the crud goes to, it maybe gets warped off to another dimension or something B)

 

[zebba]

Interesting. I've been using twice that amount* so will try the next batch with half that. I think the wife (who also uses it instead of napisan for bub's stuff) uses it at regular napisan usage amounts. I keep saying to her she's going OTT and it turns out I probably am also... The irony!

(calculated based on the coopers "santiser", which I heard was a 30% sodium perc product and says to use 4 capfulls per fermenter)

 

[MaltyHops]

Greetings All,

As my first post in this fine establishment - does anyone know long
h-peroxide (from Cooper's Sanitiser) remains usable for? I'm thinking that
after soaking a brewing tub overnight, could the used liquid be then used
to sanitise bottles?

MaltyHops

 

[kelbygreen]

I would say no. If you could put it in a bottle then maybe yes but if left open I wouldnt recomend it. Never used or seen coopers sanitiser but I always make mine up just befor I use it. The effectivness of the sanitiser is best when just mixed the longer you leave it the least effect it will have but not sure of the time factors so if in doubt mix some more. It will work out cheap if you get starsan (never used it) but heard the bottle will do alot of brews so the cost in minimal.

The cleaning/sanitiser with my kit lasted 2.5 brews (the .5 is it cleaned/sanitised the fermenter but not the bottles)

 

[manticle]

Greetings All,

As my first post in this fine establishment - does anyone know long
h-peroxide (from Cooper's Sanitiser) remains usable for? I'm thinking that
after soaking a brewing tub overnight, could the used liquid be then used
to sanitise bottles?

MaltyHops

Cleaners and sanitisers are two different things. I'm not sure why Coopers call that stuff a sanitiser as it isn't really. It's sodium percarbonate, which as mentioned earlier in this thread is an active ingredient in napisan/oxygen bleach and is a great cleaner of organic material. It does have an antibacterial effect but you need to follow use with a proper sanitiser. Additionally that little jar is not very cost effective.

You can re-use the solution to clean several things over a day or so. I will soak my fermenter after use overnight, then use that solution again once or twice within a short time frame. It's biodegradeable and my veggie garden seems to love the extra water. You can even use the solution to clean something in your house (bathtub shower recess etc).

Once you have emptied it you need to rinse properly (the plastic/whatever will feel slimy before you rinse it) again - reusing the water if you can. Then you need to sanitise with a proper sanitiser (and you can re-use this solution within a short time frame too). An anionic acid rinse like star san is fine for the garden as well.

Save some money - buy no name/home brand oxygen bleach ensuring that

1. Active ingredient is Sodium Percarbonate
2. It is unscented

You will get much more out of a 1 kg container than that little coopers thing. If you can find the pure stuff like BribieG mentions then even better.

Here's a little summary of some sanitisers: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=18

 

[Synthetase]

I add sodium hydroxide to them and soak them overnight before taking to them with a bottle brush in a drill.

 

[MaltyHops]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I didn't have time to go looking for some suitable bulk noname oxygen bleach
as I had the beginner's keen impatience to get things going so grabbed the
Coopers. I didn't think to rinse the fermenter for my first brew (which turned
out ok, have already been tucking into it a week after bottling ). I did put
in about a cup of water for a quick complete slosh round for my second brew
today (Muntons Irish Style ... so looking forward for this to be ready!).

Didn't even consider feeling the fermenter insides after bleaching it since
touching it seems like defeating the purpose of sanitising it in the first
place ... fingers crossed this second brew will turn out ok, it's bubbling
away right now - so cute. Anyways, will look at getting the proper sanitisers
for next time.

I wasn't sure about tipping the H2O2 waste liquid into the garden/lawn
- wouldn't bleach be very bad for plants?

Cheers!

 

[manticle]

Chlorine bleach yes. Sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach) is biodegradeable. I've been putting it on my herbs and hops for some time and they seem super happy (including new basil shoots, tomato plants etc).

It might affect the alkalinity of the soil so if that concerns you you'll need to measure the pH. Someone else might know more than me but I did make a thread asking about it and no-one suggested I was stupid.

 

[wynnum1]

If you want to clean fermenter filling with just water over night removes most of residue seems a waste to not do this first.