Cleaning Pet Bottles

[CapnClunks]

Same as what i do pretty much and what i did earlier today for some overflow brew.

Rubbermaid tubs are great also for catching the water that comes off your chillers also for reuse as cleaning water

 

[jackgym]

As soon as you empty bottle, rinse out and add a teaspoon of bleach, fill with water and soak overnight.
Next morning rinse thoroughly and hang on bottle tree.

 

[WHRALR]

I rinse straight after use, then fill warm water and sodium percarbonate (i buy bulk drums). Then rinse next day, dry store cap on and wash percar again on filling day.

 

[Nick the Knife]

I had to clean up a bunch of the amber PET bottles for putting some homemade lemon & lime cordial in them yesterday. We use these bottles a lot around the house and due to putting fresh orange juice in them they were a tad dirty.

Made up a solution of sodium percarbonate - which works best when it's activated in 60c water, which you then allow to cool to 40c before you place it in the PET bottles (40c being the recommended max temp for liquids into these).

I found placing some in these, shaking and leaving a while before shakaing again and moving to another one cleaned very effectively - no need to rinse as the sodium carbonate residue is tasteless and harmless.

 

[livo]

I've got over 400 with the oldest being Coopers that are probably around 12 years old now. I've also got some Mangrove Jack bottles and some cheaper ones from a HBS that are probably around 10 - 11 years old. About 2 or 3 years ago I picked up over 100 free bottles (mixed brands) so I have no idea of their age. There were more but I culled a lot of damaged and dirty ones. I recently bought 90 near new Coopers and 30 MJ's from a guy who had only used them twice.

The quality of the bottles and thickness of the plastic is noticeably different in different types and age. The oldest Coopers bottles are thick walled and seriously scarred on the outside but they still function perfectly. I couldn't tell you how many times they've been filled.

Cleaning is simple. When I get to it, I rinse 2 or 3 times with cold fresh water and drain. This is best done when you pour but it isn't always possible. Leave a bit of beer in the bottom and the yeast deposit won't dry on you. I've waited for days and it's fine. Store bottles when they're dry in a box or garbage bag until next use. Lids I rinse and throw in a plastic colander or place on a dry tea towel until dry and store in a fine mesh net draw string veggie bag available at supermarkets in the f&v section.

On bottling day I use the plunger style bottle washer with starsan and put the bottles on a drying tree then throw the lids into the bowl and back into the colander.

Why make it harder than it needs to be?

 

[Nick the Knife]

As soon as you empty bottle, rinse out and add a teaspoon of bleach, fill with water and soak overnight.
Next morning rinse thoroughly and hang on bottle tree.

With respect not sure why you would use bleach (sodium hypoclorite) to clean anything? Thats not what as a chemical it does well (its more of an oxidiser & sanitiser) - and you do run the risk of having taste detectable traces left behind as I believe bleach is known to do this when used on plastics and only incredibly small traces of it are needed to be quite notable.

I think you'd find superior results with just a squirt of dish liquid & same methodology but each to their own.

 

[Paddy Melon]

I do the same as Livo except I moved away from the plunger bottle washer and use a rectangle paper bin with enough solution to cover half a bottle on its side. I put two bottles in at a time give them a couple of spins and drain. This method takes me a quarter of the time it did with the plunger washer

 

[livo]

My mate who insisted I bottle his Old Beer in glass asked me a good question when I delivered, and sampled, the first batch of bottles the other day. He asked me whether or not reusing home brew amber PET bottles had the same risk concerns as PET single use water bottles. I couldn't answer him. I'm aware that there have been concerns about single use water bottles being refilled. He mentioned BPA but I believe PET does not contain this substance.

I notice in a few posts in this thread that people have said they discard their PETs after x number of uses. Does anybody have factual knowledge of risk factors involved from long term repeated use of these bottles?

 

[Nick the Knife]

My mate who insisted I bottle his Old Beer in glass asked me a good question when I delivered, and sampled, the first batch of bottles the other day. He asked me whether or not reusing home brew amber PET bottles had the same risk concerns as PET single use water bottles. I couldn't answer him. I'm aware that there have been concerns about single use water bottles being refilled. He mentioned BPA but I believe PET does not contain this substance.

I notice in a few posts in this thread that people have said they discard their PETs after x number of uses. Does anybody have factual knowledge of risk factors involved from long term repeated use of these bottles?

Is an interesting question - read a few articles and they tended to contradict each other - the FDA in the US has declared PET safe for single and reuse - this article covers this as well:
https://www.sciencealert.com/it-is-safe-to-reuse-plastic-water-bottles-these-scientists-explain
From what I've read PET has a lower risk of BPA than other plastics as BPA is not used in making it - but there's other potential issues with it.

Most of these seem to stem from heat where other chemicals can leech out (antimony for example) - so I'd say if you're applying best practice to cleaning and filling your quality PET reusable bottles e.g avoiding anything above just luke warm temps - and discarding bottles that get a tad scruffy, you'd be fine.

Worrying too much about maybe injesting a tiny amount of such chemicals when you're wholesale quaffing alcohol, thats known to cause all manner of health issues seems a tad unproductive - but thats just IMHO.

 

[livo]

Great, although I'd ask for a definition of "wholesale" in this instance. I'm not sure if I qualify, but possibly close I guess.

Next time I experience vomiting and diarrhoea from drinking home brew, I'll blame the antimony used in the production of the bottles. Thanks Nick. That's 2 problems sorted. The PETs have many benefits, not the least of which is weight and safety. I used to take them out in the boat and it's great that they are light and don't break, but I do think I prefer the taste of beer from glass. Can you really tell the difference or is it a mind thing?

 

[Nick the Knife]

Great, although I'd ask for a definition of "wholesale" in this instance. I'm not sure if I qualify, but possibly close I guess.

Next time I experience vomiting and diarrhoea from drinking home brew, I'll blame the antimony used in the production of the bottles. Thanks Nick. That's 2 problems sorted. The PETs have many benefits, not the least of which is weight and safety. I used to take them out in the boat and it's great that they are light and don't break, but I do think I prefer the taste of beer from glass. Can you really tell the difference or is it a mind thing?

Are you drinking directly from the PET or glass 750ml bottles? As if so you're already negating many of the taste benefits you'd get by decanting to a glass first as you'll be able to smell it much better via this - as experts feel that a very high % of taste is actually smell - and from the narrow neck of a bottle you will not get much of this vs a decent glass: Your Sense of Taste

I tend to think it's purely a 'perception' thing - but thats still valid too.

I've a crapload of Coopers PETs but haven't used them for beer yet - but will do next time I make a hoppy, aromatic style thats best drunk young. I'll be able to squeeze out all the airspace at the top which alongside other tactics might help them last a tad longer vs oxygen affecting them.

 

[Paddy Melon]

Hey Livo, good question about whether or not there is a taste question between glass and PET. I can't answer that because I only drink from glass BUT I can tell you that I believe I can taste a difference between glass and cans. It may be a mind thing but in my mind there is a definite difference. I know that probably doesn't help you, but it made me feel better saying it.

 

[livo]

I agree Paddy. I don't know if it actually tastes any different, but it is preferable to drink from glass for some odd reason. The test would be to have identical beer in different containers poured into a glass by somebody else to see if they can be distinguished in a blind taste test. Say VB for example, out of a bottle and a can. Once it's poured into a glass can you tell which is which?

I very rarely drink home brew directly from a PET, or even a glass bottle really, although I have done and by the end of it, you're really not enjoying it too much. Whereas if you pour into a jug or several glasses it's all fine but that's because of the yeast sediment being stirred up. I find the same thing with Coopers Pale Ale as its bottle conditioned.

When I bottle my next 2 buckets either today or tomorrow, I'll do a little test with some in glass and some in PET to see if it makes any difference out of the same fermenter. I'll get my wife to pour me a glass out of each and see if I can taste any difference.

 

[jackgym]

With respect not sure why you would use bleach (sodium hypoclorite) to clean anything? Thats not what as a chemical it does well (its more of an oxidiser & sanitiser) - and you do run the risk of having taste detectable traces left behind as I believe bleach is known to do this when used on plastics and only incredibly small traces of it are needed to be quite notable.

I think you'd find superior results with just a squirt of dish liquid & same methodology but each to their own.

It must take a few years for taste detectable traces to emerge then.

 

[Oshka Mo]

I am about to use my batch of PET bottles for the second time. I religiously wash them out after I pour each bottle of brew but I thought a once-over in the dishwasher would help before I sanitze them?

Would appreciate hearing if anyone else does this or any advice on the best way to clean ready to use again.

Cheers

Using good and still gentle for PET detergent is a core solution.