Drying Bottles After Sanitising

[applecracle]

Hi All,

First post.... New to the forum and fairly new to brewing, had mixed results so far, have had good success with coopers kits but my last 3 brews have been Wals (country brewers own brand) and have not turned out so good.

anyways to my question! should I allow my bottles to dry out before priming and filing or is it ok to get straight into it after washing them out ?

Current brew in progress - Coopers Canadian Blonde, 1kg dextrose, 250g dry malt, using the supplied yeast, no finings, temp about 22c, 4 days in SG of 1010

Cheers :beer:
Applecracle

 

[andrewl]

First off... Welcome to the forum!
I use the sanitizing solution from TCB... Spray the bottles before I start to bulk prime and leave them on the bottle tree for as long as possible. It says somewhere that they should be dry but I could almost guarantee that there would still be a bit left in there. Haven't had a single problem yet... So it seems to be working thus far!

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[mika]

If you're using a no-rinse sanitiser...theres no need to rinse
As long as you follow the dilution instructions with the sanitiser that is.

When using something like Pink Steri or the Coopers sanitiser you really need to rinse or allow them to dry thoroughly.
Even with the no-rinse sanitisers and a satisfactory taste test to process the concept, I still rinse.

Maybe thats wrong, but thats my 2c.

 

[InCider]

Hi AC and welcome abord.

I used to wonder about the same thing, but have found no difference between dry/wet or any scientific reason to do so. I wash mine in a crate with the high pressure gureney (takes 4 minutes) rinse and spray again (2 mins) tip and allow to stand right ways up. There is always a mm or two in bottom - not enough to change anything.

My method does not use sanitiser, but I rinse my bottles after use and allow to stant inverted.

Cheers,

InCider.

 

[blackbock]

Recently I switched from using Morgans Sanitize (a peroxide-based sanitiser) to Iodophor and although the Sanitise was more expensive (use 30ml per Litre compared with 1ml/L for Iodophor) I must admit that it was easier to use.

The first few Iodophor-rinsed bottles I opened definitely had an Iodine smell to them, which surprised me, and because the stuff foams up quite a bit it can be hard to get it all out, expecially if your're in a hurry (like me)

Probably I should be letting them drain for an hour or two beforehand, but this just adds time to an already long bottling session...

bb

 

[DJR]

I just put some diluted iodophor in a spray bottle, spray a couple of times into the cleaned bottles and then after a minute tip the liquid into the sink before filling, that way there's not much iodine smell/taste to them.

 

[Brooksy]

I use some concoction from LHBS.

1. Soak bottles in washer/santizer for 24hrs prior to bottling (regardless)
2. Rinse with clean water.
3. Santize
4. Allow to stand with sanitizer residue for at least 10 mins
5. Rinse with clean water.
6. Bottle

Had one inconsistent failure. Following step 5 I realized I had no primers so off to the shop. Whilst I was away someone decided to cook some eggs, right next to my clean bottles. Contaminated most of the bottles.

Not wanting to waste beer, I'm now working my way throught young beer before the infection goes too much. Stumbling across an uninfected stubby makes it all worthwhile. Only 3 dozen to go. LOL

**Added** - Bit over the top, but..........

 

[Tyred]

I clean mine and let them air dry. Before I start bottling I use a bottle cleaner to spray Morgans Sanitize into them and then put them onto a bottle tree. I use them from the bottom of the tree (first ones sanitized) and work my way up. There normally isn't too much stuff left in them after about 10 minutes of draining.

 

[applecracle]

Thanks for your replies.

In the past I have been filling them still wet because im impatient so I guess it hasnt hurt so far!

Cheers
Applecracle

 

[Brooksy]

In the past I have been filling them still wet because im impatient so I guess it hasnt hurt so far!

You got it.

I was always told that the less time the bottle internals are exposed to the air the better, so the less time between the final rinse and filling the better.

Good luck and good brewing.

I.B.

 

[kook]

I don't see the sense in rinsing a non-rinse sanitiser? Why even bother using it in that case if you're going to contaminate it with tap water? I could understand if you're using pre-boiled water for the rinse, but otherwise it just makes no sense to me.

I don't bottle very often, but when I do I fill with about 1/4 bottle of orthophosphoric acid solution, shake well, then drain. As soon as pretty much all the liquid is out I fill.

 

[v8r]

ive just started using idophor (brew 3), after deciding sodium met was too much of a pain.. my method is to mix a spray bottle to 1.5 dilution ratio (1.5ml/1l spray bottle), spray all the bottles and hang on my tree.. this is the first thing i do on bottling night.. by the time ive bulk primed, and got my bottling area organised, the bottles have been hanging for about 20 mins.
shake the bottles off (no rinsing!) as im bottling and (hopefully) everything is all good.
i'll let you know in a few weeks when i open them

 

[gsxrmck]

Hi,
I've been using idophor for my first 6 batches and there's no problems yet. I simply let the clean bottles sit in the diluted solution for a few minutes before I empty the bottles, add my priming sugar then the beer. All my brews have tasted fine so far with no infections.

I also use this to sanatise my fermentor as well. No rinsing required just empty and away you go. Great stuff. I wont even bother trying anything else.

I hope this helps!!

:beer:

 

[Josh]

I have a bottle squirter that sits on the top of my bottle tree. You push the bottle down onto the squirter and it sprays the solution to the bottom of the bottle. I use iodophor at the 1ml/L solution. Squirt each bottle 3 times then let them sit on the tree for 15 minutes which lets them dry out just about completely.

Been very happy with it. A mate bought it but it has turned into his contribution to the brewery as he brews at my place.
Bottling Equipment link

Cheers,

 

[wildschwein]

I must admit that I use my bottles straight after I rinse them. I don't invert them at all just tip them by hand until no more water comes out.

I usually don't use the common commercial sanatizers either. Rather, I just half fill my bathtub with cold water and add about a cup of unscented generic brand bleach.

Just before I begin bottling a brew I go through and rinse them all in very hot tap water to remove the chlorine smell. Generally, I just try to work as fast as possible so they are exposed to air for the minimum amount of time. I haven't had an infection since I used this method and have kept beers of mine for over two years. Cheap too, as the bleach is less than $2 for a largish bottle.

Prost!!!!!!!

 

[mobrien]

Back in the days before I kegged and new about idophor, I used the standard "better rinse it" sanitiser on my bottles. I used one of those coopers bottle trees with the spray attachment for the top.

After going to a winery, and finding they rinse their bottles with some wine, I started doing the same. So my system was:

Wash the bottles (dishwasher)
Sanitise (using bottle tree with pump pack on top)
Change the pump liquid at top to 500mL of the beer I'm about to bottle diluted with 500mL boiling water
Rinse each bottle with this mix and then bottle/cap immediatly

I found this to be the best system - never an infection, and defintley no santiser tastes in my beer (which I did get occasionally before that)

Now of course I keg, using no rinse idophor - its the only way to go

M