Leaving Bottles In Sanitizing Solution?

[Cynicide]

I moved to kegging a while ago but every now and then I like to put a brew in the bottles so that I can hand them out.

The thing that really annoys me is washing them and delabelling them.

What I'd like to know is ... is there any harm in leaving the clean bottles in a plastic garbage bin full of sodium metabisulphate until I'm ready to bottle? Would it soak into the glass and cause problems for the beer later?

 

[Airgead]

I moved to kegging a while ago but every now and then I like to put a brew in the bottles so that I can hand them out.

The thing that really annoys me is washing them and delabelling them.

What I'd like to know is ... is there any harm in leaving the clean bottles in a plastic garbage bin full of sodium metabisulphate until I'm ready to bottle? Would it soak into the glass and cause problems for the beer later?

[post="118390"][/post]​

Cynicide

Nothing should soak into glass. Its non-porous and pretty non-reactive so you should be OK in that respect. the thing you would have to watch is the working life of your sanitiser. A working strength solution will have a finite life before it loses effectiveness. Once it has dropped below that point you will get stuff growing in it. And in your bottles.

With some sanitisers you can (sort of) tell by colour or smell when they are starting to go. Sodium met you really can't. Incidently sodium met isn't officialy regarded as a sanitiser. It inhibits micoorganism growth but doesn't really kill them. Its also an antioxidant which is why it is added to wine (and a bunch of other stuff). In strong doses is does horrible things to the lungs. Asthmatics should avoid it at all costs as it as it constricts the airways. I used to use heaps of it when I worked school holidays in a juice factory. I used to go home wheezing every day.

I wash my bottles in detergent to get them physicaly clean and store them in a sealed plastic crate till I'm ready to use them. On bottling day its a quick squirt of no rinse sanitiser (idophor for me) and they are ready to go. Takes all of 20 minutes to do 60 stubbies. No need to leave them soaking the whole time.

Cheers
Dave

Edit: crap spelling

 

[JasonY]

You will be fine although I would make sure you open that bag outside as sodium met is nasty stuff. I don't belive it is strictly a sanitiser as such but I don't know what could live in something left full of that stuff. I used to leave my fermenters with about an inch of sodium met solution in them, rinse then put a brew in them. Never had an infection.

Good hygene is of course the most important thing, clean them well and you should be fine.

 

[Cynicide]

Thanks,

I only ask because I took the top off the other day and got a nose full of something that gave me a burning sensation, I'll assume it was the SM doing it's job based on what you've told me about the stuff and go the plastic crate route when I get around to buying one.

 

[agraham]

I use non scented white king for cleaning my bottles and fermentors. Just soak and rinse and you are done. Best thing is that you know that all the little bugs are toast. Make sure you give the bottles and fermentors a good wash and allow to dry for a day or so, otherwise they smell a bit like the local swimming pool.

Beers,

Andy

 

[Airgead]

Thanks,

I only ask because I took the top off the other day and got a nose full of something that gave me a burning sensation, I'll assume it was the SM doing it's job based on what you've told me about the stuff and go the plastic crate route when I get around to buying one.

[post="118395"][/post]​

Yep that burning sensation is sodium met all right. I remember it well.

In water it decomposes into sulphur dioxide gas which is what inhibits the bugs. It also decomposes to suplhate which in turn makes sulphurous acid gas. Both of these are iritants and will burn. Sulphur dioxide is also quite toxic. You are OK with a bucket of the stuff provided you have enough ventilation but putting the lid on will cause the concentration to build up (which is why you copped a face full when you lifted the lid).

Since SWMBO is asthmatic I avoid the stuff like the plague.

For interests sake there is a MSDS for sodium met here - http://bulkpharm.mallinckrodt.com/_attachm.../msds/S4378.htm

Cheers
Dave

 

[MVZOOM]

When you guys spray Iodopher (spell?) on stuff, what strength do you usually dilute to? I go through litres of the stuff (ie.. soaking eveything in it, via containters etc..

Spraying on would be a much better option to save $.

Cheers - Mike

 

[Airgead]

When you guys spray Iodopher (spell?) on stuff, what strength do you usually dilute to? I go through litres of the stuff (ie.. soaking eveything in it, via containters etc..

Spraying on would be a much better option to save $.

Cheers - Mike

[post="118404"][/post]​

Mike

I just make it (idophor) up to the recomended dilution which is 1ml of concentrate in 1 litre of water. At that concentration it is no rinse which is good as rinsing just adds back all the bugs you just sanitised off (and it takes longer). Any stronger and you need a rinse. Any weaker and the contact time starts to go up.

I use 5l to sanitise the fermenter (slosh it around for a few minutes) and another couple of litres to sanitise the rest of the brew gear. On bottling day I use 1l in the spray thingy that attaches to the top of the bottle tree. I soak the crown seals in the same solution. I also have a spray bottle that I use to spray into fermenter taps and other hard to reach palces. Soaking is better than spraying as you can be sure the whole surface is covered but you can't beat spraying for hard to get at places. the trouble with spraying is that idophor doesn't stick to the surface and just runs off so you might not get the contact time you need. I have heard that you can add a foaming agent (detergent) which helps it foam and stick but I have never tried it.

Its pretty economical stuff. My 100ml bottle has lasted ages. Bleach is cheaper but needs a rinse. The brewshield peroxide based sanitiser that brew shops sell is good but you use heaps more of it (15ml/l if I remember correctly). All round I think idophor has the best balance of economy and ease of use (love the no rinse). You can get bulk dairy sanitisers and cleaners that are probaly as good and cheaper but for the few dollars a bottle of idophor that lasts for ages costs I can't be bothered.

Cheers
Dave

 

[MVZOOM]

Excellent, thanks Airgead :beer: . I was filling a 30l fermenter with sanitised solution and wasting plenty!

Cheers - Mike

 

[pint of lager]

Make sure you get the correct ratio of iodine to water.

Following George Fix's suggestions in "An Analysis of Brewing Techniques" the correct ratio of 10% povidone iodine mix is 2.5ml per litre for a contact time of 10 minutes which will kill 99.9% of all bugs. If you have 12% povidone iodine, the ratio is 2.1 ml per litre. A syringe makes measuring the right amount easy.

Different brands of iodine will contain differing amounts of active ingredient. Either use the above, or use whatever ratio your bottle of sanitiser says

Usually, to sanitise a fermenter, I will soak the tap, oring, grommet and airlock in a bucket with 4 litres of sanitiser, then fit the hardware to the fermneter, pour in a few litres of sanitiser, swish so it contacts every part, swish every time I walk past, after 10 minutes, drain the sanitiser back into the bucket, turn fermenter upside down and use it after it has drained for 10 minutes or so.

If you need any more info, there are a couple of excellent threads, do a search on iodophor.

Sodium met is nasty stuff. Plenty of better products to use.