mattymc

Recipes 

Hey Guys,

In a few days I will be doing my first bottling in a long while. I have all the gear for sanitizing the bottles (vinator/bottle tree) but I will be using old 650ml beer bottles I have saved up over the year.

Should I do a more heavy duty "clean" before I sanitize?

Thanks,

Matt

diptherunner

Recipes 

Try hot water, oxyclean and a good long soak (1-2) days. Rinse well and check it out. Repeat if needed. Then sanitize before you bottle. Unless they're really junky, they should clean up.

Jdk261

Recipes 

I agree. Unless they are FUNKY, just make up a solution of hot water and pbw. No need to scrub, just let the chemicals do their thing in hot water and you'll be good to go.

Braufessor

Recipes 

+1 to the above. I do have a bottle brush that I give a quick scrub with if I know the bottles I am working with are dirty. Otherwise, a long soak in a cleaner like pbw, oxyclean, etc. and a blast from a bottle washer is usually all it takes. rinse well and then sanitize in starsan.

mattymc

Recipes 

Awesome thanks guys!

zoltani

Recipes 

If you rinse your bottles well with hot water after pouring one can you simply give another hot water rinse before sanitizing? I've been doing this and have yet to have any problems. Am I just testing my luck here?