No $ for Vinator

Anyone ever use a turkey baster in lieu of the miraculous vinator? Funds are runnin low.

I just put an ounce or so of starsan in each bottle at the beginning and give it shake prior to emptying and filling. With a thumb over the bottle opening it works really well

14.05$ (new) at Amazon - hope this helps....

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00838T4NU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

A Vinator is only $15 to $20. Skip McD's for 3-4 days!

I would think that dipping in a bucket of Starsan then draining and putting them on the dishwasher rack would be a lot easier than trying to use a baster.

Do you have a dishwasher? Run the bottles through there with no detergent or rinse-aid, set it on the heated dry cycle, and those suckers will be sanitized. I bottled 100 batches last year using this method, no problems.

stpug said:

I just put an ounce or so of starsan in each bottle at the beginning and give it shake prior to emptying and filling. With a thumb over the bottle opening it works really well

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I do the same. I dump the Starsan solution into a bucket for sanitizing auto siphon, bottling wand, and etc.

For what it's worth, my dad always just submerges a bottle into boiling water for 30 seconds or whatever. Then he lifts the bottle out and pours out the boiling water. The heat dries the bottle almost instantly, and it cools quickly enough to fill a moment later.

This has worked for him for quite a while, with no problems - and it's free (also chemical-free).

Im betting my dishwasher will only hold 80-90 bottles, which would sanitize at least half of a 15gal batch. I was also planning on removing the dishwasher racks instead of buying a bottle tree. (You can start to see how cheap I am

Thanks!!

A spray bottle's 2 bucks, does nearly the same thing, and you've probably already got one sitting on the counter.

Toy's are cool though!

TasunkaWitko said:

For what it's worth, my dad always just submerges a bottle into boiling water for 30 seconds or whatever. Then he lifts the bottle out and pours out the boiling water. The heat dries the bottle almost instantly, and it cools quickly enough to fill a moment later.

This has worked for him for quite a while, with no problems - and it's free (also chemical-free).

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Do you generate your own electricity? Without using any other fuel?

Almost free.....

Aye, Sylvester ~ there's one in every crowd....

smeltz said:

Im betting my dishwasher will only hold 80-90 bottles, which would sanitize at least half of a 15gal batch. I was also planning on removing the dishwasher racks instead of buying a bottle tree. (You can start to see how cheap I am

Thanks!!

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Leave the racks in and let the bottles drip inside the dish washer. Some of us bottle over the open door to catch all the drips for easy clean up.

IMO, a spray bottle is just as (if not more effective) than a vinator. A lot cheaper too. Couple sprays in a bottle, swish around, dump and you're good to go.

I saw a video where a guy made one out of an empty soap dispenser bottle and a tupperware container. I'll probably try to devise something like this just to see how well it works and because I like tinkering. Admittedly though I get by just fine with a 5 gallon bucket of sanitizer.

Let me know if ya find that video It sounds like a good idea at the start

You can make that thing for $12 plus the time to assemble, or buy a Vinator for $15.

Seriously, if a few $$ makes that much difference you should not be in this or many other hobbies.

Harsh but that is what I feel at the moment. DIY is great, and I will do many that I can get about the same quality for less $$, But.....

I bought a Vinator after about a year into the hobby and I would skip lunch for a week for 1, it makes a huge difference I time. Add a bottle tree, you can make one for $10 and you will cut your bottle time almost in half, I did.

Being retired makes money tight for me, but I still broke down & bought the bottle tree & vinator. Saves time on bottling day & I can get 45-12oz bottles in a 2 square foot area. Skip going out to breakfast &/or lunch for a week or two & you're there.

kh54s10 said:

I would think that dipping in a bucket of Starsan then draining and putting them on the dishwasher rack would be a lot easier than trying to use a baster.

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That is what I used to do when I bottled. Works great.

If I didn't have a vintator, I'd just take a cup of starsan solution, pour it into the first bottle, pour from the first bottle to the second and so on, between pouring in and pouring out you will wet the entire inside of the bottle, which is the point in the first place. I have a brew budy that dunks the entire bottle into a bucket of starsan. works fine for him, but my fear ( unfounded?) would be making the outside of the bottle slippery. My fear with the boiling water method above would be bottles cracking from thermal shock.

Since you need a bucket of sanitizer solution for the rest of your gear anyway, what I did was just put the bottles in the bucket, let them fill a little, give them a quick spin on their side (log roll style), then set them upside down in the diswasher rack or something (I used a plastic crate, sprayed with sanitizer on the bottom). Then when I grab a bottle to fill it I just give the mouth a quick spray with sanitizer and fill (to be safe).

It is only my first batch, and i haven't opened the bottles yet (done on Nov 1st!) but so far no issues...