Stank! bottles

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hostileNabusive

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So I'm bottling and a batch of my bottles I sanitized just stink like burnt rubber or something. I sanitized them in the oven (350 degress for an hour) in two seperate batches and only the first smells. This is my... 4th batch I believe and haven't had this problem before.

Anyone have an idea what gives? They aren't all so bad but the bad ones are bordering on knock-out worthy. I'm going to have to use some of them, unfortunately because I didn't sanitize too many extras.

It's a version of cheese's VCC incase you were wondering :mug:
 
Only the first batch? Could there have been anything burning in the oven? Or maybe just one of those bottles had something in it that made all of them smell?

I'd rinse with sanitizing solution - I think it's Star-San. Do you have that?

Oh, and I never thought about using an oven - that's a pretty good idea! A friend just uses his dishwasher with no soap - he just relies on the heat of the water to sterilize them, which seems to work though we've found bits of label in the beer before.
 
I thought they were really clean, they were rinsed right after their last use. But within this first batch some are really bad while others aren't at all. Maybe something grew in (some of) them then (and not others). Which explains the smell???

I wish I had a dishwasher for many reasons, sanitizing bottles being one of them. Unfortunately, I lease a college house built in 1919 --> no dishwasher for me.

No star-san. Any other quick fixes? Maybe just try and rinse them out with boiled water? Your help is appreciated!
 
Boil 'em for a few minutes - just let them boil while you are bottling the others (I know you want to be fast while bottling). Check them all out against a light first though to see the bottom - maybe you can see some stuff and not use those tonight.
 
Is it working? You don't want to just put the bottles in boiling water because they might break - I'd put them in the pot with the cold water and heat it together.
 
Is it working? You don't want to just put the bottles in boiling water because they might break - I'd put them in the pot with the cold water and heat it together.


Haha, I had that thought too. Thanks high school chemistry!

I did boil 5 but at this rate it would take me half the night. Since I'm quite sick of this, I'm just rinsing out with some hot water from the tap, that seems to work ok. Maybe not the most sanitary but I'm running out of steam:p

Guess I'll just have to chance it!
 
Sure, and maybe mark those bottles so you know. Could be a good learning experience - maybe they're perfectly fine, but I like to mark any questionable bottlings. Good luck!
 
No prob! I enjoy bottling - I was disappointed when my husband wanted to start kegging everything! I like having a me-size single-serving container. :)
 
You still will, it's called a glass. ;)

You can always come by my place on bottling day. I both despise and love bottling day. It's a PITA to do, but it's also the last 'handling' before the delicious beer is ready to drink.
 
I commend you for the oven sterilization, but it really is overkill. I use just one-step, fill the sink, soak for 15 minutes and rinse with a bottle washer. I bottle within 1/2 hour of that. I have never had a contamination issue in 3 years.

I also have done just the dishwasher technique with no soap at all on sani cycle (just on new bottles) and never had an issue with that either.

I did fine a bottle the other day amongst my "rinsed" empties that had a 1/4 inch of sludge at the bottom, so I do occasionally miss one!
 
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