simple star-san soak?

If I have clean bottles, i.e. no residue in them whatsoever, and I don't care about removing the labels, is it sufficient to just soak them in a star-san solution for an hour and then bottle?

Also, I am planning just take the bottles right out of the soak, pour them out and then fill. Should I let them air-dry first?

Thanks

Yes and yes.

If the bottles truly are clean, then they only need to be sanitized. But you do want to let them dry .

If your using starsan, there's no need to air dry. That's the beauty of the stuff.
Otherwise we'd all be using cheaper stuff like idophor which does need to be air dried. I worked at a large brewery where even idophor was wet in the bottle when put in the bottling line

Why leave the labels on?
Labels can get dirty. Paper holds onto dirt. Dirt spreads when soaked, may get inside your bottles.

They only need 1 minute contact time in Starsan. Starsan is just a sanitizer, not a cleaner, so don't rely on Starsan to clean your bottles for you.

Some people spray Starsan inside the bottles or use a vinator. Personally, I submerge them, but a vinator should work just as well.

IslandLizard said:

Why leave the labels on?
Labels can get dirty. Paper holds onto dirt. Dirt spreads when soaked, may get inside your bottles.

They only need 1 minute contact time in Starsan. Starsan is just a sanitizer, not a cleaner, so don't rely on Starsan to clean your bottles for you.

Some people spray Starsan inside the bottles or use a vinator. Personally, I submerge them, but a vinator should work just as well.

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The vinator is awesome - you don't have to have it, but it makes life much easier. I have no idea what it's supposed to be used for if not star san!

+1 on the 1 minute - no reason for long term soak.

Don't dry the bottles - once they dry they are no longer resistant to infection.

Leaving the labels on is embarrassing at parties, but otherwise it doesn't matter. If you ever want them off, an oxyclean or ammonia soak will take them right off.