Ut ohh...no bottle brush

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l2yangop

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So I got a kit and am ready to bottle tomorrow or Tuesday. The kit didn't come with a bottle brush. Anyone know if there is something at Wally World or Home Depot that will do? I don't have a supply store locally and only shipping will take too long! Ideas?
 
Why do you need a bottle brush, are your bottles especially funky inside? If they are clean bottles there's no need at all to scrub the insides, just sanitize and bottle.
 
If the bottles are new, then just sanitize them. If they have nasty stuff in them, give them a good soak in either PBW or the oxifree. I use PBW over the oxi products for several reasons not the least of which how easily it rinses off. Plus it really goes to town on anything we might need removed. :D

I have been using the bottling brush to give my flasks a quick scrub (inside) while they're full of PBW solution. :D Makes it really easy to remove whatever is left behind that way. :rockin:
 
As has been stated, you really shouldn't need one... However, if you really want one, check the baby section at Wal-Mart. They should have a brush meant for baby bottles that might work.
 
As has been stated, you really shouldn't need one... However, if you really want one, check the baby section at Wal-Mart. They should have a brush meant for baby bottles that might work.

Great suggestion! I knew someone would have an idea. The reason I need one is because my buddy gave me a bunch of bottles that he had ready for recycling. Been sitting there for weeks or months likely with a little beer left in the bottom. I want to make sure there is no residue.
 
Great suggestion! I knew someone would have an idea. The reason I need one is because my buddy gave me a bunch of bottles that he had ready for recycling. Been sitting there for weeks or months likely with a little beer left in the bottom. I want to make sure there is no residue.

BEST way to make sure there's nothing gunking up the bottom is to give them a good soak in PBW (or oxifree if you're cheap, but it's not as good) to get it to break down. Depending on how many bottles you need to do this with, you could just use a plastic bin, or large galvanized bucket (15-20 gallon). I'd go the plastic bin route first though. If you have a spare bath tub to use, you could do them there (you'll use a LOT more water though).
 
left over beer in a bottle can lead to a funky black mold forming in the bottles (at least in my basement it does) but it usually washes right out with little need for the brush. Soaking in oxiclean or what ever you choose usually will get most of it to float right out.
 
I took bottles like that & rinsed them under the tap & shook'em like mad to get the excess gunk out before the soak. I use a homer cheapo 5G bucket with enough PBW to cover them by an inch or two. I can do 12'13 bottles at a time this way. Soak'em overnight,then scrub label gunk off with a dobie & bottle brush the inside well. Rinse & onto the bottle tree to dry.
 
If you have to use the bottle and it is gunked up pretty bad do the oxy soak. If there is still some stuck in there and you MUST use the bottle and have no brush, just dump in a tablespoonful or two of uncooked rice, a few ounces of water and shake.

If that doesn't scrub it clean, TOSS IT..

bosco
 
Thanks guys. Very helpful! One more question, After pulling them from the sanitize soak (I bought "star san") can you fill them while a little wet or do they need to be completely dry? I was thinking i'd let them dry in the dishwasher if necessary.
 
Thanks guys. Very helpful! One more question, After pulling them from the sanitize soak (I bought "star san") can you fill them while a little wet or do they need to be completely dry? I was thinking i'd let them dry in the dishwasher if necessary.

Wet.
 
boil them, just like we used to do with old baby bottles (btw... do people still boil baby bottles?)

fill the bottles with water (this part is important, they need water inside them), put them in the pot, half fill your pot with water, and turn on the heat.

the entire pot (bottles and all) will come to temp together. boil for 15 - 20 minutes and turn the flame off.

as soon as you can do it without hurting yourself (and probably using tongs), pull the bottles out of the pot, drain them, and put them upside down in the drainer, or on the bottle tree, or where-ever.

it will take a while for them to cool. DO NOT TRY TO ACCELERATE THE COOLING PROCESS.

at the end of this, your bottles will actually be as close to sterile as they can be. you could also give them a run through the star san if you want, but that would be a touch over the top.
 
dadshomebrewing, you do realize (I hope) how LONG it will take to go through enough bottles for even a 5 gallon batch... Right?? Not to mention energy/fuel used to get the water up to a boil (and hold it) that many times. IMO, far more effort/work than it's worth. Especially when you can use zero energy (stove top) by mixing up some PBW (or oxifree) solution and giving the bottles a good soak.

Thankfully, I no longer bottle (entire batches), so I don't need to deal with this. :D WHEN I do bottle, it's off of keg/tap, so I have a handful of bottles to go through at any given time. Since I also make sure to rinse them once drained, I don't need to go through all that to clean them. :ban: The majority of the bottles I do have were purchased new (by me) so I don't have to worry about things left in them. I have given brew to some friends, that let the bottles sit with the remains in them for a while. Those got a good PBW soak and rinse before being put into rotation.
 
You want them to be wet with Starsan when you bottle. Any incidental funk that blows around and gets in the bottle will be sanitized by the surface coating of Starsan.
 
You want them to be wet with Starsan when you bottle. Any incidental funk that blows around and gets in the bottle will be sanitized by the surface coating of Starsan.

Using a bottle tree really helps there. I would spray it down with Star San as I filled it (after filling the bottles with Star San, then pouring it out). Once inverted like that, it's virtually impossible to have something fall into them. At least until you're actually filling and before you cap them. Another reason I liked the swing-top bottles is you could fill one, close it up, and then grab another, all while bottling. :D
 
dadshomebrewing, you do realize (I hope) how LONG it will take to go through enough bottles for even a 5 gallon batch... Right?? Not to mention energy/fuel used to get the water up to a boil (and hold it) that many times. IMO, far more effort/work than it's worth. Especially when you can use zero energy (stove top) by mixing up some PBW (or oxifree) solution and giving the bottles a good soak.

Thankfully, I no longer bottle (entire batches), so I don't need to deal with this. :D WHEN I do bottle, it's off of keg/tap, so I have a handful of bottles to go through at any given time. Since I also make sure to rinse them once drained, I don't need to go through all that to clean them. :ban: The majority of the bottles I do have were purchased new (by me) so I don't have to worry about things left in them. I have given brew to some friends, that let the bottles sit with the remains in them for a while. Those got a good PBW soak and rinse before being put into rotation.

yes, i do realize that.

i also realize that the "gunk" in the bottom of old bottles could be nearly any darned thing, and that the best way to know they are clean is to do it yourself.

you only need to boil them once, assuming you can keep them clean after that.

anyway... opinions and suggestions were requested, and i offered one.
 
yes, i do realize that.

i also realize that the "gunk" in the bottom of old bottles could be nearly any darned thing, and that the best way to know they are clean is to do it yourself.

you only need to boil them once, assuming you can keep them clean after that.

anyway... opinions and suggestions were requested, and i offered one.

Just making sure... :mug: I have yet to come across anything, in a bottle, that could withstand a good PBW solution soak. :rockin: I sometimes mix it up a little stronger (1.5-1.75oz/gallon) to cut through more junk. Using hot water with it also helps. Shaking up a bottle, half filled, with PBW solution in it also does wonders. :D
 
i have a "sanatize" function on my dishwasher. can fit 2 cases in there and they come out burning hot. Quick easy way to clean and sanatize.
 
i have a "sanatize" function on my dishwasher. can fit 2 cases in there and they come out burning hot. Quick easy way to clean and sanatize.

Seriously doubt that will do much to whatever is inside the bottles. I do believe that the dishwasher 'heater' will only increase the temperature of the hot water feeding it by another 20F. So, you're looking at 160-170F for temperature. VERY hot to touch, and no where near safe for bottling.
 
Just making sure... :mug: I have yet to come across anything, in a bottle, that could withstand a good PBW solution soak. :rockin: I sometimes mix it up a little stronger (1.5-1.75oz/gallon) to cut through more junk. Using hot water with it also helps. Shaking up a bottle, half filled, with PBW solution in it also does wonders. :D

yeah, but while you are shaking those bottles of pbw, i'm having a home brew and watching a pot boil.

:)
 
This may take a cuople days but, buy yourself a couple cases of beer and a six pack. Drink the beer and rinse out the bottles as you empty them. Soak them in Oxyfree then rinse. No gunk.
 
nobody answered my question.

do people still boil baby bottles?

my youngest is 28

All my bottles are adults... :eek:

No kids here (single, live alone, etc.) so no idea. When my niece and nephew were growing up (both teenagers, one almost out of high school) I don't think they boiled the bottles. At most, they ran them through the DW to clean.

IMO, you need to have some funk in what you eat (from time to time)... Helps keep your immunity up to other things. :rockin: Granted, I wouldn't suggest exposing an infant to the flue, but come on people.
 
Just read this whole thread and LoL, dude, pick up a cheap bottle brush, grab a 5 gal bucket and mix up some OXY. Toss a bunch of bottles in , grab your brush and give a quick twist, rinse and dry........then go enjoy a beer.

In the amount of time you soaked and rinsed and ya d a ya da, you're all done:D
 
I just wanted to clarify when people say oxifree they mean oxiclean free, the one with no extra perfumes or other crap.
When I bottle I look through the bottles into the light. If there's crud in the bottles I pour some oxiclean into them and let them sit for 10 minutes or so and rinse them thoroughly with hot water. When that's done they're always nice and clean inside. Then I spray the whole batch inside and around lip with starsan in a spray bottle.
 
If you have to use the bottle and it is gunked up pretty bad do the oxy soak. If there is still some stuck in there and you MUST use the bottle and have no brush, just dump in a tablespoonful or two of uncooked rice, a few ounces of water and shake.

If that doesn't scrub it clean, TOSS IT..

bosco

This works great, albeit I used popcorn kernels/seed (yes, unpopped) and PBW solution. Worked way better than using the bottle brush I have.
 
I prefer PBW to oxyclean,it's easier to rinse off insomuch as itwon't build up on surfaces over hours of soaking. My 2c worth...
 

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