Sanitizing Beer Bottles

Usually I immerse my bottles in star san, but I was wondering if anyone has had success in just using a spray bottle to spray the star san inside the beer bottle. Will this be sufficient sanitation? Or is immersion required for the bottles?

I tried that once and had a bad feeling but luckily no infection.

I think irregularpulse, or chesirecat on here has posted that he does it. It really is no different that a vinator, except it doesn't collect the dripping and recirculate it, not does it have as much pressure as the vinator.

I use a spray bottle with star san to sanitize my bottles. Works well for me.
I spray about 3 times in the bottle, roll it around a bit to ensure everything is coated, place it in the sink while I spray the rest. When I got a sink full, I spray the mouths of all the bottles. I then turn them over one at a time and place them in a rack to dry.

I have used a spray bottle before in a pinch with no problems but what I prefer to do is put my bottles in the dishwasher on the Sanitize setting and let it run through a cycle without any soap. Works great!

Thanks guys, I use star san for sanitation, but I just started using my dishwasher as a bottle tree and its amazing!!

Dishwasher works just fine. Also you can get this as someone already mentioned and it does a much better job than a spray bottle, and much quicker than a dishwasher.

I'll add my thumbs-up to the Vinator recommendation. One of the best and cheapest purchases you can make. I can place it on top of my bottle tree and sanitize a case of bottles in a few minutes.

I've been immersing mine in a star-san solution in the sink then putting them on the dishwasher rack. Do it about 10 bottles at a time with that method and it works fine plus I get the added comfort of knowing the entire bottle is sanitized.

I like making the mixture up anyways to soak my bottling bucket spigot, bottling wand, etc. in before putting it all together and bottling.

Related question: I don't have a no-rinse sanitizer, jut the stuff that came with my kit. I've read on here that there's some fear about rinsing sanitized equipment off with water because the water can then basically "undo" the sanitizer.

But the stuff I have *has* to be rinsed off. I won't be able to get Star San before our first bottling. Is rinsing the sanitizer off with tap water really that big a deal? Seems like it'd be fine...

onipar said:

Related question: I don't have a no-rinse sanitizer, jut the stuff that came with my kit. I've read on here that there's some fear about rinsing sanitized equipment off with water because the water can then basically "undo" the sanitizer.

But the stuff I have *has* to be rinsed off. I won't be able to get Star San before our first bottling. Is rinsing the sanitizer off with tap water really that big a deal? Seems like it'd be fine...

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If the sanitizer instructions say you need to rinse it, you are right that you definitely do need to rinse it. There are some who will recommend rinsing with cooled boiled water, but I always found that to be a pain. When I used a rinse-required sanitizer, I rinsed with tap water as hot as I could stand it, and did not have an infection in the 5-6 batches I did like that.

Is there a risk of infection from using hot tap water? Technically, yes ... but IMO it's not the biggest risk you face as a brewer. If you did a partial boil and topped off with tap water, you have already faced that risk once already and prevailed.

But it is a risk, which you WILL be able to eliminate when you switch to a no-rinse sanitizer. That's why I use StarSan now (not to mention that it's just less work). So RDWHAHB now and rinse your gear, but count that as one more reason why StarSan is the best stuff on earth.

The process really starts when I crack a bo9ttle out of the refrigerator. I pour, add a couple tablespoons of water and shake with my thumb over the mouth. Repeat til the rinsate runs clear. Then hold the bottle up to a strong light and look into the mouth to see that the yeast haze is gone. The bottles go upside down in the drainboard to dry until the end of the evening's embibing, then back into the partially empty rack in the fridge. From there the completely empty 6 of bottles goes into its original case til the night before bottling. The entire case goes into the dishwasher, without soap, on the sanitize setting. Bottling day, squirt each with starsan in the vintinator, bottle and cap. Dont forget to sanitize the caps!!!

+1 technically its a risk, but technically you're only supposed to be in a hot tub for 10 to 15 minutes. hardly enough time to get your mac on. for peace of mind, get the starsan for future batches (its great stuff) but go ahead and use what you have for now. rinsing will be fine.

Thanks. Yeah, I'm definitely getting star san for the future batches.

And yes, I did do a partial boil. I totally forgot about that. Guess there's no sense worrying about rinsing with hot tap when I'm adding 3 gallons of cold tap directly to my wort.

rycov said:

technically you're only supposed to be in a hot tub for 10 to 15 minutes. hardly enough time to get your mac on.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this bit, so thanks for that.


Just to contribute something to the thread. I have been using IO Star (Iodine), which when diluted to the correct ratio is no rinse. Maybe you can pick some up at the drug store and calculate how much to dilute it (not sure if the concentration is the same for IO Star as it is for regular Iodine)?


(as you can see by the question mark, i'm not sure if this will work for you, but someone on here might be able to say definitively. Plus the drug store bottles are small and cheap so you won't be out much but it might help you out while waiting for the Star San.)

vinator made bottling 1000x easier for me

spray bottle will prob work as well but you can use the vinator with 1 hand while filling with the other

I use a spray bottle when I am counter pressure bottling off the keg. I dont usually have time to make up a new batch of starsan (I usually decide to bottle a sixer for friends/family about 5 minutes before we leave the house), and am too lazy to go into the other room to lug my previous brewdays batch of it into the bar.

I give the bottle about 6-8 sprays, rotating it to make sure everything is coated. I spray 6 at a time, and then drain them all into a cup. Then I spray down my picnic tap, and BM bottle filler inside and out and also spray the caps. Then its fill as normal, and cap.

I tend to use less strenuous sanitizing practices when I know the beer will be drank that night or the next.

smyth said:

I thoroughly enjoyed this bit, so thanks for that.


Just to contribute something to the thread. I have been using IO Star (Iodine), which when diluted to the correct ratio is no rinse. Maybe you can pick some up at the drug store and calculate how much to dilute it (not sure if the concentration is the same for IO Star as it is for regular Iodine)?


(as you can see by the question mark, i'm not sure if this will work for you, but someone on here might be able to say definitively. Plus the drug store bottles are small and cheap so you won't be out much but it might help you out while waiting for the Star San.)

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IIRC, revvy does something like this, i think he gets his in bulk from a tractor supply co.? sounds wierd reading it back to myself, but it seems like i did read that on here

rycov said:

IIRC, revvy does something like this, i think he gets his in bulk from a tractor supply co.? sounds wierd reading it back to myself, but it seems like i did read that on here

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I was figuring it would work especially since Five Star doesn't make any attempt to hide the fact that IO Star is anything other than Iodine but in a container that makes using it in larger quantities easier (larger meaning an ounce at a time rather than a couple drops.)

I wouldn't have ever thought about getting it from a place like that though. Home brewers are a resourceful lot indeed.

bought one some time ago,but I think I need to take it back. It pumps down into the bottom of the bowl,instead of up into the bottle. It has a small round plastic strainer on the bottom,& a plastic plug in the top with a "+" sign shaped hole in it. Ball bearing in the middle. Is the pump upside down or what?

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Make sure you fill it enough.....if you do not put enough starsan mix in the Vinator it will not work propery.....mine does same thing even if it looks like I have the level high enough I have to iuncrease level.

Works great! Best thing you can buy if bottling