PreacherJohnson
Member
Well I just got some caps and I was curious if I should throw them into the bath of Onestep before I go to cap my bottles? I am cleaning everything else, so why not? Any thoughts for a 1st timer bottling?
Do caps need to be sanitized?
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It's a good idea, yes.
You spent all the money and time to make your beer, why would you risk it by not sanitizing your caps? Give those babies a dunk in some sanitizer.
There are folks that don't sanitize but I don't know why. A cup full of sanitizer to hold the caps while bottling doesn't seem like very much work to me.
There are folks that don't sanitize but I don't know why. A cup full of sanitizer to hold the caps while bottling doesn't seem like very much work to me.
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
I just lay mine out on the dishwasher door where my child slave labor brewing assistant is filling bottles and spray them down with starsan. I lay about 10 at a time out, spray them all down, shake them out as I pick each one up to put it on the bottle and cap it. No gushers for me yet (knocks on wood).
Make sure however to only sanitize the amount that you need, or dry the others well. I sanitized all of the caps that came with my beginner kit but only used about half, the others went into a baggie. When I went to bottle my second batch they were all rusty.
woollybugger2
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+1 on a cup full of starsan
user 30639
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I boil mine.
I boil mine as well.
"sanitize Everything That Is Going To Touch Your Beer"!!!!!!!!!!!
PreacherJohnson
Member
Thank you for the input. I expected to do it either way, but I never saw anythin ever posted on it. I will just boil them prior to bottling.
ibbones
Well-Known Member
I have mine in a small mixing bowl with star san floating right next to my air lock. Take'em out one at a time and crimp'em on the bottle.
Jamo99
Well-Known Member
If you have the oxygen absorbing caps, the seal inside may be damaged by boiling.
jschaf
Well-Known Member
yeah make sure to look at them after boiling, like they said the plastic seal can be ruined, but it hasn't happened to me with a quick boil.
Brew-boy
Well-Known Member
I soak mine in Star San in a stainless bowl right next to my capper when I am bottling.
Star-San 4 me. Used to boil, but Ss is easier
Do not boil the caps! Back in the day when they used rubber, boiling would soften the rubber for a good seal. Now the caps are made with plastic and boiling will distort the plastic and you may not get a good seal.
I soak them in starsan and just shake them off before I cap the bottle.
Tonedef131
Well-Known Member
They come into direct contact with the beer, of course they need to be sanitized.
chemman14
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the input. I expected to do it either way, but I never saw anythin ever posted on it. I will just boil them prior to bottling.
I wouldnt suggest doing that as it can mess up the seal that keeps air out and co2 in
jmlabeck
Well-Known Member
IMHO, absolutely sanitize your caps. I've had one infection in 20 years. I didn't sanitize my caps once. I had to learn the hard way.
I can understand not boiling your caps. A quick dunk in solution would be fine.
Joe
I can understand not boiling your caps. A quick dunk in solution would be fine.
Joe
annasdadhockey
Well-Known Member
"sanitize Everything That Is Going To Touch Your Beer"!!!!!!!!!!!
If you're going to remember 1 thing, this woould be it.
+1
I use Iodopher (used to boil) but I'd bet their just fine right out of the bag. I can't see how they could be contaminated. I also have found that it is very difficult to contaminate green beer anyway.
PreacherJohnson
Member
I have some Onestep, will that work as well? I won't boil them due to possible damage. I can get some Starsan as well. What is best?
Brewsmith
Home brewing moogerfooger
Starsan...
coryforsenate
Well-Known Member
Don't boil them if you get the oxygen absorbing ones that eat the oxygen in the headspace. It'll ruin them. Soak them in star-san.
And considering the oxygen absorbing ones only cost like a penny more per cap, why would you not get them?
And considering the oxygen absorbing ones only cost like a penny more per cap, why would you not get them?
I don't like to dip my hands into Starsan fifty some odd times. It's great in a spray bottle but it is a acid.
I don't have access to Star-San, I don't have access to oxygen absorbing caps, and I have not had an infection with my caps, which I don't sanitize. Usually, my beer doesn't keep that long, anyways. Damn stuff evaporates way too quickly, forcing me to brew more.
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