Infected DJ

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Will_Tingle

Active Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
37
Reaction score
0
I've just been given a half dozen old glass DJs, on of which contained the gloopy natural reduction of 15 year old wine - looks like oil, smells like vinegar.

Someone told me that once a DJ had got an infection (and therefore smells like vinegar) you'll never get it out - but I can't see that - is there any truth to it?
 
Hi,

I bought four DJ's at an estate sale and had to clean out some bugs, pens, paper, and many years of grime. I used very hot water with a dish detergent bleach mix. Afterward I aged my elderberry wine in them with no problems at all. If you are worried about the bleach remaining I believe it dissipates when left to air dry after a day.

Really, my biggest concern was not destroying the wicker covering while I was washing out the bottles.

Jennifer
 
I've just been given a half dozen old glass DJs, on of which contained the gloopy natural reduction of 15 year old wine - looks like oil, smells like vinegar.

Someone told me that once a DJ had got an infection (and therefore smells like vinegar) you'll never get it out - but I can't see that - is there any truth to it?

you didn't toss that (possibly -the best EVER) vingear away did you?! - I'd try it out before I threw it out - you might have something there if it's not moldy or stinks like a corpse...

if you did already toss it - soak in a bleach solution... then if you can find a place to do it for you... a dentist office, doctor's office, Biotech companies ( your best bet IMHO - they are usually staffed with young and rowdy learned types who generally like... alchohol... ie: home brew... ) so I bet you could make a deal for a bottle of homebrew wine or a sixer of home brew beer and get your stinky DJ though an autoclave (nothing biological will survive that)
 
you didn't toss that (possibly -the best EVER) vinegar away did you?!

As best I could tell it was a LONG time since that DJ last had a lid on it, so that vinegar was probably flavored with more than it's fair share of garage dirt....

Pro sterilization I hadn't thought of - I live in nowhere, north Yorkshire, so bio tech companies are a bit thin on the ground, but I do know one of the guys who works at the local tatoo / peircing studio - I wonder if a DJ would fit in their equipment...

If not I'll just hope a strong bleach solution kills it of and then wash it out a couple (dozen) times to get rid of the bleach.
 
Along those lines you might just use a pressure canner, they come in very large sizes and could be easier to borrow.

Jennifer
 
Bleach water with detergent will do the trick. Just soak it for a day or two and grab a carboy brush and scrub anything stuck to the inside off. Rinse very well so you don't get bleach contamination and you be fine. I did this when I got two 6 gal. carboys for a buck a piece and have made a lot of wine since then.
 
Back
Top