Question about a piece of equipment

My buddy picked up a kit of Craigslist that had everything needed to brew...there is one piece that came with it that I can't figure out what it is and what it's purpose ...maybe some kind filtering device? Maybe has nothing to do with brew?

Any help identifying and how to use would be great

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnD4Xln-E9k"]Vinator[/ame]

vinator. best way on earth to clean bottles!!

Ahhhhhhhh........awesome I love this site...instant answers....thanks guys

Schumed said:

Ahhhhhhhh........awesome I love this site...instant answers....thanks guys

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sure thing, buddy.

you're gonna love that vinator too. easily one of the best $10 i spend on convenience equipment.

I Googled 'Vinator" . I will own one in about 10 minutes. A drying rack, nope, a disaster looking for a place to happen unless one bolts it to the floor or cabinet.

Yea, the clear bowl that is on the bottom is really a reservoir for the sanitizer.. it goes on the top.. that's where the pump get's it's juice to squirt into the bottles for sanitizing. The small diameter red cup can act as a stand.. but is also designed to fit on top of a bottle tree. Once the bottles are sanitized.. they are stored on the bottle tree until you are ready to fill them.. (all within the bottling time... not days ahead )

I've read a lot of reviews of the Vinator and most report it doesn't work very well after 60-80 or so bottles, the 2 ball bearings rust out too soon and the spring mechanism is of poor design.

No problem with mine so far. My son doesn't have one yet.. I told him to pour Star-San in a bottle.. stick his thumb on the mouth.. shake a couple of times and pour into the next bottle with a funnel. Store on a tree until the batch is complete.. then bottle. Worked for me till I got my vinator.

Bones1948 said:

I've read a lot of reviews of the Vinator and most report it doesn't work very well after 60-80 or so bottles, the 2 ball bearings rust out too soon and the spring mechanism is of poor design.

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60-80 bottles is less than 2 five-gallon batches. Believe me, it lasts much longer than that! I've been using mine since my second batch, and it works like a champ. If it ever dies, I will replace it immediately.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

sure thing, buddy.

you're gonna love that vinator too. easily one of the best $10 i spend on convenience equipment.

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Where did you get one for $10?

LOVE MINE!!!! doesn't get quite as much use as it used to since I've gone to kegging, but when I break down a keg all the small parts go in there for a soak!

don't over fill with starsan... it will foam over... just less than 1/2 seems to work well

I also love my Vinator. Yes, the spring assembly is a little suspect but I have had mine since my second batch. So, 9 batches bottled X avg. of 52 bottles = 468 bottles so far and no signs of it giving up the ghost.