Bottle Sanitizing

What is the best and easiest was to sanitize bottles prior to racking? I just washed 60+ bottles and it was time consuming. The bottle jet helped a bit. I hope there is a simple way to sanitize on racking day?

kb9vzh said:

What is the best and easiest was to sanitize bottles prior to racking? I just washed 60+ bottles and it was time consuming. The bottle jet helped a bit. I hope there is a simple way to sanitize on racking day?

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I assume you mean bottling, not racking.
This is what I have done for the last 6 or 7 batches - haven't had a single spoiled bottle.
1.I inspect every bottle by looking into it against a bright light. Dirty bottles get set aside for another process.
2.I rinse the bottles using a faucet rinsing wand I made.
3.After rinsing each bottle I dip into Star San and get enough into the bottle to shake - then drain.
4. Put bottle upside down into a case with a clean kitchen kitchen towel in the bottom. I also lightly spray all surfaces of the case with Star San
That's it - they're ready. I've sometimes done this a day or 2 ahead of bottling and never have had a spoiled bottle.
I think maybe the Star San foam draining down onto the towel, sanitizes the towel which prevents infection.

If I have a bottle with grunge in the bottom, I'll mix a solution of bleach and water(maybe a couple teaspoons to a quart) and pour and inch or 2 of this into each bottle. I'll let them set a few hours or over night. Pour the bleach out and use a bottle brush. be sure to rinse well.

To get labels off, I'll mix a cup of household ammonia (very cheap stuff) to 5 gal water and let set for a couple days. Most labels float off or slide off.

I got 4 dozen Grolsch flip tops for Christmas so now have to figure out a different routine. I think I'll go through steps 1-3 above, close the bottles and on bottling day dip the open bottle neck into Star San then fill. I'm still working on whether and when to pull the gaskets and sanitizing them separately or if this is necessary.

I use iodine. I fill my bottling bucket with sanitizer. Then I sanitize my bottling tree. Then I soak my bottles in the sanitizer and hang them on the tree. Then I finish sanitizing my bottling equipment.

I have used a Sanitizer injector for about 6 months. Most of the on-line suppliers have them. I got mine for More Beer.

I can sanitize 2 cases in about 5 minutes. Put upside down on a sanitized dishwasher rack to drain.

I used to soak, but that took forever.

I rinse the sediment out of my botteles right after consuming and then run my bottles thru the dishwasher 2 or 3 at a time along with the rest of the dishes. I've head that the rinse agent affects head retention but I don't worry about that. It gets the bottles nice and clean and then I store the upside down in a wine box ( I use 24 oz Maritinells bottles) till bottiling day. On bottling day I fill an empty carboy with bleach and water to sanatize it. I then siphon it into the bottles and top them all off. After the carboy's empty I but the priming sugar/water in it and rack my beer onto the priming solution. I mix and then empty the bleach water out of the bottles, give a quick little rinse with tap water, fill and cap. The bottles sit full of bleach water for about 15 mins or so.
Sanitation is always important but your beer's a lot tougher at this stage because of the low sugar and high alcohol content.

I wash bottles out when used and store. On bottling day I fill a bucket with hot water, add sanitizer, submerge and fill the bottles, brush, and rinse in a separate bucket. Then I put them in the microwave for 30 secs. 4 at a time. Bottles too dirty for this process are thrown away.

I determined last night that my entire bottle collection is going. No more bottling. I'm on kegging as soon as I can get my hands on a system. Bottling is by far the worst part of brewing for me. Too messy, too time consuming.

My clean bottles are sanatized using a vinator full of star-san and then dryed on my bottle tree.
To clean my bottles, I give them an overnight bath in bleach, followed by a good rinsing in hot water. Bottles after this bath that are still dirty are recycled. The bath also removes most paper labels.
I still bottle some brews that I don't want holding up a keg for.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a few weeks to determine what ones to use. I finaly broke down and purchased a complete brewing kit with a secondary ferminter and will put the Mr. Beer on the shelf for awhile.