No Dishwasher!!!

[fendermallot]

4 days ago my family and I moved farther out into the country to a nice piece of property that her best friend owns. After all the moving and packing and unpacking I finally have a moment to stop and think about what kind of cider I'm going to start next (mainly because I'm almost out )

I just started thinking about cleaning the bottles and I realized that we don't have a dishwasher! crap! I know there's always the option of one of those "portable" dishwashers but they're no where near our budget after moving.

Is there anything else I can do to ensure my bottles are clean enough for bottling?

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

I've never once used a dishwasher, and I've bottled about 1,000 bottles or more of wine and cider. I think you'll be just fine!

Soaking dirty bottles is a pain, so I just try to keep them clean. Once one is emptied, I rinse it well and keep upside down to drain. On bottling day, I inspect it and use a bottle brush and hot water if it's not clean. On really heavily soiled bottles, I might soak in oxiclean. But a dishwasher can't clean bottles, as the water can't get up in there, so handwashing would get the bottles cleaner anyway.

 

[fendermallot]

Thanks Yooper! I always wondered why all my HB friends told me to use the dishwasher. Only seemed to make the bottles hot. I guess if there was crap in the bottom and there were germs living on said "crap" then those germs would be dead. But I'd still have "crap" in the bottom!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper! I always wondered why all my HB friends told me to use the dishwasher. Only seemed to make the bottles hot. I guess if there was crap in the bottom and there were germs living on said "crap" then those germs would be dead. But I'd still have "crap" in the bottom!

hahaha- that's my theory as well. Sanitized crap is still crap, I guess.

I use a vinator and some no-rinse sanitizer (either iodophor or star-san) to sanitize my bottles, and it takes about 10 minutes for 60 bottles. It's faster than any dishwasher anyway.

 

[fendermallot]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnD4Xln-E9k"]I want this setup![/ame]

 

[roadymi]

I always try to rinse the bottles thoroughly as soon as empty.
I store them upside down to keep crud out
On bottling day I use one of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064O9CYQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 attached to my utility sink with very hot water.
I than treat with star san and bottle.

 

[conpewter]

I tend to throw bottles in a oxyclean bath even if I've de-labeled them before, just gets them nice and clean, then they get rinsed of course. I like to use the vinator thing right before bottling.

 

[roymullins]

bottle brush, hot water a bleach soak and good rinse... good enough for me

I doubt that using a dishwasher would even clean very well. Upside down bottles may or may not get shot up inside with water in a dishwasher...

I am careful about getting bottles from friends- a few smokers who drop their butts in there and the chewers who spit in their empties make me fear... mmmmmmm Copenhagen Amber Ale!

 

[MarkKF]

I only use my bottles that we empty into glassware to drink, I'm a bit of a beer snob, and rinse out in a timely manner. Over time I seem to store more than I need. But I rarely have more than 2 1/2 cases bottled at any time. When I break into my last case it my signal to bottle another carboy.

 

[BoomerCreek]

I use a small portable dishwasher. I usually rinse out my bottles after they are poured and running them through the dishwasher has never led me astray. The water at my house is very hot and just a bit of dish soap seems to do the trick.

 

[C-Rider]

I only bottle beer and I don't use dishwasher either.
1-rinse out after using.
2-soak in bucket w/OxyClean for a few days to remove lables, mine or brewery's.
3-rince again and store in large plastic box in 6-pack holders.
4-on bottling day soak for a few min in Star San and bottle. Don't fear the foam.

 

[Swifty]

I used to work in a food plant (they suck but will teach you a bunch about these kinds of things). My lead used to say that you can sanitize s**t but, it's still s**t. I used to tell the sanitation people to eat it if they thought it was OK to feed it to a customer.

I rinse well when done with my drink and dunk in a bucket of Starsan enough to wet all surfaces. Good beer every time. The K.I.S.S. method.

Don't pet the sweaty!

 

[thatjonguy]

I have one of those bottle/carboy jet washers. Works awesome after and oxyclean/PBW soak. Or just make sure you rinse right after pouring.