Using Dishwasher to Clean New Bottles

[Petunia]

Please tell me if the stuff added to 'rinse' the dishes will coat the bottle and cause a problem with the beer later on. I am trying to remember the name of the stuff, but I'm having a brain fart right now.

Anyhow, I have it in my dishwasher and ended up handwashing all of the bottles. They are new bottles, so the dishwasher would have done a fine job except I didn't know about the rinse additive.

Jennifer

 

[Yooper]

My understanding is that "jet dry" will kill the head on beer. I don't wash my beer glasses or bottles in the dishwasher because of that!

(Is that what you were thinking of? )

 

[Petunia]

BINGO!!

Goes to show that you always need to listen to that little voice in your head...

(As opposed listening to the outlets or something of that nature )

Thanks!

Jennifer

 

[AnOldUR]

The simple solution is to not ever use Jet Dry in your dishwasher. The dishwasher has made bottling so much easier that I'll never go back to hand washing and sanitizing.

 

[homebrewer_99]

BINGO!!

Goes to show that you always need to listen to that little voice in your head...

(As opposed listening to the outlets or something of that nature )

Thanks!

Jennifer

Ahhh, Petunia...Porky Pig's girlfriend...welcome.

You shouldn't use a dishwasher at all...even for your beer
glassware...same thing...no head retention.

When I first get new/used bottles I wash them in bleach water and rinse.

When it come time to use them I just sanitize.

After I fill empty them I just rinse the out real good (look for a ring around the neck...if one's there then use a bottle brush...) then store them in the rack.

When I get ready to refill I just sanitize them again...no need to wash...that was already done. The worse thing in there is, maybe, a little bit of dust (but do check them for critters (flies, squitters, moths, etc.) if you have them in your neighborhood). You can wash those out with a bottle washer.

You'll clean the dust out when you sanitize.

 

[AnOldUR]

"You shouldn't use a dishwasher at all...even for your beer glassware...same thing...no head retention."

I'm pretty new to this and may be don't know all the facts about head retention, but had to do a little experiment. The first picture below is 10 minutes after the pour. I was going to wait longer, but my wife was not happy that I was drinking her beer while doing this very un-scientific study. The second picture, well whatever head is left seems to still be retaining.

The glass was washed in the dishwasher with Liquid Cascade. The bottle was first washed in the dishwasher along with a regular wash. It was washed and sanitized in the dishwasher a second time just before bottling in a machine filled only with bottles, but not using any dishwashing soap. No chemical sanitizers were used, just the anti-bacterial setting on the machine.

Just stay away from the Jet-Dry!

 

[McKBrew]

I wash old and new bottles in the dishwasher all of the time. Of course, being overly anal about bottle sanitation, I also soak them in Starsan just before bottling. Never a problem with head retention or taste.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Hand wash...cold water rinse...head retention...

I would think the "sanitizer" mode would strip all soap, but that doesn't mean everyone uses it.

 

[-Dan-]

Interesting ...
I have never followed any discussions about dishwashers and their pros and cons. However, lately I get really tired of cleaning bottles by hand. I thought about stacking a dishwasher full of bottles and let the dishwasher run without soap. Would that be wrong? Also, can I use heated dry cicle?

 

[brewt00l]

Interesting ...
I have never followed any discussions about dishwashers and their pros and cons. However, lately I get really tired of cleaning bottles by hand. I thought about stacking a dishwasher full of bottles and let the dishwasher run without soap. Would that be wrong? Also, can I use heated dry cicle?

You want to use the heated dry cycle if you are attempting to sanitize your bottles in the dishwasher. One con to the dishwasher is the time it take to run the bottles through the cycles. You also want the bottles basically clean going in.

 

[-Dan-]

My bottles are basically clean. They get rinsed out after drinking and then stored in a closet. Wondering how well all that works. Guess I will try it next weekend.

 

[bradsul]

I rinse my bottles thoroughly after pouring a beer. Then they get stored upside down in a box until I need them. At which point I use a bottle blaster to rinse them out, then 30-60 seconds in starsan. Never had an infection and doesn't take any time at all.

 

[AnOldUR]

Here's my dishwasher working in SANITIZE mode.

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

I've only ever used weak bleach solution and cold water rinse, but then again I've never gotten my bottles to carbonate.

 

[arturo7]

I've been putting well-rinsed bottles in the dishwasher. I use the "anit-bacterial" setting with heated dry and do not add fluid. Works great, super easy.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I've been putting well-rinsed bottles in the dishwasher. I use the "anit-bacterial" setting with heated dry and do not add fluid. Works great, super easy.

Ditto.....

 

[PseudoChef]

Ditto.....

Tres....always works fine for me.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Here's my dishwasher working in SANITIZE mode.

What are you a Piney???

I used to live in Browns Mills...

 

[BrewFrick]

This should not even be a debate, as most people in the world do not see a head retention in a beer as a desired quality. You want some head when you pour it so you can see it's carbonated, but who really wants to dring through a bunch of foam? Bottom line is that some people prefer to work smarter, not harder while others rely on the tried and true do it by hand method. As long as you are happy with your end product, you did it the right way. :rockin:

 

[Yuri_Rage]

This should not even be a debate, as most people in the world do not see a head retention in a beer as a desired quality.

Except for me and most other proud craft brewers on the forum...

Head retention actually indicates more than just carbonation - it is a sign of a well brewed beer that promises at least some body, if not a bit of flavor and character.

 

[Whiskey]

Agreed, I'd be furious if someone served me a stout, or pretty much any ale that had no head.

 

[AnOldUR]

"Agreed, I'd be furious if someone served me a stout, or pretty much any ale that had no head."

I agree also, but the type of head is more important. My preference is for about 1/2 - 3/4 inch of thick creamy bubbles that last until the beer is gone. One that I can get my lip under and get to the great brew underneath. A head that is still clinging to the sides of the glass after all the liquid is gone.

Two inches of big frothy bubbles that I have to fight to get my beer through means I did something wrong.

 

[AnOldUR]

Quote:
Originally Posted by anoldur
Here's my dishwasher working in SANITIZE mode. 

What are you a Piney???  

I used to live in Browns Mills...

Just a bit north. But spent a lot of time riding motorcycles through the woods down there. Some of it must have rubbed off.