how to dry bottles

how do you guys dry your bottles after washing them. do they have to be dry when bottling?

 

They need to be sanitized before bottling. If you use a no-rinse sanitizer, then they will be wet. If you use a dry method, such as baking the bottles in the oven (yes it is possible, Palmer mentions it in How to Brew) or allowing them to air dry after sanitizing, like on a bottle tree, then they will end up dry. The wetness is not the issue, it's the sanitation.

 

awesome, thanks

 

I don't bottle too much any longer but when I do I use the dishwasher to dry them. I'll santize them first, place them inside and set to the dry mode. They're conveniently located for bottling. I've actually even used the dishwasher w/o soap and rinse-aid and santized by simply running the longest cycle available.

 

That's exactly what I do. Right after the dishwasher is done and you removed all the dishes, use it at that point. If in a hurry, you could shut it up and turn the heat on for a few minutes, but I never have and all my brews have come out fine using this methodology.

 

On the occasions that I do bottle, I use a Vinator to shoot some Star-San solution in each bottle and then let them drain on a bottle tree. With Star-San being a no-rinse sanitizer there is no need for them to be completely dry. With the bottles hanging upside down on the bottle tree there is no risk of nasties getting in before you are ready to bottle.

 

If your bottles are clean and have no gunk inside them just throw them in the dishwasher and run it through a full cycle with no soap and on the hottest setting. Thats what I do and its convienient to just put your bottling bucket over the dishwasher and just bottle on the open door. If you have any spills its no biggie just close the door when done and rinse.