Beer bottles with mold in them... can they be cleaned???

[hydrasports]

I just got a bunch of bottles from a buddy however they never washed them out when done and now they have mold in them. Can they be cleaned enough to be used for bottling beer and if so what is the best way to re-condition the bottles for use???

Thanks!!

 

[Revvy]

It's glass they won't be ruined, or ruin your beer by having mold in them. That's why we clean AND sanitize....

A couple hour soak in hot water and oxyclean will 99% of the time just lift all that crap out of there.

I also use a jet carboy and bottle washer-

In fact that's what I used to rinse out the oxyclean.

 

[hydrasports]

Will soaking them in Hot water and Bleach for a couple hours do the trick? If not what about PBW in hot water for a couple hours? Do you have to use a brush at all???

 

[Revvy]

Will soaking them in Hot water and Bleach for a couple hours do the trick? If not what about PBW in hot water for a couple hours? Do you have to use a brush at all???

I never use a brush....The thing about oxyclean (and maybe pbw if it's got oxygen crystals in them) is that the fizziness of it helps break up the mold and get's it out of the bottle (it's also the best and easiest way to get labels off bottles as well- Usually just soaking over night.

It's also great for cleaning carboys or buckets of even the most stubborn of krausens.

And the same with the high pressure bottle rinsers, it's like a powerwasher for your bottles and carboys a high pressure jet of water is great for clearing and rinsing highly entrenched gunk.

Honestly bottling brushes require more effort to use than either, or or both oxyclean or the jet bottle washer.

And soaking them in just bleach won't really break up the gunk either.

 

[Ravenshead]

I just soak them in Oxyclean overnight (or longer if I'm lazy) in my keggle. I don't even worry about using hot water. One or two out of a batch might need a light scrubbing with a bottle brush after the soak but not many. Sanitize as usual and you're go to go.

 

[janivar123]

PBW will do the same job if thats what you got
Lucky for you that glass is easy to clean

 

[logan3825]

Oxiclean free is cheaper than PBW and easier to find. If I have to scrub the bottle gets chucked. I am to lazy and there will always be more craft beer in non-twist off bottles to drink.

 

[msa8967]

I have cleaned many moldy bottles using an Oxyclean soak for 1-2 days in a large plastic tub on our porch. Then hooked up the bottle washer Revy showed to give things a good solid rinse. Never had a problem with a dirty bottle since then.

 

[crummycook]

I pour straight bleach in the bottle to cover the mold and rinse the bottles the next day. Works every time.