Bottle Cleaning/Management

[Puffin]

I'm just getting started with the hobby, slowly collecting Sam Adams bottles to use for my own bottling. I need some advice on bottle management though. I rinse the bottles after I use them, set them in the garage or basement. Some end up with mold in them despite the rinse. I soak/brush/rinse them but I'm still paranoid as sometimes even after that process some mold visually remains. I'm worried about what i can't see.

So I'm thinking of the following process:

1. After use, place used bottles in a bucket of Oxiclean Free.

2. Once that's soaked, (or that bucket is full after days of collecting), move those bottles to a bucket of Star San. (I have hard water, so I need an acid rinse at a minimum after the oxi)

3. Place on bottle tree and wait for bottling day.

4. Bottling day - rinse bottles with jet bottle washer & hot water. Sanitize and bottle as usual.

Is this overkill? I think brushing 50 bottles that have been sitting for awhile is tedious and will be really frustrating if a few of the bottles get infections because of what I couldn't "see".

Is soaking the Star San bucket sufficient as a "rinse" after the oxi?

Thanks!!

 

[Theis]

I've had good luck washing empties in the dishwasher without detergent. Nice and clean and no nasties. Make sure the high heat dry is selected on the washer.

 

[smalliewader]

If bottles are stored dry, there's nothing to create mold. Rinse and put upside down to dry, then put them in the case to store. On bottling day, rinse with water, dunk in starsan and bottle.