Bottling Question

[lroog]

Do I need to sanitize my caps before putting them on?

I am bottling my first batch tonight!!!

 

[Nurmey]

Yes, don't take the chance of messing up your beer at this late date. A dip in a bowl of Star San will be good.

 

[FirstTimer1]

I hear ya should. Not sure exactly how necessary it is, but since I've heard one should I did it as a precaution. Obviously it wouldn't hurt. Don't want to jeopardize the brew!

 

[llazy_llama]

I hear ya should. Not sure exactly how necessary it is, but since I've heard one should I did it as a precaution. Obviously it wouldn't hurt. Don't want to jeopardize the brew!

I don't even know what that means, but I think he was saying to sanitize your caps.

Bottom line: anything that comes in contact with your beer post boil must be sanitized. If you don't sanitize, you're taking a huge unnecessary risk.

 

[FirstTimer1]

I don't even know what that means, but I think he was saying to sanitize your caps.

Bottom line: anything that comes in contact with your beer post boil must be sanitized. If you don't sanitize, you're taking a huge unnecessary risk.

Don't know what what means?

Seemed sorta clear to me...then again I'm kinda - uh -

Sorry.

But I do know someone who said they don't sanitize the caps seeing as they don't really come into contact with the brew. But I know what you're saying. He asked a question and I said "i've heard you should, so you probably should" - not sure how I could make that any simpler. :cross:

I play things safe, so I would sanitize the caps.

 

[llazy_llama]

Don't know what what means?

Seemed sorta clear to me...then again I'm kinda - uh -

Sorry.

Don't even sweat it, I've been drinking since noon.

I think I meant that... something... umm... aww, f*** it.

 

[FirstTimer1]

hah word, play it safe - sanitize em - or don't. maybe say a little prayer. eh, i'm outta here. hah, too much drink. or not enough?

 

[BierMuncher]

No need.

And if you're using O2 absorbing caps...do not pre-sanitize. The first liquid contact those caps should have is with your bottled beer.

Breweries don't sanitize bottle caps. I never have. Never had an issue.

They come to you sanitized. Now...if you dump the bag into your cats litter box...then yes, go ahead and dunk them in some bleach solution.

 

[Malticulous]

I've sanitized most of mine and the ones I didn't turned out fine. Sanitizing is not a big deal to me and I like my perfect record. I will continue to sanitize them one way or another. I know I have some nasties living around here.

 

[lroog]

Thanks everybody.

Everything is bottled up....now I wait.....

 

[JohnnyO]

...and wait.

Best of luck, good sir.

 

[SumnerH]

FWIW, the maker of the O2-eating caps says that they are active for a couple of days after getting wet, and that it's fine to sanitize them before use.

 

[HOP-HEAD]

No need.

And if you're using O2 absorbing caps...do not pre-sanitize. The first liquid contact those caps should have is with your bottled beer.

Breweries don't sanitize bottle caps. I never have. Never had an issue.

They come to you sanitized. Now...if you dump the bag into your cats litter box...then yes, go ahead and dunk them in some bleach solution.

I sanitize every time, even with the 02 caps... are you saying that I'm wasting $ on the 02 caps if they're getting soaked in starsan first?

 

[like2brew]

if your worried throw them in some boiling water for a few minutes and call it good. thats what i do as a quick simple precaution

 

[Revvy]

No need.

And if you're using O2 absorbing caps...do not pre-sanitize. The first liquid contact those caps should have is with your bottled beer.

Actually this isn't exactly true...On Basic brewing a few weeks back the host contacted the maker of Oxygen Absorbing Caps (Crown Beverage), and actually recommended you santize them quickly, evidently the "Oxygen Absorbing Effect" of the caps is not immediate and they need to be wet for a period of time before the magic happens, like days.

Click to listen

It's within the first few minutes of the podcast.

They recommend sanitizing ONLY the caps you are using, and sanitizing just before bottling.

Me personally, I sanitize....the beer is going to be moved from your bottling station to where you are going to be storing them, you are bound to be sloshing them a bit, it is inevitable that your beer will come in contact with the cap. (We often have recommended to roll the bottles back and forth to re-suspend the yeast if they aren't carbing.)

So I really don't see why you wouldn't sanitize the caps...to me it's not worth the risk NOT to.

Here's a thread we put together of tips to make bottling easier.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

Plus in the case of commercial breweries, don't they pasturize the beer after it has been bottled? So everything is getting sanitized?

 

[taylornate]

If you aren't going to sanitize the caps, why the fuss about sanitizing the bottles?

I don't put my other equipment into a litter box so why should I sanitize any of it?

 

[Malticulous]

If anything fell in a litter box I sure wouldn't sanitize it. I would toss it out with the cat turds.