Bottling Sanitation

[Abrewba]

Clean and sanitize:
Bottles
Caps
Bottling Bucket
Siphon
Bottle Filler

Do I need to sanitize the capper itself? Any other cleanliness pointers for bottling?

Do any of you cover the top of the bottling bucket with foil?

 

[Radboud]

You might want to give the capper a spraying of star san. I usually have my caps in a bowl of the stuff. I just put a lid loosely on the bucket. First time I bottled I really made a mess by not paying attention to the siphon hose, it slipped out and spilled a bottles worth on the floor. Not nice.

 

[KeninMN]

I'd recommend covering your bottling bucket if you have fruit flies buzzing around...

 

[NickL]

I cover the bucket also just in case some dust, dog hair, or whatever decided to fall in there.

Also if your using the bottle bucket with the spigot on it. Be sure to pop out the spigot and clean inside it.

 

[unionrdr]

Clean, rinse & sanitize anything that touches the fermented beer! I use PBW to clean, rinse with tap water,sanitize with Starsan. I use aquarium lift tube brushes to clean inside spigots & the like. Clean spigot mounting hole as well. Then re-assemble wet with sanitizer. I place the lid loosely on the bottling bucket to keep pet dander, flies,etc out of it. I scrub bottles with a bottle brush after draining dregs & rinse once. Then onto the bottle tree to dry before storage. I use my bottle tree & vinator to sanitize right before filling. Goes faster & 45-90 bottles takes up about 2 square feet of space!

 

[WayFrae]

I don't usually cover my bucket mostly because I like to see how much is left to bottle so I know when I need to tilt the bucket.

 

[patthebrewer]

I only bottle on occasions were I'm giving gifts now, but that said I do dunk my capper in starsan, bottle caps, and bottle too! Why not? Also a good idea to keep the lid on while dispensing, to keep any number of items out of your beer. If you need to see how much is left why not put a flash light on the other side of the bucket so you can see the light from the other side. Should be able to see your beer level with out taking the lid off.

 

[unionrdr]

I can tell how much is left by way of the beer being darker than the white plastic bucket. The room needs some light coming in to see the contrast one way or another.

 

[Braufessor]

I just set a bucket lid on it... I don't seal it or anything, just set it on top. Any other tubing. Make sure you take the spigot for the bucket totally apart when you clean and sanitize. A lot of times people don't realize those spigots come apart. Same with a lot of bottle fillers - they come apart.

 

[Trox]

I don't bother sanitizing my capper, on the basis if the beer ever touches the capper then I have bigger problems to worry about than a possible infection. I also agree with taking the spigot and bottle filler apart to clean every time you finish bottling, and to sanitize them in pieces before bottling. I do put a piece of sanitized aluminum foil over the top but a lid will work just as well.