Bottling

[JasonSanford]

I plan on bottling my first batch of beer tomorrow...any tips on quickly/efficiently washing and sanitizing 48 beer bottles? Also, I want to check F.G. with my hygrometer. Is it ok to just put it in glass carboy for the last day before bottling or is that a bad idea?

 

[JillC25]

I like to give my bottles a dip in one-step sanitizer and then put them all in the dish washer on the high-heat setting (no soap). The heat kills the nasties, and they get pretty dry. you just have to wait till they cool. i stick the bottle caps in there too.

I would avoid sticking your hydrometer in your carboy if you can. Get a theif or a turkey baster (one designated for brewing) and take off a sample.

What kinda beer you bottling?

 

[JasonSanford]

American Cream Ale, a packaged recipe from a local brewshop

 

[JasonSanford]

I don't have a dish washer

 

[JillC25]

I don't have a dish washer

Then I'd let them soak in one-step or something similar for a few hours. Rinse thorougly!

 

[Toilet Rocker]

I use Iodophor, let em soak a while, then place them on a bottle tree to drip near dry, then bottle (that tedious task).

 

[JasonSanford]

Sounds like I need to invest in a turkey baster and a bottle tree...I guess a lot of things you realize you need on the first batch you can buy for your second.

 

[Toilet Rocker]

A bottle tree is convenient, but not a necessity.

 

[bikebryan]

I don't have a dish washer

Don't worry about the dishwasher. For the most part, home dishwashers don't produce enough heat to sanitize anything.

 

[homebrewer_99]

If you get a bottle tree I recommend getting the one that spins. It's easier to work with.

 

[Walker]

If you get a bottle tree I recommend getting the one that spins. It's easier to work with.

And if you can't find one of those, just keep drinking until everything is spinning.

-walker

 

[SteveM]

I go the other way around and have yet (knock on wood) to have a problem. First, the dishwasher with just hot water, then the sanitizing solution. I usually put about three gallons of water into my primary (I use the platic buckets) with the appropriate amount of "no rinse" and dunk my bottles in that.

 

[Lost]

I sanitize with starsan (no rinse) right after I pour a brew and rinse the bottle. Cover with plastic and it's ready to go on bottling day.

If nothing else, I hope you rinse you bottles after use.. that way there's no need to clean them. If you haven't sanitized I'd suggest filling a bucket or your sink with starsan or idophor (no rinse) and letting the bottles soak for a bit and then fill them.

Frankly, I think rinsing with tap water after sanitizing defeats the purpose of sanitizing in the first place... You NEED to go get some starsan, it's worth it.

And while you're bottling remember to stir in the sugar solution good but try not to aerate the beer. This business of letting the beer mix itself witht the sugar as you siphon just doesn't work - that's been my experience anyway.

 

[JacktheKnife]

A bottle tree is the cheapest as well as the
most useful contraption I can imagine.

That and Idophor,
soak all your bottles in Idophor.
15 minutes.
Mix it up in your bottleing bucket, at the rate of 2 capfulls per 5 gallons.
Fill the 48 12 ouncers and let them sit.
15 minutes.
Rinse with real hot tap water,
{just do it.}
The bottle tree lets the bottles drain,
and after drained,
keeps airborne spoilage organisms out of the bottles.
The spoon, hose, reracking cane, all must soak in the idophor.


Fermintation lock, too.
even get your hands wet in the Idophor and don't wash it off...


Cleanliness is next to godliness



J. Knife

 

[homebrewer_99]

And if you can't find one of those, just keep drinking until everything is spinning.

-walker

Yeah, what he said....

 

[bikebryan]

A bottle tree is the cheapest as well as the
most useful contraption I can imagine.

That and Idophor,
soak all your bottles in Idophor.
15 minutes.
Mix it up in your bottleing bucket, at the rate of 2 capfulls per 5 gallons.
Fill the 48 12 ouncers and let them sit.
15 minutes.
Rinse with real hot tap water,
{just do it.}

Although I agree in using iodophor, I disagree with some of these directions.

1. You don't need to soak in iodophor for 15 minutes. It is effective in less than 5.

2. It's hard to give the exact mix ratio. Maybe there stock solution is stronger, or weaker, than yours!

3. Don't rinse iodophor. It will likely negate the sanitizing step, and is completely unecessary.

 

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Im lucky, my dishwasher is "certified to sanitize"