Couple Quick Questions

[DmodeJR86]

I'm about to brew my first batch of beer and have been collecting items I'm going to need for every stage of the process from boiling to bottling, but I am not sure on two different areas:
1. What type of grain bags work best?
2. What is the best way to sanitize my bottles?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

Grain bag - most LHBS sell a variety. You could also use a paint strainer bag if you find one big enough.

Sanitize - the best way is to get a bottle sanitizer that shoots the solution into an inverted bottle, and allows it to drain back into the tank, recycling it. Then put it on a drying tree and you're good to go. If you don't have all that equipment, fill your bottling bucket with your sanitizing solution, throw the lid on, and then fill all your bottles that way. You'll then be certian to have enough sanitized bottles. Then dump the bottles one at a time, shake them out, and fill. Two people make this process go by quite quickly.

 

[dstranger99]

1. Large paint strainer bag
2. Starsan

 

[mcbaumannerb]

Your home brew store (LHBS) should have bags pretty inexpensive that are muslin or cheesecloth. I'd recommend using starsan for sanitizing bottles (and everything else.). If you can spring for a bottle tree that makes prepping your bottles a lot easier (but can be done without it if funds are tight.)

Good luck and welcome to the hobby/obsession!

 

[hoppheadIPA]

I used to just sink a few bottles in 5 gallons of starsan solution for a few minutes then pull out and drain. A little residual sanitizer in the bottles (foam) isn't going to hurt. Grain bag, paint strainers are the cheapest. I use them for hop bags as well.

 

[twalte]

+1 for the Vinator...sprays star san solution up into the bottle, and it drains back into the reservoir. Will save you a lot of time.

 

[DmodeJR86]

Thank you for all the suggestions and tips. I did invest into a bottle tree and a bottle cleaner that fits onto my faucet. I just wanted to make sure i left no stone unturned. I'm extremely excited to get started.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

The bottle cleaner is not the same as the sanitizer (Vinator). It will clean your bottles, but clean and sanitized are not the same thing.