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Didn't clean the bottles!!!

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norwegianBrewer

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
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Location
Bergen
Did I just make a huge beginners mistake?

The bottles I use have not been used for bottle conditioning, but they have had beer in them.
I soaked them in hot water (also had hot water in the bottles and shaked them), and then sanitized with StarSan.
But I didn't use any detergent or oxyclean or anything like that, so per definition...I haven't cleaned the bottles....only sanitized them.

Did I ruin the batch, or is there hope?
 
There is lots of hope. If they weren't dirty with dried up beer residue in them, the hot rinse and star san should be fine.
 
I rinse mine clean immediately after I drink from them then store them....I just sanitize before bottling, you should be fine.
 
I've made a couple batches where I did that too. Some of 'em might taste a little funky, but they should be drinkable. You know... unless there are some pretty resilient spiders hanging out inside the bottles :D
 
That's all I basically. I just use hot water and soak them for 15-20 min. Then empty and starsan. As long as use rinse out the bottles after you pour there will be no problem.
 
I rinse mine clean immediately after I drink from them then store them....I just sanitize before bottling, you should be fine.

This is what I do as well. Good hot rinse right after pouring and then starsan before bottling. If I get bottles from a friend or that had been left out, then they good a good oxy soak and rinse before storing. Seems to be working well so far. I don't do sour beers, might be more careful if you had bugs in your beer.
 
I've used a few bottles with absolutely NOTHING in them - no water, no star san, just a dry bottle out of the case. I marked them so I could be wary of off flavours or infections, but so far not one of them has ever been a problem.

Sanitation is important, but also somewhat overrated. You'll be fine.
 

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