Dishwasher sanitizing

[Buck33]

I've seen a couple articles online about putting your bottles in the dishwasher, setting it on high heat, no soap, and running the bottles in that to sanitize. But havnt found too much on hbt, you guys got any experience with this? Or should I just stick to starsan

 

[jmferris]

One question to your question - does your dishwasher use a rinse agent like Jet Dry (or I think they call it Diamond Finish or something else along those lines)? If so, you run the very distinct risk of diminishing or completely eliminating the head retention in your beer.

That being said, I use a dishwasher for cleaning, but still sanitize. I load up my bottles for the brew day the night before, run it through on high heat, heated dry, no soap, and no rinse agent. I do it more for making sure that the bottles are dust free and clean prior to sanitizing and filling. I just leave them in the dishwasher until I need to bottle, pull a few, sanitize them, fill them, cap them, and repeat.

 

[theredben]

It works fine if your dishwasher has a "sanitize" setting. If it is just "high heat" then you are on your own. Maybe the manual has actual temperatures?

 

[arturo7]

no soap + sanitize = success

 

[Buck33]

Alright so my girlfriends dishwasher has sanitize on her dishwasher, if I sanitized them there then drove to my house would that work?

 

[Flomaster]

My washer hash this rinse agent OPTION but we have never used it.

Just sayin'

-= Jason =-

 

[Mike_A]

You should cover the tops of the bottles with saran wrap or aluminum foil if they are going to be exposed to the air for a significant amount of time. One big sheet covering a case will do the trick, just to keep nasties from floating in.

I have done bottles in the dishwasher before - longest wash setting, heated dry cycle, no soap and have never had an infected bottle. Nowadays I prefer to dunk them in a bucket of star san immediately (<5min) before bottling. Actually nowadays, I prefer to keg my beer heh...

 

[glenn514]

I have sanitized ALL my bottles in the dishwasher for EVERY batch I've brewed, and have not had one single problem. I use the high temperature wash and the heated dry cycle, without either soap or a rinse agent. The heated dry is the sanitizer. Then, I use the dishwasher door as a low "shelf" and put my bottling bucket above it. Anything that drips goes into the dishwasher, so nothing to clean up! Just close the door when done.

glenn514

 

[jmferris]

My washer hash this rinse agent OPTION but we have never used it.

It is nice when it is an option. Alas, it is not optional on my current dishwasher, nor was it on my last one. However, that will be a consideration on my next one, whenever that time may be.

 

[coypoo]

I have sanitized ALL my bottles in the dishwasher for EVERY batch I've brewed, and have not had one single problem. I use the high temperature wash and the heated dry cycle, without either soap or a rinse agent. The heated dry is the sanitizer.

glenn514

Same here. 35 some-odd batches in, and every bottle was in the dishwasher first. No problems yet

 

[jmhart]

I sanitize all my bottles in the dishwasher.

The key is a good rinse with a heated drying cycle to get some good steam.

My dishwasher does not have a specific "sanitize" option, but it gets hot, produces good steam, and, well, I've never had an issue.

 

[Chefencore]

I was thinking of the same thing. My brother in law suggested it( he has a sani-rinse cycle) but my pos just has a giant knob. I'm not sure if it gets hot enough to sanitize, but what if I throw in some sani powder? Think it would work?

 

[Gordzilla]

i use my dishwasher to sanitize put about 55 bottles in it, a little star san and run the entrie cycle...we havent used jet dry in our dishwasher for years so no worry about head retention on my end...after they heat dry i take the entire rack out place on top of sink and fill my bottles over the dishwasher door

 

[Oldyote]

I used the dishwasher for my first 10 or so batches. Now I use the vinator and will never go back. The dishwasher (on sanitize, no soap, no agents) worked great but it was a pita. The vinator has worked great and is much less screwing around.

 

[Special Hops]

I think it works just fine as others have said. But a quick squirt with starsan is easier IMO. But the beauty of homebrewing is that there are many ways to accomplish the same thing. Do what works for you.

 

[RogueGoose85]

Ugh. I messed up, I think. Can someone confirm:

I soaked my bottles in oxiclean free, then rinsed with water, and threw them in the dishwasher so they could dry (similar to a bottle tree). Figured blasting them with another rinse wouldn't hurt, so I put the dishwasher on, with no soap.

However, Forgot the damn thing had a rinse agent in it. I read thy the rinse agent will possibly eliminate all of my head.

Question: will the rinse agent still affect the head retention even though I will be using star San to sanitize them?