How do you clean your bottles?

[Jack_0106]

So I've had bottles sitting up for a couple of months while it was too cold to brew. They had been drank from, rinsed and stowed away in the bottom of a wardrobe. I've a smash beer fermenting as we speak and need to sort out my bottles.

I realize I probably should have rinsed, sanitized and dried the bottles before storage but I didn't. Most of them are clean but have found a couple with a small bit of mold or fungus in in them. I'm thinking of brushing them out and sterilizing them with some baby bottle cleaner or white vinegar.

Is this a good idea or should I dump the bottles? I don't really want to go buy 40 new bottles.

Regards,

Jack

 

[hottpeper13]

I use yeasts with diastaticus which can stay viable under a biofilm so I soak them in a 1 cup of bleach to 4 gal of water solution for a short time then use a bottle brush. I store them upside down until I need them. At bottling time they get sanitized with star-san and hung on a bottling tree. The bottle rinser that screws onto the faucet is indispensable.

 

[Chorgey]

After I pour the contents of a bottle, I rinse my bottles in hot water and set them upside down on a FastRack. The day before bottling, I soak them in PBW and rinse, then give a final rinse with Saniclean

On bottling day, I give the bottle a dip in Starsan

I never have to use a bottle brush with this method

 

[Miraculix]

Soak in hot oxyclean for twenty minutes, rinse with water, fill with beer.

 

[Jack_0106]

Soak in hot oxyclean for twenty minutes, rinse with water, fill with beer.

Yeah we dont have oxyclean over here but I think maybe doing the same with baby bottle sterilizer will do it

 

[Miraculix]

Yeah we dont have oxyclean over here but I think maybe doing the same with baby bottle sterilizer will do it

It's a completely different thing. You can use that, but you need to make sure that you have removed every dirt from the surface before. With oxyclean it's easier, it will also remove the dirt particles for you most of the time.

 

[Jack_0106]

It's a completely different thing. You can use that, but you need to make sure that you have removed every dirt from the surface before. With oxyclean it's easier, it will also remove the dirt particles for you most of the time.

Any ideas what I can substitute Oxyclean with?

 

[Miraculix]

Any ideas what I can substitute Oxyclean with?

Yes. It is mainly sodium percarbonate. So you could buy that chemical directly. You might want to add about 30% sodium metasilicate, if you have hard water. You could also swap the metasilicate for trisodium phosphate. Whatever you can get easier.

 

[odie]

Yeah we dont have oxyclean over here but I think maybe doing the same with baby bottle sterilizer will do it

you likely do. It's probably sold under a different name. "oxyclean" is a brand, not a type of product.

 

[Jack_0106]

you likely do. It's probably sold under a different name. "oxyclean" is a brand, not a type of product.

We have OxyPower which is a stain remover for clothes with sodium percarbonate in it

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

We have OxyPower which is a stain remover for clothes with sodium percarbonate in it

That would be it, get it unscented. It’s generally pointless to sanitize any thing until it has been first cleaned.

 

[Miraculix]

That would be it, get it unscented. It’s generally pointless to sanitize any thing until it has been first cleaned.

Yes! True! Oxy does clean and sanitise in one go, that is the beauty of it. At least when used hot. I even once managed to use a scented version of it by accident, did not carry over into the beer. I was horrified when my PET fermenter smelled smooth like a fresh mountain breeze after using it.

 

[sibelman]

Oxy does clean and sanitise in one go

Not sure about how sanitized, even if @Miraculix has had no problems. Bleach sanitizes for sure. Oxi, mostly? Both require rinsing, but tap water isn't exactly sterile. One can worry too much or too little.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Not sure about how sanitized, even if @Miraculix has had no problems. Bleach sanitizes for sure. Oxi, mostly? Both require rinsing, but tap water isn't exactly sterile. One can worry too much or too little.

Yeah, this is a small area of controversy, I know a few brewers that just use a “one step” treatment and say they have never had a problem, I did that as well when I was new to brewing and didn’t know better. The relatively low cost of starsan or putting foil over the bottle neck and baking them in the oven is a small “price to pay” to greatly minimize contamination.

I lost a shot at best in show to contamination, fortunately the steward selected the “good” sample to be judged in the first place. Been taking better care and buying new bottles for comps for a few years now.

 

[Broken Crow]

If you don't have one, get one of those 'bottle-blasters' or whatever they call it. I'd link to on on amazon, but their links are often redirected if read in another country so here's a duck-search page full of them: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=blast+bottle+washer&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
If PBW isn't available to you, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this thread yet;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/homemade-pbw-recipe.467655/
I keep a simple bottle washer hanging on the side of my laundry tub;

I always hated the idea of throwing out a batch of PBW after cleaning my equipment...having removed all visible solids and rinsed everything before the PBW cycle it just looked 'too clean' to throw away after one use, so always keep a few gallons or so in a large picnic-cooler under the laundry-room table. My bottles, after use, get blasted out with hot water and then I simply drop them into the PBW in the cooler for a day or so...when I have a few in there, I just take them out and thoroughly blast with hot water, inspect, and then put them on dishwasher rack to dry...when dry, I tear a piece of cheap basket-type coffee filter to put over the top, held on with a tin-tie to allow breathing and prevent dust and such and put them in their box. When I need them again, They're already set to be dropped in a bucket of Star San and then refilled.
The cooler full of PBW also gets some of my SS and glass cookware when I have burnt on crud..a day or 2 of that and they come clean as new. ..of course I do not mix cookware with bottles for contamination risk..but it's a convenience to have around.

 

[Miraculix]

Not sure about how sanitized, even if @Miraculix has had no problems. Bleach sanitizes for sure. Oxi, mostly? Both require rinsing, but tap water isn't exactly sterile. One can worry too much or too little.

If you want to be as sure as possible, you would need to use a no rinse sanitiser after rinsing the oxyclean out. Our tap water in Germany is pretty much sterile so I do not worry about that. And oxyclean itself is so agressive, I bet it get's more nasties than star san on it's own.

 

[hotbeer]

If I were in that situation and know that all the bottles were decently rinsed out and dried prior to putting up, I'd just randomly inspect a few and if nothing scared me, go on with my normal bottling day sanitation.

I haven't felt the need to get PBW. My cleaning needs are small. If I saw something that bothered me, or I wasn't entirely certain then I'd probably mix up some laundry soap or Oxyclean and let them soak in that for a few hours or even most of a day and/or night. It's actually what I do for bottles that I obtain from commercially sold beer that still has labels on them. Of course powdered laundry soap is becoming harder to find. After that soak I let them sit in a strong mix of Clorox and water for a hour or two. Then rinse. If you use really perfumy soap, perhaps that might be some issue. But I'd think it'd rinse off. Glass like Stainless steel, tends not to hold on to odors when they are clean and have no buildup of anything on them.

If there is dried sediment or dried up bits and pieces of someone's cigarette they put out in the bottle, then of course use of a bottle brush might come into play during the soak.

They still will go through my normal sanitizing procedures prior to actual bottling. That just is mainly to ensure that everything get rinsed off that needs to be rinsed off.

 

[hungupdown]

If you don't have one, get one of those 'bottle-blasters' or whatever they call it. I'd link to on on amazon, but their links are often redirected if read in another country so here's a duck-search page full of them: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=blast+bottle+washer&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
If PBW isn't available to you, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this thread yet;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/homemade-pbw-recipe.467655/
I keep a simple bottle washer hanging on the side of my laundry tub;
View attachment 842769
I always hated the idea of throwing out a batch of PBW after cleaning my equipment...having removed all visible solids and rinsed everything before the PBW cycle it just looked 'too clean' to throw away after one use, so always keep a few gallons or so in a large picnic-cooler under the laundry-room table. My bottles, after use, get blasted out with hot water and then I simply drop them into the PBW in the cooler for a day or so...when I have a few in there, I just take them out and thoroughly blast with hot water, inspect, and then put them on dishwasher rack to dry...when dry, I tear a piece of cheap basket-type coffee filter to put over the top, held on with a tin-tie to allow breathing and prevent dust and such and put them in their box. When I need them again, They're already set to be dropped in a bucket of Star San and then refilled.
The cooler full of PBW also gets some of my SS and glass cookware when I have burnt on crud..a day or 2 of that and they come clean as new. ..of course I do not mix cookware with bottles for contamination risk..but it's a convenience to have around.
St

Does a bottle blaster, acheive any more than just shaking a bottle part filled with detergant would?

 

[Zippy123]

Does a bottle blaster, acheive any more than just shaking a bottle part filled with detergant would?

Probably not, but after years of shaking bottles with detergent I switched to a bottle blaster and found it faster and easier than shaking with detergent. Then I started kegging and found that the entire bottling process is a hassle, not just the cleaning. Switch to kegs. You'll thank me later.

 

[Broken Crow]

Does a bottle blaster, acheive any more than just shaking a bottle part filled with detergant would?

Sort of yes sort of no... The continuous stream blasting the bottle simply runs out the neck so it's primarily a 'rinser', any detergent whether shaken, or left to soak in a bucket of PBW or equivelent, still needs a good rinse. Detergent and a bottle-brush is best, but using the blaster is a lot easier on the arm and shoulder than swish & rinsing 24 or more bottles at a time...it does a great job with carboys, buckets and anything else you want to spray up and rinse down and if you use it when you've just finished a beer, there's very little left to clean.

 

[redrocker652002]

I pilfer the use of the dishwasher for one day from the boss, aka the wife. LOL. I load them up, add the needed soap pod and push start. On our machine there is a sanitize button that I also push. I have bottled about half of my brews for the last two or three years and have found this to be the best way for me. I tend to fill the bottles with hot water and shake the crud out of them when I empty them, so there usually not much sediment when the go into the dishwasher. I have been thinking of making a DIY bottle washer out of PVC and fountain pens, but have not gotten to it yet.

 

[InspectorJon]

I triple rinse bottles immediately after emptying them into a glass, then store them upside down. Before bottling I run them through the dishwasher with no soap on the sanitize setting. Then fill and cap them. Been doing this for a few years now with no problems.

 

[Dave77]

I just rinse the bottles a few times immediately after pouring, and turn them upside down to dry before storing them away. When I bottle I just give them a quick rinse, then a shot of Starsan, and that's it. Maybe I am not thorough enough, but I've never had a problem with contamination. Obviously if I saw sediment stuck in the bottle, I would go further.

 

[odie]

I don't bottle any more...not for 20 years.

I do use Grolsch flip tops to fill from my kegs for to go beers or to parties. I just rise well with hot water and store upside down. grab and fill. the beer is only in the bottle for a day at the most. not worried too much.

 

[giraffeman]

A good hot rinse immediately after pouring is best but if you can't get Oxyclean or PBW then try this
Mix two tsp baking soda, ½ tsp. of salt, and 4 tsp. of Peroxide and scrub with a brush to clean out any thing that is "stuck" in the bottle .
then a good rinse followed by a sanitizer of your choice (I use Starsan) .
I use that on my beer glasses to get them "beer glass clean" free of any impurities that would give CO2 a place to cling to.

 

[corncob]

I think I might be the most lax, and I'm sure I'm asking for trouble....

But I've been rinsing several times right after emptying, soaking for a day or 3 with (plain water), then rinsing again, then starsan, then into the box. Shoot if starsan right before filling.

I use a flashlight to church for a krausen ring occasionally (I would oxyclean those) but I haven't found one yet.

 

[Skeeter686]

I just rinse the bottles a few times immediately after pouring, and turn them upside down to dry before storing them away. When I bottle I just give them a quick rinse, then a shot of Starsan, and that's it. Maybe I am not thorough enough, but I've never had a problem with contamination. Obviously if I saw sediment stuck in the bottle, I would go further.

I follow a similar process for rinsing upon emptying the bottles. However, my dear SWMBO declares that they must all be properly washed, even if they look clean and I'm using StarSan when bottling.

I'd be quite comfortable without the seemingly unnecessary wash, but she is very helpful on brew day and bottling day, so I'm not going to rock the boat on this minor issue.

I will mention that I've gotten bottles back from friends who haven't rinsed them. When there's mold or the dregs have turned into cement, they go straight into trash / recycling.

 

[sibelman]

dishwasherqa

I've used the dishwasher to sanitize many times. But I don't think it does much to clean bottles' interiors. Bleach or PBW/Oxi

 

[Jack_0106]

I follow a similar process for rinsing upon emptying the bottles. However, my dear SWMBO declares that they must all be properly washed, even if they look clean and I'm using StarSan when bottling.

I'd be quite comfortable without the seemingly unnecessary wash, but she is very helpful on brew day and bottling day, so I'm not going to rock the boat on this minor issue.

I will mention that I've gotten bottles back from friends who haven't rinsed them. When there's mold or the dregs have turned into cement, they go straight into trash / recycling.

Yeah I had a few like that. If I could clean it out, I just dumped the bottles

 

[bike2brew]

I rinse thoroughly with hot water using the faucet attachment, dry upside-down. Run all bottles through dishwasher, no detergent, plunge each in star-san prior to bottling. So far I have not had issues with infection. Likewise, my glasses are only hot water rinsed without detergent or dishwasher.

 

[Miraculix]

I rinse thoroughly with hot water using the faucet attachment, dry upside-down. Run all bottles through dishwasher, no detergent, plunge each in star-san prior to bottling. So far I have not had issues with infection. Likewise, my glasses are only hot water rinsed without detergent or dishwasher.

I used to do the same thing minus the star San. Dish washer was on highest temperature. Worked really well, nothing else needed. Unfortunately, I don't have a dishwasher anymore...

 

[Cheshire Cat]

If you don't have one, get one of those 'bottle-blasters' or whatever they call it. I'd link to on on amazon, but their links are often redirected if read in another country so here's a duck-search page full of them: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=blast+bottle+washer&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
If PBW isn't available to you, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this thread yet;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/homemade-pbw-recipe.467655/
I keep a simple bottle washer hanging on the side of my laundry tub;
View attachment 842769
I always hated the idea of throwing out a batch of PBW after cleaning my equipment...having removed all visible solids and rinsed everything before the PBW cycle it just looked 'too clean' to throw away after one use, so always keep a few gallons or so in a large picnic-cooler under the laundry-room table. My bottles, after use, get blasted out with hot water and then I simply drop them into the PBW in the cooler for a day or so...when I have a few in there, I just take them out and thoroughly blast with hot water, inspect, and then put them on dishwasher rack to dry...when dry, I tear a piece of cheap basket-type coffee filter to put over the top, held on with a tin-tie to allow breathing and prevent dust and such and put them in their box. When I need them again, They're already set to be dropped in a bucket of Star San and then refilled.
The cooler full of PBW also gets some of my SS and glass cookware when I have burnt on crud..a day or 2 of that and they come clean as new. ..of course I do not mix cookware with bottles for contamination risk..but it's a convenience to have around.

I have one of those and it’s a great buy. However only fits the garden tap so I don’t use it in winter. I rinse my bottles after pouring the contents out, put in the dish washer with the normal wash. Store in a plastic box with a loose lid. On bottling day soak in VWP cleaner and rinse. I do have a brush. Our tap water is clean, not sterile is a brewing myth.

 

[mac_1103]

Unfortunately, I don't have a dishwasher anymore...

Oh, the humanity!

 

[odie]

If you don't have one, get one of those 'bottle-blasters' or whatever they call it. I'd link to on on amazon, but their links are often redirected if read in another country so here's a duck-search page full of them: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=blast+bottle+washer&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
If PBW isn't available to you, I'm surprised no one has mentioned this thread yet;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/homemade-pbw-recipe.467655/
I keep a simple bottle washer hanging on the side of my laundry tub;
View attachment 842769
I always hated the idea of throwing out a batch of PBW after cleaning my equipment...having removed all visible solids and rinsed everything before the PBW cycle it just looked 'too clean' to throw away after one use, so always keep a few gallons or so in a large picnic-cooler under the laundry-room table. My bottles, after use, get blasted out with hot water and then I simply drop them into the PBW in the cooler for a day or so...when I have a few in there, I just take them out and thoroughly blast with hot water, inspect, and then put them on dishwasher rack to dry...when dry, I tear a piece of cheap basket-type coffee filter to put over the top, held on with a tin-tie to allow breathing and prevent dust and such and put them in their box. When I need them again, They're already set to be dropped in a bucket of Star San and then refilled.
The cooler full of PBW also gets some of my SS and glass cookware when I have burnt on crud..a day or 2 of that and they come clean as new. ..of course I do not mix cookware with bottles for contamination risk..but it's a convenience to have around.

I got one of these 25 years ago. Total dope if you bottle. Fastest bottle rinser ever. I used to soak my bottle in the tub with a bleach solution. But this is the final rinse...blasts everything out in a couple seconds.

If you bottle, you MUST get one of these bad boys...

 

[ncbrewer]

I haven't had any infections due to bottle sanitation, but I noticed a slight film developing when I was using an OxiClean soak for cleaning. A bottle brush cleaned off the film, but it didn't touch the entire surface - left some streaks of film. I figured it would eventually cause a problem. According to Papazian's Complete Joy of Home Brewing, bleach is a good cleaner for glass. My process now is to rinse the bottles immediately after pouring and let them stand, full of water. Then when finished drinking, mix up 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp of bleach for every 12 oz bottle. (I don't use bleach that is over 6 months old.) Pour it into the bottles and let them soak overnight. Rinse well the next morning with hot water. This completely eliminates the film.