How do you sanitize bottle caps?

[Vegetarisk]

What do you use to sanitize your bottle caps? Starsan, vodka, or something else? Haven't had an issue with rust using vodka, which I've heard can happen when soaking in Starsan for too long.

 

[grittanomyces]

Nothing needs to soak in sanitizer (I only leave most of my brew day stuff soaking so its ready when I need it), it is a contact sanitizier, so if you just put them in a container of it when you're ready to bottle (or if you're worried about it, just dip each cap in as you get ready to cap a bottle).

That brief period in there shodnt be a problem as far as I know.

 

[harleybug88]

I put mine in a measuring cup filled with Star San just before bottling. Any left over caps I spread out on a paper towel to air dry.

I've never had any rust.

 

[Hello]

I put mine in a bowl of star san. I fill put cap on and then seal. I do about 12 at a time. No issues as of yet and I try to count out the number of caps I'll need so I don't get any wet that I don't need. Just in case they do rust.

 

[rodwha]

I also have a bowl I use, and dump the Star San back into my bucket when done. Any unused caps get flipped over to dry in the bowl, and I've never seen rust on mine.

 

[unionrdr]

I use o2 barrier caps, so soaking them is out due to the o2 barrier layer getting activated before crimping onto a bottle. I dunk them in Starsan right before placing on a bottle. when I crimp the cap down, I tilt the bottle to wet the cap with beer. works for me.

 

[BigJack]

I'm also a bowl guy- either Starsan or Iodaphor and water. Easy as it gets.

 

[jsun]

I lay them out on a paper towel (the inside of the cap facing upwards) and spray with Starsan. They dry pretty fast. Never had any rust issues.

 

[Vegetarisk]

So it Sounds like any rust would come from soaking caps in Starsan for an extended period of time. Guess I'm just used to soaking equipment in Starsan

 

[MaxStout]

I put a bunch in a bowl of Starsan a few minutes before capping. I use the O2 absorbing caps, but they're not immersed long enough to deplete the O2 absorbing material in the short interval before capping. I have never had one rust.

After capping I dunk each bottle in a sink filled with water to remove any beer that may be on the outside. I do this to prevent them from attracting ants (ask me how I know that!). Then I dry each with a towel and set them in boxes.

 

[Vegetarisk]

After capping I dunk each bottle in a sink filled with water to remove any beer that may be on the outside. I do this to prevent them from attracting ants (ask me how I know that!). Then I dry each with a towel and set them in boxes.

Trust me, I know all about that. Fermenting in my basement brings all the bugs to the yard.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I put mine in a measuring cup filled with Star San just before bottling. Any left over caps I spread out on a paper towel to air dry.

I've never had any rust.

This. Right down to the paper towel after I'm done.

 

[Natdavis777]

I use a 5 gal bucket with star san solution to sanitize the bottles before bottling. Once I have my bottles done, I'll throw in a handful of caps and then pull them out and set them on a towel. I haven't had a dust or sanitation issue as of yet


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[Homercidal]

I usually dont' spray unopened bags of caps. Just use them right out of the bag.

For opened bags I estimate the number of caps I need, flip them over on a paper towel or counter top, and spritz with StarSan. I then grab one, shake it once or twice to throw off the excess sanitizer, and cap it.

I use O2 barrier caps, but don't worry about activating it prematurely. I read the O2 absorbing takes a while to happen, and a few minutes wet doesn't hurt it.

 

[CJ-3]

Agreed. Star San and paper towels here too. No rust issues.

 

[ifnotuthenwho]

I have never sanitized a bottle cap. I keep my work area clean when bottling and the caps in a ziplock bag when storing. I've never had an issue.


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[zachattack]

I use o2 barrier caps, so soaking them is out due to the o2 barrier layer getting activated before crimping onto a bottle. I dunk them in Starsan right before placing on a bottle. when I crimp the cap down, I tilt the bottle to wet the cap with beer. works for me.

As Homercidal said, the O2 absorbing chemical reaction happens on the order of hours, not minutes. So you don't need to worry, you can leave them in there for a little bit while you bottle. It's the same type of reaction that happens in a chemical handwarmer.

 

[rodwha]

I've tried those types of caps, but just don't see the point in using them unless I intend on aging. My batch doesn't last much longer than maybe 3 months.

I also fill my bowl with my counted out caps (I add a few extra just in case) and they sit for maybe 1.5-2 hours before they're used up. Those extras are flipped over to dip dry and used next bottling session with no signs of rust.

 

[fuelish]

No need to soak anything in Starsan....if it's already properly clean, it's only 1 minute of wet contact time for Starsan to effectively sanitize.....and, as been hinted at, oxidation/wet oxygen-barrier cap worries are overstated....not worth worrying about unless you're bottling something that's gonna sit a long tine (say, a barley wine) , but, heck, they didn't have such caps available when I first started making beer....in all of my batches of beer/mead, oxidation has never ever been an issue...me thinkst a lot of folks stress out too much about rather insignificant stuff...I mean, c'mon....it's beer...make it drink it, make some more

 

[runkelia]

I don't sanitize my caps and never had a problem.
I used to put them in a pyrex cup with sanitizer, everything gets wet.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[unionrdr]

Clean is all well & good, but you can't see microbes or spores. They're microscopic. So a quick dunk in starsan, not to mention using o2 barrier caps is cheap insurance. They only cost one dollar more per 144 count back than the regular ones.