n00b Question - I can't be this clueless, can I?

[eljefe]

I was all set to bottle this weekend after letting my first batch ferment in the primary for two weeks until I went to clean my bottles.

I got a "brewer's best" kit for christmas. I have been rinsing my bottles out as I drank them. I have also soaked them in bleach/water mixture (just read about Oxyclean). To be safe, I wanted to clean the bottles out with the brush included in the kit.

The darn thing does not fit into the bottles. The kit only had one brush, so I am positive I am using the "bottle brush". I was successful in getting the brush in two bottles although it took forever to wedge it in them. It took even longer to get it out!

Am I doing something wrong? Have others run into the same problem? Any other options for something more manageable? Can I boil the brush to soften the bristles?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[Old_Brewer]

Your bleach/water mixture sanitized your bottles just fine. If there is no crud in the bottom, you are good to go. I'm guessing your large brush is for a 5 gal carboy.


Happy bottling!

 

[DIY Brewing Company]

Your bottle brush does not fit? It should just push in. It is stiff but should not be rigid. Does it have a bend in it? Then it is a carboy brush.

 

[eljefe]

I am certain it is not a carboy brush. It is straight and came with the kit. In addition, I saw a carboy brush at the local home brew shop and mine is definitely smaller.

That being said, it does not fit without a lot of struggle. It seems that when I push the rush in the bottle opening, the bristles fold back and clog the opening of the bottle making it very difficult to push it all the way through.

I did buy one of those brass jet washers. I get the sense that with the bleaching, jet washing and sanitizing before bottling I should be ok.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Revvy]

My advice is to toss the bottle brush. You have the brass faucet thingy to rinse any crud after you drink from them. And you don't even need that if you rinse your bottles immediately after drinking. And even if you don't rinse right away and you get dry crud in the bottom, an overnight soak in oxyclean (which also gets rid of the labels by the way) followed by a thorough rinse and then sanitization with idophor or starsan will be enough.

 

[eljefe]

It appears that I picked the two bottles that seem to have a smaller opening than others. I believe they were two St. Bernadus bottles. After reading the posts, I tried other bottles and had no problems. I may still pitch the brush . Thank you for your help.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I never use my bottle brush. As long as you are rising and cleaning your bottles as soon as they are empty there is not much need for a bottle brush. Once you start using oxyclean there is really no need as that stuff will dissolve just about anything with a good soak.

 

[Revvy]

I never use my bottle brush. As long as you are rising and cleaning your bottles as soon as they are empty there is not much need for a bottle brush. Once you start using oxyclean there is really no need as that stuff will dissolve just about anything with a good soak.

Heck I just oxy'd a baked on casserole dish last night. I checked on it this morning and it just needs to be rinsed. If it can handle that with no scrubbing, then whatever little bit o crud in the bottom of a bottle has no chance. Oxy-clean rules.

 

[Grimsawyer]

uhh... guys.... what's a bottle brush? And this carboy brush you speak of.... What is it for?