Oven bottle sanitizing
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Some people do. But I think it takes a while. I can't remember the time frame for dry sanitizing but the process is like trying to recreate an autoclave without the pressure or steam. Much easier to use a chemical sanitizer like Quat, Iodofor, or Star San. Those three are all different. Quat is quaternary ammonium and it's what we use for everything in restaurants. I usually use Iodofor or the equivalent at home because it's relatively cheap and they sell it at the homebrew store. I'm pretty sure Star San is chlorine based and I don't use it.
I have never done it, because sanitizing isn't too hard really, and I don't plan well enough in advance.
But if you want to do it, make sure you put your bottles in before you turn on your oven. You might want to work your way up to sanitation temperatures. There are resources that will say how long at what temperature you need to be. The higher the temperature the less time.
But once again, make sure that you bring them up to the temperature, and back down to room temperature slowly. Glass will shatter with extreme temperature changes.
I think I read somewhere that Papazian says you can cover the tops with tin foil, heat them and then turn your oven off and they will stay sanitized for a very long time. Like you could put them in there now, turn it off later today and then bottle tomorrow. Don't quote me on that though because I am not sure where I heard it.
But for me, spraying them full of star san and letting them sit in my dish washer is easier than using the dishwasher or oven. And a vinator and bottle tree would even be 100x easier.
But if you want to do it, make sure you put your bottles in before you turn on your oven. You might want to work your way up to sanitation temperatures. There are resources that will say how long at what temperature you need to be. The higher the temperature the less time.
But once again, make sure that you bring them up to the temperature, and back down to room temperature slowly. Glass will shatter with extreme temperature changes.
I think I read somewhere that Papazian says you can cover the tops with tin foil, heat them and then turn your oven off and they will stay sanitized for a very long time. Like you could put them in there now, turn it off later today and then bottle tomorrow. Don't quote me on that though because I am not sure where I heard it.
But for me, spraying them full of star san and letting them sit in my dish washer is easier than using the dishwasher or oven. And a vinator and bottle tree would even be 100x easier.
LordUlrich
Well-Known Member
I use oven sanitizing when I plan to bottle a lot of beer. What I do is, spray water into a clean bottle (to get rid of any dust that may have settled in sense i cleaned them), then put them in the oven. I let the oven heat to 400 with the bottles in it (still damp from the quick rinse) when my oven thermometer reads 400 i set a timer for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off i turn off the oven, leaving the door closed. It generally takes about 1 hr for the bottles to cool, but i generally try to let them set overnight.
As I understand it what I do is actually disinfection (better than sanitization, not quite sterlization)
As I understand it what I do is actually disinfection (better than sanitization, not quite sterlization)
Clann
Well-Known Member
No it is not.
I've found it is pretty easy to throw em in the dishwasher on the sanitize setting. Then take them out, lay sanitized caps on top, place in a box and they are ready to go when I need em. Several months between and no infections.
Shockerengr
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Thanks. I couldn't remember which one I was looking at when I was at the LHBS. Regardless I like the iodine based stuff.
I've been oven sanitizing for a few years now. Works well for me. Rinse out the bottles right after drinking, let dry upside down. When I have enough empties I put a small square of tinfoil over each one, put them in the oven, turn the oven on to 350 and set the timer for 80 min or so (20 min to get to temp, 1 hr to bake). When the timer goes off I turn off the oven. Next morning I put the clean bottles in milk crates and put them away. The whole process takes 15 min total.
I like it because I always have at least 2-3 cases of bottles ready to go when bottling time comes around. Since they've been oven sterilized they'll stay clean almost indefinitely. Makes bottling that much quicker since I don't have to sanitize bottles.
Just what's worked as my process. Maybe one day I'll borrow a vinator and bottle tree and see how they compare. For now I'm pretty content, though.
I like it because I always have at least 2-3 cases of bottles ready to go when bottling time comes around. Since they've been oven sterilized they'll stay clean almost indefinitely. Makes bottling that much quicker since I don't have to sanitize bottles.
Just what's worked as my process. Maybe one day I'll borrow a vinator and bottle tree and see how they compare. For now I'm pretty content, though.
Also, I would suggest not using quat. It will kill head retention.
Germelli1
Well-Known Member
You aren't even sanatizing in the oven, you are STERILIZING. Heat sterilization beats any of our chemical sanatizers hands down. Running bottles through the dishwasher is the same concept...the heat virually whips out any living microbe.
The only time I have sterilized in the oven is times when I wanted to get bottles stored and ready for a multi batch bottling day. I was headed off to school and planned to come home the second weekend of the semester when we had a 3 day weekend. I had 12 gallons of apple wine and 5 gallons of beer to bottle on one day! I put tin foil tightly over the tops of the bottles, tossed them in the oven for a half hour at 400. After they cooled I just tossed them in empty boxes.
The next weekend, I had 4 cases of already sterile bottles read to go!
It was very convenient and will probably become a regular practice so I move bottles around less between uses!
The only time I have sterilized in the oven is times when I wanted to get bottles stored and ready for a multi batch bottling day. I was headed off to school and planned to come home the second weekend of the semester when we had a 3 day weekend. I had 12 gallons of apple wine and 5 gallons of beer to bottle on one day! I put tin foil tightly over the tops of the bottles, tossed them in the oven for a half hour at 400. After they cooled I just tossed them in empty boxes.
The next weekend, I had 4 cases of already sterile bottles read to go!
It was very convenient and will probably become a regular practice so I move bottles around less between uses!
djt17
Well-Known Member
When I was bottling I used a Vinator & a bottle tree. I never tried the oven because I figured in the time it took to load the oven, I can sanitize with a Vinator. Works great, no waiting to heat the oven or cool the bottles.
Yeah just throwing it out there. I know it leaves a film on everything that continues to keep the surface sanitized. And that residue on glassed/equipment is then transferred to beer/wort. That's why we use it in the restaurant.
Germelli1
Well-Known Member
I understand that! I just liked the oven because I could sterilize the bottles before hand, and felt it was much safer to store the bottles after they had been sterilized rather than sanatized.
Speaking of never using this technique, Im gonna try it out the next time I bottle. I keg, but I have I started doing smaller 2.5 gallon batches that will be bottled in 22oz's and this seems easy enough.
what does high heat fluctuating with cold temps do people?
that's right, it expands and contracts things...it weakens them. that's why I don't heat sanitize.
I don't believe a regular oven can sterilize bottles, and 'moist heat' is only applicable if we are talking about auto-clave sterilization...STEAM under pressure...
In the time my oven takes to heat up to 'sanitizing' temps, I could run 2 cases of bottles through star-san and be bottling already.
that's right, it expands and contracts things...it weakens them. that's why I don't heat sanitize.
I don't believe a regular oven can sterilize bottles, and 'moist heat' is only applicable if we are talking about auto-clave sterilization...STEAM under pressure...
In the time my oven takes to heat up to 'sanitizing' temps, I could run 2 cases of bottles through star-san and be bottling already.
I've used some bottles for more than 30 batches with nary a broken one. And as far as whether an oven can sterilize bottles or not, well, I'm going with John Palmer on that one: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter2-2-3.html. You want steam? Spray each bottle with water before baking.
Not trying to fight, just pointing out that different methods work for different people. Oven sanitizing takes more time, but I don't think it takes more work (I think less, actually). Plus I like having lots of sterilized bottles ready to go at any time.
Different strokes ...
orangehero
Well-Known Member
Last time I tried this I got a bad smell in the bottles from the aluminum foil. It may have been due to a non-stick surface, which I was concerned about, but the packaging did not indicate anything.
I only use my oven when doing a LOT of bottles. I'm talking 100 or so. Oven shelf on the bottom, and two FULL rows of bottles with little foil hats. Load them all up at night, turn on the oven to 400, wait an hour, and then turn off. Bottle in the morning.
Malkore, my oven will TOTALLY get to sterilization temps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_heat_sterilization
B
Malkore, my oven will TOTALLY get to sterilization temps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_heat_sterilization
B
