Sanitising Bottles

[nicklawmusic]

I'm about to bottle my first batch. Iv already given the bottles a good clean and left them to dry, however, they all need sanitising.

I'm using Starsan and was wondering if I rise each bottle out with Starsan but didn't given them time to dry off, what would happen? I mean, any left over Starsan becomes good for yeast right?!

I won't get time to do this until I get home from work this evening, so I'll be starting around 9pm and I haven't got a way to dry these bottles upside down.

Tips?

 

[Nok]

Hey! I'm also getting ready to bottle my first batch today and my bottles are just about done soaking so I'll be sanitizing very soon.

From what I have learned, as long as the liquid of the Starsan is emptied from the bottles you're good to go. "Don't fear the foam" seems to be a pretty standard phrase and from watching videos, it looks like filling the bottles will push most of the foam out anyway. I've also read that Starsan is more effective while wet as opposed to dry, with perhaps dry Starsan being inactive?

This is just what I've learned over the past few weeks so don't quote me on anything. Best of luck with your bottling!

Happy Brewing!

 

[duboman]

Star San is 'wet contact', you don't want it to dry and don't fear the foam

 

[nicklawmusic]

Thanks

 

[ianw58]

Wet contact does not mean that the item is no longer sanitized if the surface is dry.

It means that the surface must remain wet for a certain period to ensure complete sanitizing. If the sanitizer needs 2 minutes but the surface is dry in 30 seconds, it has not had time to do the job properly.

As long as the surface stays wet long enough, the item will remain sanitized if it is covered with a sanitary cover.

I often clean and sanitize bottles long befor I use them. I seal each bottle with a small square of aluminum foil. You can, too.

Recently though, I picked up a Vinator Bottle Rinser. A good squirt of StarSan into the bottle before filling (after 60 seconds of contact time) and you're good to go.

 

[Nok]

Wet contact does not mean that the item is no longer sanitized if the surface is dry.

It means that the surface must remain wet for a certain period to ensure complete sanitizing. If the sanitizer needs 2 minutes but the surface is dry in 30 seconds, it has not had time to do the job properly.

As long as the surface stays wet long enough, the item will remain sanitized if it is covered with a sanitary cover.

I often clean and sanitize bottles long befor I use them. I seal each bottle with a small square of aluminum foil. You can, too.

Recently though, I picked up a Vinator Bottle Rinser. A good squirt of StarSan into the bottle before filling (after 60 seconds of contact time) and you're good to go.

Thanks for the clarification! I was pretty sure I had understood that incorrectly. I also like the idea of aluminum foil! I have collected spent bottle caps for a couple years now so I ended up sanitizing a few of those to seal my empty bottles. It seemed like a good idea at the time but it was a bit of unnecessary work when I went to sanitize the bottles.

To OP: How did your bottling experience go? My awesome beer-maiden (the wife) made my first bottling experience a breeze! We worked up a little factory line and I didn't even get to drink my first beer before we were done. Hope all went well, be sure to update!

Happy Brewing!