Sanitizing Gaskets for Swing Top Bottling

[ultravista]

When using swing top bottles, do you pull the gasket off the top to soak before bottling or leave the gaskets on and santize with a misting of star-san?

If taken off, do you wear gloves when reseating the gaskets or keep your hands wet with the sanitizing solution?

I've got a vinator and bottle tree, the entire cap and gasket gets wet when plunging the solution upwards into the bottle.

 

[Revvy]

I just make sure that when the starsan falls out of the bottle after pumping with the vinator, that it drips onto the gasket. And if I'm feelin extra conscious I just swhish the stopper with the gasket inside the bowl of the vinator.

Nothing too fancy.....As long as it gets some santizer on it, that's all that matters. You could even spritz them with a spray bottle of sanitizer.

 

[wyzazz]

I sanitize my bottles in a 5gallon bucket of sanitizer, I leave the gaskets on the bottles and dunk them. Like Revvy said above, as long as they are wet (and were visibly clean) there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

 

[stp]

I made the mistake on my first brew and left the entire gasket/clasp assembly in my mixed starsan for too long. I bought the EZ cap bottles brand new and they were not attached to the bottles, that's why I did this. But because it was my first time bottling they ended up there for over an hour. When I got around to putting them on, the metal clasp started to leave metal residue on my fingers. I'm guessing they were exposed to the starsan for too long. Won't be doing that again.

 

[ultravista]

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to follow your advice. I've got new gaskets ready for older bottles.

I can't wait. I've had a Newcastle clone in the primary for about a month now. For the most part, the fermentation concluded long ago, it is now just conditioning.

I bought the vinator and bottle tree from Midwest Supplies, both should be here on the 16th. Then it's bottling time.

STP, I've got a bunch of Grolsch bottles (green) that I will be using this batch. I also bought used Ez-Cap bottles (24) and the clasps are a little rough, maybe oxidized.

They are sitting in Oxiclean. A 3M scrubby pad cleans them up nicely, not to a shine, but takes the rough gritty feel off the metal.