Something I didn't think I see in HB

[IrregularPulse]

One thing I never thought I'd see in the HB life when starting. First bottling day tomorrow morning. Prepping bottles. haha

 

[kenche]

My momma's oven never looked like that.

 

[Chello]

are you heating to sterilize or to dry?

 

[malkore]

I'm sure he is using dry heat to SANITIZE. (sterilizing is a whole different ballpark that home brewers don't need to do)

 

[IrregularPulse]

I just heard the easiest thing to prep bottle ios to just put them in the oven at 350 for about an hour to sanitize

*after they were physically clean of course*

 

[Rick_R]

Let me know how it went. I've been thinking of trying that method, but given the suggestion of slowly bringing it up to temp and slowly taking it back down to room temp to avoid breakage (<5 degrees/minute, so 70 to 350 means bringing it to temp over an hour's time up, an hour's back down) I've been hesitant.

As to sterilize/sanitize, the oven method sterilizes 'em.

Rick

 

[IrregularPulse]

Ha didnt notice that section. I put them in the oven and turned it on to 350. THe bottles were a little warm after coming out of the dishwasher in sanitize and heated dry. then after 45 minutes or so just turned the oven off and left them over night. No breakage or cracks on any bottles. I'll let you know if I get any bombs


*If my beer ever transfers to the bottling bucket!
Siphoning problem figured out. Appearently I skipped second grade the day the talked about gravity. Im such an idiot. Just uber excited about bottling first batch I guess...Yeah Thats it.

 

[raceskier]

It's the only method, I've ever used. BTW 1 hour at 350 will indeed sterilize, not just sanitize. I cap with aluminum foil prior to going into the oven and then have bottles that will stay contamination free until bottling. FYI, if you take out the upper racks and stand the bottles vertical, you can get more bottles in the oven. Better packing factor and all.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

BTW 1 hour at 350 will indeed sterilize, not just sanitize.

Until you open the oven door. It's hard, if not impossible, to maintain a sterile environment in one's home. "Sanitize" is still probably a more appropriate term.

 

[Rick_R]

I would disagree, Yuri, in that you are sterilizing the bottles -- particularly, with the foil on top, the inside of the bottles. Point being, you are doing a better job of killing any biological nastiness that might be hanging around inside the bottles.

Why that matters, to me, is that I would not sanitize and cap with foil then use them two weeks later -- but I would with the oven sterilization method. That's why it's attractive to me; I can sterilize a case of empties as they become empties, then set them aside until I need them -- whether a day, week, or month later.

Rick

 

[IrregularPulse]

Yes I have some bottles that were left over after bottling with foil still on them that are in storage and when my next batch is ready I see no reason to re-sanitize, but may since I will have to do more bottle anyways.


My bottling was a success. My only tip to people about to do their first batch:

If using bottles from other imports you've drank that had cool bottle test your caps first. I filled 2 BIG bottles and ended up not having the BB's caps fit. One was a Left Hand Brewing Companies Imperail Stout Big bottle and another was a 22 oz HobGoblin. Standard crwon caps will not fit these.

 

[raceskier]

IP,

What capper are you using? I was able to successfully cap the Hobgoblin 22 oz with standard caps and a Super Agata capper. Haven't tried the Left Coast.

 

[hammer one]

Thats the way I do my bottles except for I don't use foil. I heat them up to 350 for 30min the night before and don't open the oven until I'm ready to fill. as far as saving foiled bottles,.,.,., ? .,., you'll be heat treating on your next batch any way. better safe than sorry.

 

[IrregularPulse]

race skier- I have the bottle capper that came with my kit, sorry don't know what it is. It fits the caps that come with brewers Best kit real nice. All I know is when trying to bottle my hobgoblin bottle the cap just shot across the room and broke a small tab off my capper. Maybe they were different bottles? The lip did look different then the rest of my bottle. I just wish I'd had tried it before removing the label. I would have left it on for display.

 

[Desert_Sky]

this reminds me, I need to go hug my kegs

 

[IrregularPulse]

Hug them for me and let them know after bottling two batches I'll be adopting their brothers and sisters as soon as the funds are available!