Sterilising in the oven

[Kaesaeki]

I'm just getting my kit together for my first brew. I also make jams and chutney and have always sterilised my jars in either the dishwasher or the oven. Can I do this for the beer bottles as well? Obviously all other equipment would use steriliser but this could save a lot of bottle sterilising time.

Thanks

 

[bucketnative]

Dry heat sterilization, at least in the proper sense, uses cycles that are typically on the order of 160°C for 2 hours or 170°C for 1 hour. Not sure that will save so much time, especially when you have to wait for the bottles to cool. Factor in handling hot bottles and the potential for thermal shock of bottles... ugh. (Note, sanitization requires less time)

I would get the "vinator bottle rinser" with bottle tree and use Star San. Hands down the biggest bottling process improvement for me.

 

[kristiismean]

i agree with bucknative 90%

the Vinator will do a better job as well.

The 10% is I would never get a bottle tree. Fast rack does not put anything inside of your freshly sanitized bottles.

 

[Sailingeric]

When I bottled, I just filled up the kitchen sink, soak a half dozen bottles, pull them out and put in the next set while I was filling.

 

[Cyclman]

It is not the fastest way to do it, but it would work. I like the VInator, myself.

 

[petrolSpice]

I use the Vintator also, but I don't bother putting the bottles upside down to dry after. I let the Starsan drip out for a few seconds, give the bottle a little shake to get the remaining drops out, and then place it upright ready to accept some delicious beer.

 

[Sadu]

I tried baking bottles in the oven, also boiling them in a large pot. Found it too cumbersome and slow. Plus I read that the bottles weaken after a few times baking in the oven which doesn't appeal to me.

My preferred method is to rinse bottles immediately after drinking then soak in a bucket of cleaner for a few days until there are 10 or so bottles. Then I bottle brush the insides, rinse off the cleaner solution and dry them upside down on a rack. Then store the clean/dry bottles in boxes until needed. On bottling day they get 1 minute in a bucket of starsan right before filling.

The sanitising part is easy, it's the cleaning part where mistakes can happen.

This process works well since it can be done in small timeslots, 5 mins here or there to progress some bottles to the next stage in the cleaning process. I find it less intrusive to do a bit of bottle cleaning here and there rather than a mega-session.

 

[Fizzycist]

I use iodophor in a simple spritzer bottle. Cheaper than starsan and vinator and just as effective. Set them upright and just dump right before filling. I'd use the same basic technique for cheese, jam, anything I want sanitized.