Using soda water bottles - are they sanitary?

[Phlosef]

Hello,

My first batch is fermenting and bottling day is fast approaching, I'm going to be using 1L plastic soda water bottles from Aldi since they can take the fizz and shouldn't impart any residual flavours to the beer.

A friend has told me that if I pour away the soda water just before I fill the bottles I won't need to sanitise them, does anyone have any thoughts on this? It's very tempting to believe him, would certainly make things easier for me.

If anyone has had any experience with this I'd really appreciate your advice, be it a green light or words of warning

Thanks

 

[MaxStout]

The soda water will have been packaged under sanitary conditions, so if you minimize exposure after the bottles have been opened and drained, you should be good. Empty them and keep them inverted to limit influx of germs (or put small pieces of sanitized foil over the mouths). But if you have left them exposed a while, you should sanitize them prior to bottling.

 

[IslandLizard]

Sure, they will work fine.
Rinse and sanitize (e.g., StarSan) including the threads and cap before filling. Leave a little head space, not too much, maybe around 20ml for a liter bottle.

Don't forget to prime your beer with some sugar before filling, so it will carbonate.

Enjoy your first homebrew after 2-3 weeks!

 

[wyccad915]

I basically opened mine (2 liter bottles) and dumped them before, but i still sanitized. The solution was probably weak, but i assume it was better than nothing. I had a diluted solution in a spray bottle and I basically gave some sprays, filled with some water, capped and shook up a bit. I'd play it safe and sanitize.

 

[Rkb1983]

Yeah I did the same thing but also dunked in sanitizer first. It's an easy step and worth it. Make sure to hide them from sunlight.

 

[Yooper]

Hello,

My first batch is fermenting and bottling day is fast approaching, I'm going to be using 1L plastic soda water bottles from Aldi since they can take the fizz and shouldn't impart any residual flavours to the beer.

A friend has told me that if I pour away the soda water just before I fill the bottles I won't need to sanitise them, does anyone have any thoughts on this? It's very tempting to believe him, would certainly make things easier for me.

If anyone has had any experience with this I'd really appreciate your advice, be it a green light or words of warning

Thanks

Sanitizing takes like 15 seconds, so I'd just go ahead and do it. It's not any "easier" to not take an extra 10 seconds to do something correctly.

 

[AkTom]

I use soda bottles of various sizes. I don't take the labels off. That way I can take them places and have a beer incognito ;-) I mainly use glass but use a few soda bottles to check on the carbonation process.

 

[Phlosef]

Thanks for all the responses, seems like the general feeling is that shortcuts aren't worth the risk. I have Wilko Brucleanse, which isn't a very convenient cleanser/sanitiser since it requires a good rinse (surely this negates the work it does unless using boiled, cooled water? I struggle to see how I can practically achieve this for bottles). Everybody recommends StarSan but it's not that easy to come by in the UK, whereas I can get my hands on iodophor quite easily, has anyone had much success using it as a no-rinse sanitiser?

 

[Mike_kever_kombi]

Iadophor?

Sure. Mix it up as directed on package.

Ive been using for 10 years probably.

2 things about it. If you leave it sit in white plastic too long it will stain plastic. This has no adverse affects other than cosmetic

After it has been "mixed" it doesn't have nearly the shelf life star San does, maybe 2 days at the very most. Unmixed mine lasts about a year, it may last longer, but after a year my big bottle is empty.

 

[Bellybuster]

Amazon UK has starsan

 

[Phlosef]

Yeah I have seen StarSan on Amazon UK, but including delivery it's about £20, that works out at roughly $30, any US people able to let me know if that's reasonable?

Considering I can buy it at a local pharmacy for around £5 I'm leaning towards iodophor, are there any fellow UK brewers that could recommend a brand (or whether or not it matters)?

 

[Bellybuster]

$30 is crazy!!!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks for all the responses, seems like the general feeling is that shortcuts aren't worth the risk. I have Wilko Brucleanse, which isn't a very convenient cleanser/sanitiser since it requires a good rinse (surely this negates the work it does unless using boiled, cooled water? I struggle to see how I can practically achieve this for bottles). Everybody recommends StarSan but it's not that easy to come by in the UK, whereas I can get my hands on iodophor quite easily, has anyone had much success using it as a no-rinse sanitiser?

Yes, I believe iodophor can be used a no rinse sanitizer. If your intention is to rinse w/ tap water, I wouldn't bother and would use the seltzer bottles as "new" and emptied.
Wilko Brucleanse is sodium percarbonate, aka oxi clean, or one step.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

I brewed over 40 batch's of beer and fermented 30 or more batch's of wine. I NEVER ever used star san for anything. I just washed everything with one step. Never had any issues with infection of any sort. Everything does not have to be star san soaked or sprayed.