Want to save time bottling - Nervous about cleaning

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bigben

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I have read several times that if you rinse your bottles out after each use that you can just sanitize them and they are good to go.

I always rinse with hot water after using mine....then I store them in the garage. Problem is there are all types of critters that get in my garage (insects).

So I was thinking I may just spray the insides with my bottle washer, then sanitize them with Iodophor...would this be ok? Or since they are in my garage with insects and dust and crap do I need to give them a quick cleaning with Oxiclean first.

Also, I have a case of brand new bottles. Can I just rinse/sanitize them or should they be washed since they are new?

Thanks!
 
I always actually wash mine after each use rather than just rinse. My typical process is to rinse them immediately after I have poured out the contents, then, once I have 5 or 6 empties, I clean them with Oxyclean and store them in a rubbermaid container once they have dried. On bottling day I just sanitize with Iodophor and fill.
 
I'm with the Jaded Dog on this one. Rinse immediately after use, then get a batch together for a long soak in hot water and oxyclean. Then store (upside down to try and prevent stuff getting in.

On bottling day, rinse with sanitizer then use fawcet jet thingie to rinse with cold water. Bottle.

Has worked for me sofar.

I had to wash about 40 bottles last saturday, not as much fun as you might think. But then, when bottling on Sunday, I discovered that my little hand capper couldn't cap some of them, including some wychwood bottles that looked really nice. Well annoyed. Then SWMBO just keeps saying we ought to be kegging. Well, if you insist!
 
You should be fine to just sanitize with your bottle washer, I would recomend putting them upside down with a couple of paper towels on the bottom of the case when you store them. I don't think too many critters will crawl in that way.
 
cd2448 said:
But then, when bottling on Sunday, I discovered that my little hand capper couldn't cap some of them, including some wychwood bottles that looked really nice. Well annoyed.

Dude, that happened to me yesterday! I was pissed. I wanted that Hobgoblin bottle filled with my own goodness. :(
 
@sTango - infuriated, plus of course i didn't have any other bottles handy and clean and sanitized - had to throw a couple of pints away. oddly, one of the bottles was ok, but the other 5 are no good - might try and get another capper as i love the bottles

on the subject of "new" bottles - i'd just sanitize and rinse - should be ok
 
I think im just gonna rinse them all(new and pre-rinsed bottles) with the bottle washer...hot water.

Then dunk in iodophor and hang on my bottle tree.
 
Bottle cleaning is just one of those jobs that has to be done. If you cut corners on them, you'll have problems down the road. This is one of the main reasons guys switch over to kegging.

I am going to be bottling a couple batches coming up soon. Since I haven't bottled in a long time, I will have to scrub them well, then sanitize them. I usually soak them in a big plastic tote, scrub them, and rinse. I will then start over with fresh, warm water, and the B-brite sanitizer, (that's what I have on hand) and soak them, again, in that solution. Then rinse and place upside down in my dishwasher. The day before I am going to bottle, I fire up the dishwasher, with some bleach, and let it run the full cycle, and leave it closed until I am ready to bottle.

It's a pain, but it's just something that MUST be done, and done properly.

Good luck
 
Bombo80 said:
Bottle cleaning is just one of those jobs that has to be done. If you cut corners on them, you'll have problems down the road. This is one of the main reasons guys switch over to kegging.

I am going to be bottling a couple batches coming up soon. Since I haven't bottled in a long time, I will have to scrub them well, then sanitize them. I usually soak them in a big plastic tote, scrub them, and rinse. I will then start over with fresh, warm water, and the B-brite sanitizer, (that's what I have on hand) and soak them, again, in that solution. Then rinse and place upside down in my dishwasher. The day before I am going to bottle, I fire up the dishwasher, with some bleach, and let it run the full cycle, and leave it closed until I am ready to bottle.

It's a pain, but it's just something that MUST be done, and done properly.

Good luck

John Palmer disagrees...
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-2.html
 
sTango said:
Dude, that happened to me yesterday! I was pissed. I wanted that Hobgoblin bottle filled with my own goodness. :(
That happens to me all the time with my double lever. What I do is unscrew the little cup(the part that pushes down on the cap) and VERY CAREFULLY, line it up and use a drilling hammer to crimp the cap. Obviously there is risk of hitting too hard and shattering a bottle, so safety equipment is important. [Well, truthfully, I'm an idiot and just grab the SOB with my bare hands and smack away, but like I said, thats stupid. You should probably wear gloves, googles, facemask, lead shield, bulletproof glass barrier... you get the idea.] I've capped over 100 bottles this way.
 
cd2448 said:
I'm with the Jaded Dog on this one. Rinse immediately after use, then get a batch together for a long soak in hot water and oxyclean. Then store (upside down to try and prevent stuff getting in.

On bottling day, rinse with sanitizer then use fawcet jet thingie to rinse with cold water. Bottle.

Has worked for me sofar.

I had to wash about 40 bottles last saturday, not as much fun as you might think. But then, when bottling on Sunday, I discovered that my little hand capper couldn't cap some of them, including some wychwood bottles that looked really nice. Well annoyed. Then SWMBO just keeps saying we ought to be kegging. Well, if you insist!
Check the metal clamps on your capper. If they have another set of cresents cut out on the back side then you can remove them and turn them around to be used on a different size neck.

As for the Palmer book...I have several bottle brushes. I cut the loop off of one and insert it into a (cordless) drill to clean the insides of my bottles. Works like a charm.;)
 
homebrewer_99 said:
Check the metal clamps on your capper. If they have another set of cresents cut out on the back side then you can remove them and turn them around to be used on a different size neck...;)
Are you talking about the double lever capper
handcapper.jpg
?
You may just save me a finger!:cross:
 
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