Washing Bottles

[MrBJones]

My first batch of homebrew is gone, and tomorrow I'll be filling the now-empty bottles with the next batch. As each bottle was emptied, I gave it a hard rinse with a Jet carboy/bottle washer, using hot water; nothing ever had a chance to dry before the rinse. Before reusing the bottles, do you think it'll be enough to just give them a good submerged soak in StarSan?

 

[bken620]

As long as all the sediment is gone, you should be fine.

 

[flars]

I jet wash hot like you do. I follow with a quick jet rinse with cold. Hot water from the tank has a mineral taste. Dry the bottles upside down before putting them in cases. I don't submerge bottles in the Star San solution. Just add a couple of ounces, shake and pour out into a bucket with the larger items to sanitize. Excess foam drips out in the FastRack while filling.

Your method is very good.

 

[catdaddy66]

If you rinse/clean immediately then a sanitizing rinse in star san is all you need. I have done the same for years with no issues.

 

[KingBeer]

I soak all the bottles in oxygen clean in a cooler and then rinse. Just sanitize then on bottling day

 

[MaryB]

I sometimes get a mini krausen ring in my bottles so I run a finger inside the neck after rinsing, then rinse one more time. If I am soaking labels off any other bottles they get a trip through PBW with them. Otherwise a star san dunk, empty into the rack right before filling and I fill while wet.

 

[dstockwell]

Before I use my bottles, they go through dishwasher, no soap, sani-rinse.

 

[unionrdr]

I rinse the gunk out, soak in a bucket of PBW. Then scrub inside & out, rinse & onto the bottle tree to dry before storage.

 

[GrogNerd]

I sometimes get a mini krausen ring in my bottles so I run a finger inside the neck after rinsing, then rinse one more time. If I am soaking labels off any other bottles they get a trip through PBW with them. Otherwise a star san dunk, empty into the rack right before filling and I fill while wet.

using DME for priming sugar?

and OP: you're good.

I suggest a vinator for sanitizing on bottling day

 

[catdaddy66]

using DME for priming sugar?

and OP: you're good.

I suggest a vinator for sanitizing on bottling day

I love this thing! It will be my next upgrade.

 

[GrogNerd]

I love this thing! It will be my next upgrade.

oh, it gets better... it goes on top of this bottle tree

 

[Brownalemikie]

Doing the same as OP, which brings up another question. How long can the bottles sit after they are sanitized? I've been sanitizing all 20 bottles at once then they might sit on the table for 20 minutes or so before I fill them all with beer. Thanks!

 

[unionrdr]

I have the Avinator & 45 bottle tree. I sanitize enough bottles at once to fill it. Then start filling bottles asap. As long as the bottles are upside down like that, they're fine. Nasty's in the air settle downward anyway.

 

[worlddivides]

I know a lot of people do this differently, but I very thoroughly wash out my bottles with water immediately after they've been poured (to prevent anything from drying). I oftentimes wash them out 2-3 times to make sure no sediment is left (I don't fill them all the way; that'd be a waste of water). Then I just soak them in a StarSan solution for about 10 minutes on bottling day, then let them drain on the top rack of a sanitized and clean empty dishwasher. It's worked great for me so far.

 

[MaryB]

I was using NB Fizz Drops and I think they are the source of the ring... the shell around the sugar they use... Last batch I switched to using using corn sugar so I will see in a week or so if it is the cause.. The beers had all fermented out, Chinook Ale I am drinking now hit an FG of 1.008... it has the ring...

using DME for priming sugar?

and OP: you're good.

I suggest a vinator for sanitizing on bottling day

 

[boscobeans]

Right after I pour the bottle gets rinsed and shaken then rinsed one more time with hot water. A quick peek and if I see a nice clean insides it goes on the bottle tree. When the bottle tree is full I slip the entire thing into one of those very large plastic trash bags and put it aside till bottling day.

On bottling day two or three pumps on the vinator with StarSan and in goes the beer.

 

[jmos]

I too rinse my bottles pretty much immediately after pouring. I have noticed some of my bottles have a hazy film inside, so I've gotten in the habit if holding them to the light after rinsing them, if I see anything I hit them with a bottle brush I keep by the sink. It comes off pretty easily.

(I do add whirlfloc to my batches, but I don't cold crash or fine, so maybe I wouldn't see this film if I did. It seems to be more pronounced in hoppier beers.)

I keep the empties covered in boxes until bottling day. Then I submerge them in Startsan, dump, and put on bottle tree (also sanitized.) My tree holds 45. Then they are good until I'm ready for them.

 

[JayInAmes]

I run mine through the dishwasher with no soap and no rinse additives. Then after cooling, I rinse them (no residues!), squirt in starsan, and set back in the dishwasher, then bottle.

 

[petrolSpice]

I rinse mine right after drinking with warm water then RO water (to prevent water spots), place upside down in the dish rack to dry, then back in the box.

Upon refilling I use the vinator to sanitize them with starsan.

And repeat...

Occasionally the bottle will have some un-rinseable residue on the inside, in which case I scrub it with a bottle brush and dish soap before drying.

 

[unionrdr]

My bottles get the best! Three Ferrari's for them!...The Avinator, the bottle tree & Super Agata bench capper!...:rockin:

 

[catdaddy66]

My bottles get the best! Three Ferrari's for them!...The Avinator, the bottle tree & Super Agata bench capper!...:rockin:

The trifecta!

 

[Devon]

using DME for priming sugar?

and OP: you're good.

I suggest a vinator for sanitizing on bottling day

The SWMBO gave me one of those for Christmas a few years ago and I didn't even take it out of the box until a few batches ago. I didn't know what I was missing.

I put a little Star San in it, and rinse each (clean) bottle immediately before filling. So easy.