Fadeux dude,
Yup,
about the only thing you can do wrong
is not to sanitize well.
But what does this mean?
What does it mean to sanitize everything?
Hmmm...
After brewing 15 or 16 years {I forgot}
I have learned to soak the bottling bucket 'valve' in Idophor,
{removed, open, 'sanitize' and then replace.}
Before even sanitizing the bottling bucket.
{It sanitizes the outside of the valve and the insides too}
Take a long brush and after dipping it in Idophor
running it through the reracking cane,
bottling cane, reracking hose.
Before you even sanitize the canes and hoses.
Then soak them in Idophor.
{I have a long wire that is run the entire length of the hose
and the brush is pulled through backwards.}
An ice tea spoon you are going to use to grab your hop bags
out of the hot water can be sanitized.
As can the plate it will sit on.
Writing everything down on a big piece of paper
and hanging it in front of you when you brew is a good idea,
I do that too.
Everything that gets Idophored for each step,
1. Brewing
2. reracking
3. bottling
But the most important thing to 'Sanitize' is your hands.
Think where your hands have been,
You pat your dog, scratch your axx, lift the toliet seat,
Soak your hands in Idophor water 2-3 minutes
and 'use a clock' so you can't cheat,
the longer the better.
Use nylon hop bags and sanitize them.
Rinse them good {with clean hands.}
I remember the advise:
"Knife, throw away thise 10 year old cloth hop bags!"
My ale improved vastly after that.
Wouldn't hurt to use plastic gloves while brewing
'but I can't work in them.
There, I have a batch of 'Crystal bisquet' which is ready to bottle.
And my disability check comes tomorrow.
I am headed down to the Homebrew Headquarters
and 'get me' a new bottling bucket 'valve' as mine leaks.
Its the washers, but the old valve is 15-16 years old
I can't really 'get in there' to clean it
like I can a cane or a hose so I'll just get another
and have a spare for emergencies.
Good luck homebrewing
Lets 'git ignert' and go coon hunting!
J. Winters von Knife
and Sandymay
jacksknifeshop
Jack the Knife's World Famous Fifth century forge, Knife shop and Skullery