Why sanitize bottles when you are putting alcohol in them?

[JimboJ]

Maybe this is a silly question, but...

If I am making a wine with say 12% alcohol, do I still need to sanitize the bottles and bottling equipment? Doesn't the alcohol in the wine accomplish the same thing? What level of alcohol is necessary to not require sanitizing?

 

[maltMonkey]

The alcohol will keep anything that can harm you from coming in, but wild yeast and bacteria can cause off flavors.

 

[Rhys79]

Cause you'll end up with sour beer like I did on my first batch when I didn't properly sanitize my bottles (Tbsp, not tsp of easy clean to a gallon :cross: ). Lactobacillus (sp??) and wild yeast do not make for a good tasting beer...

 

[JimboJ]

Cause you'll end up with sour beer like I did on my first batch when I didn't properly sanitize my bottles (Tbsp, not tsp of easy clean to a gallon :cross: ). Lactobacillus (sp??) and wild yeast do not make for a good tasting beer...

Beer I can understand. But wine has 2-3 times as much alcohol as beer. My question is how much alcohol does it take to kill the bacteria and wild yeast?

 

[Rhys79]

Sorry, new here, forgot I was in the Wine forum...

For wine it's acetobacter you have to worry about. It's the bacteria that makes vinegar (acetic acid) from alcohol. Unless you're shooting for vinegar, then by all means, don't sanitize your bottles.

 

[JimboJ]

Sorry, new here, forgot I was in the Wine forum...

For wine it's acetobacter you have to worry about. It's the bacteria that makes vinegar (acetic acid) from alcohol. Unless you're shooting for vinegar, then by all means, don't sanitize your bottles.

Ok so it sounds like some bacteria is more resistant to alcohol than others. Makes sense i guess. But it also makes sense that when you get to a certain level of alcohol, it must kill all bacteria. Its probably why 30 year old scotch never turns to vinegar. I'm just curious what % of alcohol will kill all bacteria.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Around 40%

 

[Sea]

Not sure of the exact % needed, but wine is deffinately not there. 30 year old scotch (probably put into sanitized bottles), is nearly 3.5 times as alcoholic as wine.

 

[maltMonkey]

The thing about wild yeast:

You've got to remember that it was yeast that got you to that alcohol content. They were living in the wine, so it wouldn't be wise to think that other yeast couldn't live in that environment.

 

[k1v1116]

I believe 70% alcohol by volume is the ideal number for sanitizing. I think once you get up to around 18-20% its unlikely that anything will grow in it, but why take the risk? this doesnt really apply to wine but in beer its not just the alcohol but the hops that reduce the risk spoilage / contamination. so at least in theory a 8% abv. IPA thats heavily hopped could be more resistant than a 12% wine. I've known people to add campden (potassium bi sulfite) before bottling to reduce oxidation and spoilage but its still a good idea to sanitize the bottles.

 

[mrhead]

I have always sanitized my bottles just before bottling time by sticking them all in a big pot of water and boiling it for 30 minutes or so. After boiling I drain them and slowly bring them down to room temperature. It's easy, quick, and free.

 

[MikeInCtown]

I'd bet my few tablespoons of sanitizer costs less than the gas, electric, or propane it took to heat the water that sanitized all your bottles for a half hour.

 

[JimboJ]

I'd bet my few tablespoons of sanitizer costs less than the gas, electric, or propane it took to heat the water that sanitized all your bottles for a half hour.

I was thinking the same thing. And how is it quick? Seems like a couple of hours total to get the water to boil, boiling itself and cooling down. And thats assuming you can fit all your bottles in one pot.

I think its MUCH easier to fill your bottling bucket with water and sanitizer (you gotta sanatize the bucket anyway), and put a half dozen or so bottles in there for about a minute. You can do 2 cases in about 10 minutes.

 

[mrhead]

To each his own I suppose; I've done it both ways, I prefer my way; the point is there's no good reason not to sanitize before bottling.

 

[CBBaron]

If you can ferment to an ABV then there is something living in that liquid. It seems likely that something less desirable could also survive.
That means you have to distill or fortify with a distilled liquid.
I think a 40% alcohol solution is free of living organisms. At 20% you are unlikely to have any problems but some yeasts can ferment to this level. At 12% the wine is fairly well preserved but there are some organisms that can ruin the batch if given the chance. Why give them the chance.
Craig