Bottle drying tree... any alternative suggestions?

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Saturday Apr 22, 2006 10:40 pm

Anyone got a creative & practical suggestion for drying bulk bottles (ie 40+) apart from a drying tree?

I can't weld & dunno where to find one locally.

Thanx,
Oscar.

dags64 · Post by **dags64** » Saturday Apr 22, 2006 11:17 pm

I use my dishwasher, once all bottles are washed just put them on the spikes on the dishwasher racks

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Saturday Apr 22, 2006 11:24 pm

Fair call dags64, but I doubt u can fit 40-50 stubbies on your dishwasher spikes & I don't have a dishwasher.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 7:50 am

Funny, I was just mulling over some plans to somehow make a drying contraption out of about 50 wire coathangers I have had lying around. Still don't have a frikkin clue how, but it will happen.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 9:42 am

Maybe a stick with 50 nails in it.

bigbanko · Post by **bigbanko** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 10:39 am

Hi
I use a piece of steel mesh 1.5m long x .8m wide and support it on some 90x45 timber around the edges and one in the middle.
The mesh I use has a 50mm square apature and is similar to the mesh used in concrete formwork only smaller, and its galvanised so it won't rust.
The piece I have will hold around 80 long necks or stubbies turned upside down.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 1:59 pm

Now there's a good idea bigbanko!

vitalogy · Post by **vitalogy** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 2:53 pm

I haven't tried this myself, but a mate of mine sticks his bottles in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Sounds like it'd work okay, unless it weakens the bottles.

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 3:58 pm

I use a wire rack/basket that has approx 35x35mm holes. I have heard of people using old screen doors (with the criss cross pattern - minus the flyscreen) suspended on milk crates.

The Brown Hornet · Post by **The Brown Hornet** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 4:48 pm

I work along the same lines as BigBanko....

I use a bit of the security screen door mesh layed out on a couple of crates. It's aluminium so light and rust proof.
Anything in this sort of vein that you can pick up should work ok.

As an alternative, my father in law uses a bit of ply into which he has bored about 40mm holes. He has a few of them that fit 30 each. They have a simple sort of frame under them so the necks can stick through the holes. He can even pick em up while they're full of bottles and move about should he need to.

Cheers

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 9:03 pm

I just wash my bottles, sterilise them rinse and fill em.

It's even easier with neo pink of that pos stuff, just wash and sterilise in one go, rinse and fill.

Daron · Post by **Daron** » Sunday Apr 23, 2006 9:23 pm

I've tried arsing about for a few years with the dishwasher, crate, etc... best $35 I spent was on a bottle tree! It holds 60+ bottles, easily stored and stable... worth its weight in gold!!!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Apr 24, 2006 9:44 am

I'm with you Daron.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Monday Apr 24, 2006 11:42 pm

Bought a tree today. The red plastic one with the optional bottle washer on top.
Was $25 (tree) + $22 (washer).

I reckon the washer cost was a bit of a rip, but good design (well, could be better coz ome of my shorter necked stubbies don't all fit on the branches

), but the idea of unscrewing to tiny bits is cool!

MattyV · Post by **MattyV** » Tuesday Apr 25, 2006 10:02 am

Hey Oscar, where did you get your tree from? Cheers

MattyV

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Tuesday Apr 25, 2006 3:22 pm

This is what I use

Fits 50 bottles, and the rods are spaced far enough apart that the wider bottles like Bundaberg Gingbeer, 500ml imports and 750ml longnecks can fit on without blocking the spaces next to them.

zook37 · Post by **zook37** » Tuesday Apr 25, 2006 4:08 pm

I have around 30 milk crates. stores most of the bottles I have (each holds about 15 bottles) The rest are just rinsed well and sit upright in the brew shed Works a treat, then I sterilise just before bottling.

BeerFrenzy · Post by **BeerFrenzy** » Wednesday Apr 26, 2006 8:28 am

Im with Daron and Chris.... the bottle tree is the best expense I made...I paid $35 bucks... and I've forgotten about the expense now...I use it all the time and its easy, portable, and space-saving.

bkmad · Post by **bkmad** » Wednesday Apr 26, 2006 1:28 pm

I'm with Wassa, I just sterilise, rinse and then fill all in one go. Obviously I rinse the bottles out after pouring a beer, but they just go into a milk crate until I need them again. Never had a problem in 10 years of brewing with this method. I've never understood why you would need to dry the bottles out?

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Wednesday Apr 26, 2006 9:21 pm

bkmad wrote:I'm with Wassa, I just sterilise, rinse and then fill all in one go. Obviously I rinse the bottles out after pouring a beer, but they just go into a milk crate until I need them again. Never had a problem in 10 years of brewing with this method. I've never understood why you would need to dry the bottles out?

I agree, I'm already adding water to my brew because I bulk prime, (water/dex) the little bit on the inside of the bottles is not going to hurt