homebrewandbeer.com

Sorry guys,

Do you know what a "blog" is.

No matter how I do it, all good intentions intended, it will come out that way. Right now it puts bread on my table and a cold beer in my hand on Fridays.

Dogger

Dogger
I know the old "blog" even had a try at setting one up but just don't have time to keep it updated. (http://www.brodiescastle.com/blog/)

Why you ask? Do you have one hidden somewhere?

For sanitising, I use a device that acheives much the same effect as Dave's weedsprayer from Bunnings, but is more convenient.
I have affectionately dubbed it the "Ejaculator" (sorry, can't think of a female equivalent).
Bought from my HBS for about A$35.
Make by same company as made my drying tree. "Ejaculator" sits on top (well, it can - I sit it separately, but is is manufactured to sit on top).
"Ejaculator" is essentially a bowl (to place sanitising liquid in), a spigot to place the bottle on. When depressed, spigot squirts liquid into bottle (hence, if you will forgive my indelicacy, its nickname). Spigot is spring loaded, returns to normal position when released.
Several squirts into (clean) bottle. Place on drying tree. Wait 30 mins. I then rinse with boiled water (same technique), although am advised that it is unneccessary. Does'nt work well with swing-tops, or coke bottles.
Has significantly reduced sanitising time (I used to place bottles in a large plastic garden bin I bought for the purpose, filled with SMB - took considerably longer, used much more SMB solution, breathed lots more fumes, got cold/wet, sore back, ... ).
Found a good shortcut for cleaning too. Lazy bugger aren't I? Maybe I just don't understand that all that suffering was fundamentally good for me, and built character?
Happy to post name of manufacturer of the "Ejaculator" tomorrow (after seeing if it is printed on the device - I no longer have the box it came in - actually, that reminds me a a joke about virginity, but I guess this is the wrong place huh?).
Would also be happy to post pic, if this forum allowed it.

peterd

peterd,

I think this is to what you are referring:



Oliver

(To add a pic just paste in the url (if it's on a website, just right click and go to Properties. Highlight and copy the http:// address then paste it here). Select the address and click on Img, above)

Mine is similar. Different brand (and much more tastefully coloured ).
Effect obviously the same. As I said, significantly reduces sanitising time, expense and inconvenience.
Sorry if it was already well-known to this forum (but didn't seem so, from the recent posts).

peterd

That washer is exactly the same as mine, even down to the lurid purple color.
I use either sodium met, bottle wash powder (which I think is some other toxic chemical) , or bleach, depending on what is in the cupboard.
Give the bottles a good squirt, put them on the draining tree for at least half an hour, then rinse with plenty of cold running water. I tend to keep a trickle of water going into the bowl while rinsing, so there is no chance of rinsed out cleanser building up in the rinse water.
Works for me.

I think i put too much SMB in my fermenter the other day, the bottle said to use 50g in 4.5 litres of water. Anyway i emptied it out and left it to dry for an hour upside down on a towel. Tipped it over stuck my head in and had a whiff and almost choked to death. Had a runny irritated nose for the rest of the day, what exactly is coming off as the SMB dries?

sulphites in one form or another. Remember, thats whats killing the bacteria and other baddies, enough of it will do you in to.

All your nose hair will start dropping out now

Dogger

My bottle of 'Wander' (?) brand of MBisulphate tha got with my Tooheys Starter Kit specifically states "DO NOT RINSE.....THESE QUANTITIES ARE HARMLESS AND WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR BEER" or words to that effect.

Needles to say, I wasn't going along with that and I made sure I rinsed well.

Cheers,

DavidG

That 'guest' bit in my previous post is meant to say 'Ausdag'

Cheers,

DavidG