efficient ways to clean bottles

[mookiedoi]

I would love to know how other users on this forum tackle the bottle prepping process...
what is your most efficient way to make ready so many bottle?
does it need to be so time consuming?
also does anyone bother to bottle in stubies?

[drtom]

I store all my bottles clean, and then just have to sanitize them when it comes to bottling. I have a sink or sometimes a plastic tub (one of those 20L storage tubs) with sanitizing solution (in the past I've mostly used sodium metabisulphite, but currently I'm using a brewcraft no-rinse solution that seems to be mainly sodium hydroxide solution - 3% from memory), and I rinse the bottles in that - just swooshing some solution round in each bottle. My process probably isn't textbook, but I've never had an infection.

If you feel that it's taking too long, then you could spend $20 on one of those bottle rinser things where you push the bottle down (upside down) over a pump action nozzle that squirts solution up into the bottle. I've not used one myself, but they look okay. I think you'll find that most people agree that the main thing is to make sure you store your bottles clean - give them a good rinse/wash when you empty them so that there's no yeast or other residue to dry on hard.

If you really had cleaning/sanitizing lots of bottles, buy up darwin stubbies. I've got a couple of old ones which are 2.25L, and I've seen the newer 2L ones at Dan Murphy's. At $30 a hit, they're not cheap, so I guess it would depend on how much you hate bottling.

I use long-necks, stubbies, 500ml/1L mineral water bottles (though only for british ales which are less carbonated than most other beers). I probably use green 330ml bottles (Stella, Becks, etc) more than any of the others. I prefer to open 1 bottle at a time so you can serve it with a single pour, and so I can keep several different kinds in the fridge so my mates can choose what they want.

T.

[Schooner]

My process,
I have a cut in half plastic 200 L (54 gallon drum)
fill it with water and add 2 cups PLAIN bleach
in go 60 tallies making sure there is no air left in them
they sit for a minimum of 1 week - hit with a bottle brush
put them in a rack upside down as i do this
straight away they go into full strength neo pink sterilizer-4 at
time.
and again with the brush.
rinse once in clean water and into the rack again -bottle within
the hour. ( I only bottle stouts,wine and mead)

does it need to be so time consuming? now thats a good question
and i would love to know another way that can also give me
a 100% success rate? ANYONE? otherwise KEG

[Cortez The Killer]

I would love to know how other users on this forum tackle the bottle prepping process...
what is your most efficient way to make ready so many bottle?
does it need to be so time consuming?
also does anyone bother to bottle in stubies?

i use to go over the top

but lately i've been rinsing out the bottle after drinking the contents

later on i grab these bottles and give them another rinse with hot water and put them on a drying tree

they go into the cupboard and then i bottle into them when its that time again

no issues so far

and i use stubbies too

[nicko]

I initially went for the bleach like most, but got sick of all the rinsing.
I bought a 'Liquid Sanitiser' product from The Country Brewer, which is 10% phospheric acid which you dilute 3:100 with water in a spray bottle like what you buy from Woolies. Spray your eqt, bottles, anything involved, let drip dry for 5 mins and you're right, so long as you rinse bottles well straight after use, which I assume everyone does. Great innovation, makes a less enjoyable part of brewing easier.

[damonpeyo]

I just rinse the bottles out, then chuck them in the two people sized spa that I have in the bathroom with some sanister, and adjust the spa pump pressure on low for gentle bubble wash so they won't clink each other for 30-45 minutes, then just leave them overnight, and bottlebrush them out, then rack them on these huge plastic bread trays that you see at supermarkets where they store the breads.

Then bottle the damned beer!

I don't mind the pain in the arse ritual of cleaning bottles, I just think what a great beer I could be drinking at the end.

[mookiedoi]

great!, so many different ways to go about it. thank you everyone how replyed!

I don't mind the pain in the arse ritual of cleaning bottles, I just think what a great beer I could be drinking at the end.

good point!

[ACTbrewer]

I also used to use lots of chemicals, but now I make sure they are very clean after drinking, and on bottling day I rinse them with very hot water, check for nasties, then bottle.

[Boonie]

My process,
I have a cut in half plastic 200 L (54 gallon drum)
fill it with water and add 2 cups PLAIN bleach
in go 60 tallies making sure there is no air left in them
they sit for a minimum of 1 week - hit with a bottle brush
put them in a rack upside down as i do this
straight away they go into full strength neo pink sterilizer-4 at
time.
and again with the brush.
rinse once in clean water and into the rack again -bottle within
the hour. ( I only bottle stouts,wine and mead)

does it need to be so time consuming? now thats a good question
and i would love to know another way that can also give me
a 100% success rate? ANYONE? otherwise KEG

Do you work in a hospital? Whatever works for you

All bottles are rinsed 3 times after I finish drinking a bottle.
(Same night that I drink them) Drain overnight and put them in a cupboard downstairs.

Time to bottle
I have a Green bin and fill with the neo-pink and warm water. (Been using Napisan of late, no issues, just frothier and harder to rinse.)

I fill it til the water overflows in to a longneck. Fits about 10 at a time. MT Bottles put aside and rinsed/blast with a special hose with Trigger that is not left outside and is drained.

Not one infection in over, hang-on I'll count off the spreadsheet.....
82 Batches

Did have one keg infected, but that was my fault....I Think.

[nanna Gail]

Great to read the lengths some go to to clean their bottles. I have been been brewing for a couple of years now (K&K only) Never done more than rinsed the empties with clean water twice, maybe 3 times max, give a quick look for nasties (rarely as the residue has not had time to set) drain neck down overnight and stored. On bottling, add sugar to DRY bottles and bingo bango job done. Never had a bad beer yet (touch wood)
To each his own how much effort is taken and being a lazy brewer and a non drinker, the less effort the better. My man has not complained

[rwh]

Heh, yeah each to their own. Nice of you to brew beer despite being a non-drinker. Is this a purely finacial decision then?

As for me, I rinse 3 times and store, then sanitise with Idophor and rise before bottling. I used to use Sodium Met, and I have had one bottle infected in 12 batches.

[one4stevo]

Day before bottling i put a sigh up saying all nasties Please leave.
never worked tho

[damonpeyo]

Day before bottling i put a sigh up saying all nasties Please leave.
never worked tho

Sanisters don't "clean" your kegs, they just kill the nasties, but still leave the yeasty crap behind, do you will need to get a proper keg cleaner or use these unpefermed bleaches to wash these fuckers out.

Talk to your local HBS and they will explain

[Hatchet Juggla]

after finnishing a couple of bottles the last thing in the world i want to do is rinse bottles. it waits till the next day.then again, i'v only had three of my 1st batch of homebrews. when i see all the nasties left over i might think it worth it to rinse right after use

[WSC]

In my view it's very simple.

Rinse out after drinking - at the end of the night. Hang on bottle tree.

Then I use morgans no rinse sanitiser via the little pointy thing on top of the bottle tree.

Too easy and only takes me 10 - 15 mins on bottling day to prep bottles.

[ACTbrewer]

after finnishing a couple of bottles the last thing in the world i want to do is rinse bottles. it waits till the next day.then again, i'v only had three of my 1st batch of homebrews. when i see all the nasties left over i might think it worth it to rinse right after use

It's the little bit of beer that will mould at the bottom of your bottle. It takes ten seconds to bung the bottle under the tap after you pour your beer. Then, you really only have a bit of water in the bottom, and that is far less of a problem.

[scblack]

In my view it's very simple.

Rinse out after drinking - at the end of the night. Hang on bottle tree.

Then I use morgans no rinse sanitiser via the little pointy thing on top of the bottle tree.

Too easy and only takes me 10 - 15 mins on bottling day to prep bottles.

Bingo!

I do almost exactly the same, very easy and no hassles.

I rinse each bottle as I pour it empty. Then it sits in the sink drainer upside down for a bit, and at end of night or next morning, gets taken out to bottle tree. And I use Iodophor to sanitise.

[Schooner]

Do you work in a hospital?


Now I could have so much fun with that one Boonie

After fighting my way throught the first year of brewing and getting some real SHIT advice from 4 people that couldn't make a drinkable brew if they stole the recipe from castlemaine, I have found that going to the extreme is the way to go.
It would have been great to find this site sooner.

[gregb]

...couldn't make a drinkable brew if they stole the recipe from castlemaine, ....

Castlemaine already have the recepie and cant make a drinkable brew...

Cheers,
Greg

[Boonie]

Do you work in a hospital?


Now I could have so much fun with that one Boonie

After fighting my way throught the first year of brewing and getting some real SHIT advice from 4 people that couldn't make a drinkable brew if they stole the recipe from castlemaine, I have found that going to the extreme is the way to go.
It would have been great to find this site sooner.

No doubt you could have some fun with that comment.

My mate I brewed with, just wanted plain brew.

We split up as I wanted different tasting beers to him.

After investigating the net, I found this forum and I have not looked back.

I cannot stand a brew with no flavour now.

It has to be stimulating