Dishwasher

vince g · Oct 22, 2024

Evening all. So being a returning brewer, I've actually not done any brewing (other than cider) in our new house, which we've been in for 10 years now. The new house had an inbuilt dishwasher which we have just replaced as it's finally given up the ghost.

My first beer brew in the "new" house is ready for bottling. It's a Brewferm Tripel kit, so fairly simple stuff but my old notebook said it was good when I did it all those years ago and I love Tripel so I thought I'd re-start with that.

It's being bottled in 33cl stubby bottles. I thought using the dishwasher would be the best way of cleaning them thoroughly, but does the inside of a bottle get a good clean in a dishwasher? Also, I presume I shouldn't use any detergent? Probably a daft question but any advice would be gratefully received.

DocAnna · Oct 22, 2024

Generally it's the rinse aid that's the problem rather than the detergent, which gives that 'fresh' smell and 'urggh' taste on contact. Though on glass it may be neither. The main benefit from the dishwasher is the temperature. The cleaning efficacy through the neck of the bottles will be limited but the sustained temperature will effectively mean the bottles are able to be use direct from the dishwasher- cover with a bit of foil or the whole lot in a box/crate with a bit of clingfilm till using. The dishwasher can't manage a lot of bottles so you are probably better washing with plain washing up liquid then either rinsing with plain tapwater or starsan.

Larse · Oct 22, 2024

Dishwasher is pretty ineffective for washing inside bottles. You can get attachments that spray inside the bottle, but they're expensive. My tried and trusted system was to immerse the bottles in a bin (fermenting or even bigger) filled with a weak bleach solution. Leave overnight, rinse in another bin full of clean water and then sterilise when you're going to use them.

I say this as having tried the dishwasher method, checked inside a couple of bottles, saw they weren't clean and binned them in the bleach solution. Lots of unsavoury stuff floated to the top.

vince g · Oct 22, 2024

OK thanks both of you. I might do a mix of both suggestions: soak the bottles in a sterilising solution in a bin first, rinse them, then put them through a quick high temperature cycle in the dishwasher with the rinse aid disabled, abort the programme half way through and leave in the hot dishwasher to dry.

Larse · Oct 22, 2024

vince g said:
OK thanks both of you. I might do a mix of both suggestions: soak the bottles in a sterilising solution in a bin first, rinse them, then put them through a quick high temperature cycle in the dishwasher with the rinse aid disabled, abort the programme half way through and leave in the hot dishwasher to dry.

Not a sterilising solution, a cleaner. Bleach is what I use since it's cheap and easy to come by, but you can use other cleaners like Chemclean or even an oxi cleaner (make sure it has no perfumes).

I only sterilise just before use.

RoomWithABrew · Oct 22, 2024

I would make sure the bottles are physically clean of crud with hot water and bottle brush.
Then into hot pbw to soak, further scrub if needed.
ONLY once clean can you think about sanitise / sterilise.
That's either chemicals starsan/ equivalent shake and drain, some dishwashers have a medical / health cycle this is normally hotter and the heat / steam will sanitise pretty well. You can also put the bottles in the oven to sanitise / sterilise.

I just shake with starsan and then invert to drain on the old dishwasher drying rack and then fill them.

Larse · Oct 23, 2024

I used to use the oven method back in the day. Oven at 100° C iirc. A few minutes and the job's done.

Now it's chemsan and I just pour from one bottle to the next, give a shake and drain on one of those 'christmas tree' drainers.

Appleton Brews · Oct 23, 2024

Buy one of these. I rinse all the bottles with this , then inspect the inside visually, brush if necessary (not usual) and then soak in VWP for 20-30 and then another rinse.

MashBag · Oct 23, 2024

These brilliant. I use one after a quick squirt of TFR

hoppyscotty · Oct 25, 2024

I always give the bottles a good rinse out with cold water to get rid of any trub or anything that has settled out, but they always get a run through the diswasher and it does a great job of getting up into the bottle and they come out squeaky clean even with larger bottles where I cant get right down to the base to completely clear out any solids that have stuck at the bottom come out. So after the dishwasher they'll get a really good soak in a bucket of Starsan.

As long as you stack the bottles up vertically then the dishwasher will work.

James · Oct 27, 2024

I used to use the dishwasher. I rinsed bottles after use so not too much crud, but not fastidiously.
Just before bottling day I did a bottle only dishwasher with pbw in the powder dispense door thing. We don’t use rinse aid so none in machine.
I found as long ad I crammed the bottles in and they stayed nice and upright all was good. Normal size dishwasher neatly fitted 44 ish bottles.
Starsan sanitise on one of those pump things just before bottling.
I haven’t used bottles in ages but still use the dishwasher, ours is a Bosch / Siemens and the top rack comes out very easily, makes brew day cleanup that much easier - I do a normal wash cycle while brewing, empty the dishes and ready for action.
Plus the PBW makes the dishwasher nice and clean and shiny. That’s a dishwash and a dishwasher clean which is popular

MashBag · Oct 27, 2024

It does seem a lot of faff.

James · Oct 27, 2024

Just a shame it doesn’t fit cornies

MashBag · Oct 28, 2024

James said:
Just a shame it doesn’t fit cornies

Now look what you made me do.

TFR & a bidet hose, for a refill.

For deep clean, a 12v submersible whale pump connected to both posts.

Store @ 5psi with a splash of vodka. When you want them. Nothing to do but drain...and they have had a pressure test!

matt. · Oct 28, 2024

As someone with short arms and deep pockets; I've started cutting my dishwasher tablets in half for every normal wash.
Not noticed any difference in end result and halved my cost of tablets. athumb..

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