Best Cheap Steriliser

[DirtyCaner]

Hi Everyone,

Im finding this bottling a bit tiresome when I'm having to sterilise all the bottles. I think it will be a lot easier just to submerge the whole lot in a big water bath to sterilise. However this will mean using a lot of my VWP. I will be sterilising 20+ bottles at a time.

What is the cheapest way to do this? Hypochlorite?

Thanks,

DirtyC

 

[joe1002]

Videne. It's no rinse so even better. You can get it from the chemist. Cost about £5 and lasts a long time. Have a search on here, there is plenty of info on here about it.

 

[Mark1964]

Thin unperfumed bleach is about the cheapest

 

[Dave1970]

Heat. I do 18 pint/500ml glass bottles at a time in the oven at 90 C. Takes 20 mins but I don't have to do anything. Then put the second lot of bottles in & bottle the first 18 while they 'cook'. Works well because it's a fan oven so no concentration of heat from a flame or element.

Failing that Starsan, not all that cheap to buy but you hardly use any, dilute at 1.5 mls to the litre in a spray bottle, spray each bottle, leave to drain, job done, no rinse.

 

[jonnymorris]

+1 for Videne as recommended in previous threads.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Dave do you add the beer to the hot bottles or leave them to cool first? I am assuming that the oven is used after you have sterilised the bottles.

 

[SE10PAT]

I use Starsan and really takes a lot of the ball ache away from sterilising everything

 

[The Goatreich]

You've still gotta clean them all though yes? What's the solution for that? I bought some oxy clean, but by the time I've soaked the bottles in that, rinsed them all, and sterilised with Videne I might have well just used VWP (costs aside).

 

[31bb3]

Steam steraliser works he best for me

 

[Vossy1]

If you can, try to avoid 'dunking' baths of sanitiser as these encourage a build up of 'resistant' bacteria, whatever form they take, usually spores. Even using alcohol doesn't work as a 'dunker', one of the reasons it's become distant practice in clean room consumable prep.
Always best to use and dispose :thumb:

 

[DirtyCaner]

Thanks for the input everyone.

I like the idea of using the oven to sterilise but until I've built up my collection of glass bottles will have to wait for this one.

It's looking like the hypochlorite will be my best option as I plan to make up a 20l bath, stick the bottles in and leave then rinse thoroughly. I always dispose of my sterilising solution after I'm done with it, usually after 24 hours or so.

I'll look into the videne but so far on google all ive found is the povidone-iodine surgical scrub, I'll keep looking.

The only unscented bleach Ive found so far is Sainsburys Basics one, can anyone reccomend another source?

Thanks again,

DirtyC

 

[jonnymorris]

Always best to use and dispose

I've been filling my 2nd FV with videne solution and dunking the bottles to sterilise them. Is this not best practice? How else would I sterilise keeping to the 'use and dispose' ethos?

p.s. Videne can be found here http://www.expresschemist.co.uk/Videne- ... ution.html (other shops are available)

 

[artiums_enteri]

Star-San is the way to go as far as sanitizer. Sterilizers don't exist in food/brewing in the US as the FDA made the case that there is no such thing as sterile food or food preparation tools.

Star-San is great because it is a final acid rinse meaning it is a no rinse sanitizer. The foam contains the acid responsible for exploding microbe cells, but once the PH of the solution changes, ie beer or wort is added the Star-San is no longer active.

My wife and I have been using PBW and Star-San in our brewery for over 7 years now with no contamination issues.


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[klaus]

I know VWP is not everyone's choice, however I always use it and at one teaspoon to the gallon (as recommended) I find it quite economical and it does the job

 

[Toastie]

Is the steam way just a case of sticking steam into a washed bottled and letting dry ? Sounds good to me