Cleaning Equipment Before Bottling and Brew Day

[David Woods]

Sorry if this has been addressed else where but couldn't find it.

Trying to find out if I can break up my brew/bottling day to make things a bit easier. I brew kits and normally the bottling/brew day comprises of cleaning and sanitising all of the bottles and equipment, cleaning and sanitising the racking off bottling bin for bulk priming, cleaning and sanitising the FV for making the next brew on the same day.

This takes a long time and organising so I was wondering if it would be OK to say clean the bottles/racking bin the day before then sanitise on the day - just got the new Chemisan to use as not able to get Starsan. I use a bottle tree and the device for spraying the inside of the bottles so the plan was to clean with VWP the day before, leave them on the bottle tree overnight then spray with Chemisan on the day.

The bottles are well cleaned just after use as are all the bins/equipment so no crud left to accumulate.

Wondered if anyone else does this as it would help break down a long afternoon or am I asking for trouble!

Also I notice that after a brew with dry hops the FV - even after a deep clean with VWP - it still smells of the previous hops - it doesn't seem to affect the following brew so should I clean for longer and deeper.

Thanks

 

[kelper]

Rinse a bottle thoroughly as soon as you have drunk its contents and then seal it. The day before a brew you can rinse it out, sanitise and seal it. It will be fine next day. I use swing-tops for beer and bottles with plastic closures for wine. If crowning I suppose cling film would keep bugs out or BlueTac or anything really.

 

[yeastinfection]

I try and clean my bottles the day before. As you have said it's very time consuming

 

[Clint]

Kelper lists one very vital point...clean the bottle as soon as you've drank the contents...this prevents all sorts of problems. I've taken to doing this and if possible storing the the rised empties on my bottling tree as they drain and dry.

 

[lancon]

I put all kit in bottling bin, VWP it, rinse siphon, rinse my homemade bottling attachment, boil kettle, weigh sugar, rinse bottling bin, put sugar in bottling bin add boiling water swirl to ensure sugar dissolved, siphon beer from FV to bottling bin. While siphoning beer use starsan and pump rinser to do bottles. (bottles rinsed after use, or at most few days, so long as there are dregs that haven't dried they will rinse) I can probably do all that in 60-90 minutes for 80-100 330ml bottles, including capping.

 

[foxy]

One of the reasons the manufacturers state the foaming sanitsers to dry is, longer contact time, and a sanitised film over the equipment not sure how long it will stay sanitised at least 24 hours, I use PAA and that in favourable conditions can be several days.

 

[unforgiven]

Sorry if this has been addressed else where but couldn't find it.

Trying to find out if I can break up my brew/bottling day to make things a bit easier. I brew kits and normally the bottling/brew day comprises of cleaning and sanitising all of the bottles and equipment, cleaning and sanitising the racking off bottling bin for bulk priming, cleaning and sanitising the FV for making the next brew on the same day.

This takes a long time and organising so I was wondering if it would be OK to say clean the bottles/racking bin the day before then sanitise on the day - just got the new Chemisan to use as not able to get Starsan. I use a bottle tree and the device for spraying the inside of the bottles so the plan was to clean with VWP the day before, leave them on the bottle tree overnight then spray with Chemisan on the day.

The bottles are well cleaned just after use as are all the bins/equipment so no crud left to accumulate.

Wondered if anyone else does this as it would help break down a long afternoon or am I asking for trouble!

Also I notice that after a brew with dry hops the FV - even after a deep clean with VWP - it still smells of the previous hops - it doesn't seem to affect the following brew so should I clean for longer and deeper.

Thanks

i'm still bottling and sometimes after sanitising i leave them on bottle tree till next day never had a problem myself but it is a risk

 

[Slid]

I only really use PET bottles - Coopers 500ml and 2L bottles that once contained cider. The format is as well described above. You pour a beer from the bottle and immediately you rinse it.
My procedure is then to add cleanser (1tsp to wine bottle) and store.
Then on bottling day, the bottles get a whisk, a third and fourth rinse and then hung on the bottle tree, then a 3/4 full of bottle of star san gets poured into one after the other, then. another hang on the bottle tree. Only then is the priming sugar added. Small ramekin and a teaspoon, delivered via a plastic funnel.

 

[MyQul]

As others say, I swill out the dregs as soon as I pour a beer. When I have about 25 bottle to sanitise, I put them in the oven (150C for 40 mins). When cool, I put a little cling film cap on them. I then store hem away. You can then just remove the cap on bottling day

 

[matt76]

Like many others i rinse the crud out of my bottles as soon as I've poured it. Then within a day or two i give them a rinse again and a blast with starsan and then seal with a bit of cling film before showing the bottles away in plastic creates ready for reuse.

The rest of my gear i rinse immediately after use with hot water to remove any crud, yeast, hops or beer/wort splashes. The brew kettle gets a scrub with a scourer, the plastics get a blast with starsan and left to drop dry before putting everything away. Grain and hop bags get a rinse & spin in the washing machine.

When i want to fill bottles i just whip off the cling film. Plastics like FV's (anything used post boil really) get a blast of starsan again before reuse.

I don't think you can be too OTT about sanitation - but as your experience grows i think you start to figure out (for your process) where you can relax a bit, simplify your brew/bottling day and which rules have to remain sacresanct.

 

[kelper]

As others say, I swill out the dregs as soon as I pour a beer. When I have about 25 bottle to sanitise, I put them in the oven (150C for 40 mins). When cool, I put a little cling film cap on them. I then store hem away. You can then just remove the cap on bottling day

Do you pre-heat or put bottles into a cold oven?

 

[MyQul]

Do you pre-heat or put bottles into a cold oven?

Cold To prevent any thermal shock