Devices for cleaning bottles?

[petertr2000]

Sorry, this might be my first post and I'm already asking for help!

I've got a couple of hundred bottles, in various states of cleanliness. Washing them out is a complete nightmare, especially as its not a one-time deal - they need doing every time.

Has anyone built a device for cleaning bottles to automate this process? I was thinking of building something that shoots hot water with PBW into each bottle in batches of ~20
So, something like 20 spouts linked to a line which has a submersible pump in a bucket of water. Put the bottles on the spout, and leave the bottles to be flushed out for as long as they take.

Has anyone built such a thing before? Would it work?

 

[Speccy]

I seem to remember something similar back in the 1970s on an educational kids' TV program about milk bottles. (Suddenly feels very old...)

It won't help you this time, but I find it's massively quicker to rinse bottles out straight after pouring, before the sediment has a chance to dry and stick to the glass. Store them clean and dry, and then on bottling day it just takes a quick squirt of Star San from a bottle rinser like this - http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/bottle-rinser-steriliser-red-p-2348.html - and you're good to go.

If the odd one slips through the net and gets encrusted with dried gunge, the easiest solution is a splash of cheapo thin bleach, give it a shake and leave it to stand for a few minutes. After a good rinse it should come out spotless.

 

[Dutto]

Welcome to the Forum. :thumb:

Rule Number One for drinking home-brew is ALWAYS rinse the bottle out thoroughly after pouring ...

... no matter how many beers you have consumed! :thumb:

The rinsed out bottle should then be inspected to make sure that it is clean, scrubbed out with a brush if it isn't and then placed upside down on a rack to dry.

It takes seconds to do and the misery of cleaning out dried yeast is the punishment you will have to endure if you don't do it!

Enjoy! :thumb:

 

[mattellis70]

Fast rack makes an attachment that goes a mark II keg and carboy cleaner that does. Here's the link:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/m...vIKuS_kE8fn9p68eh6EUakV6AbMeALeRoCk2gQAvD_BwE



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[IainM]

Yes, when I first started taking brewing seriously I made something like that based off this thread on HomeBrew Talk. It works a treat and really blasts any dirt out. However, it was overkill and now I just rinse them out after drinking and sanitise them in the oven before bottling.

 

[Clint]

Yes! Listen to Dutto! If you've inherited a pile of crusty bottles and it isn't your fault....get a cheap trug,some oxi and a few buckets of hot water and soak in batches and scrub out with bottle brush. Tedious I know but necessary! Rinsing immediately after consumption is the best way!

 

[chewie]

Old used bottles from gawdknowswhere will need a deep clean first time around, after that if you follow the advice above it will be a fair bit faster with just a quick brush/steep with a cleaner and a sanitise.

 

[chub1]

Welcome to the Forum. :thumb:

Rule Number One for drinking home-brew is ALWAYS rinse the bottle out thoroughly after pouring ...

... no matter how many beers you have consumed! :thumb:

The rinsed out bottle should then be inspected to make sure that it is clean, scrubbed out with a brush if it isn't and then placed upside down on a rack to dry.

It takes seconds to do and the misery of cleaning out dried yeast is the punishment you will have to endure if you don't do it!

Enjoy! :thumb:

Seconded:thumb:

 

[petertr2000]

I seem to remember something similar back in the 1970s on an educational kids' TV program about milk bottles. (Suddenly feels very old...)

It won't help you this time, but I find it's massively quicker to rinse bottles out straight after pouring, before the sediment has a chance to dry and stick to the glass. Store them clean and dry, and then on bottling day it just takes a quick squirt of Star San from a bottle rinser like this - http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/bottle-rinser-steriliser-red-p-2348.html - and you're good to go.

If the odd one slips through the net and gets encrusted with dried gunge, the easiest solution is a splash of cheapo thin bleach, give it a shake and leave it to stand for a few minutes. After a good rinse it should come out spotless.

Old used bottles from gawdknowswhere will need a deep clean first time around, after that if you follow the advice above it will be a fair bit faster with just a quick brush/steep with a cleaner and a sanitise.

Yes! Listen to Dutto! If you've inherited a pile of crusty bottles and it isn't your fault....get a cheap trug,some oxi and a few buckets of hot water and soak in batches and scrub out with bottle brush. Tedious I know but necessary! Rinsing immediately after consumption is the best way!

Welcome to the Forum. :thumb:

Rule Number One for drinking home-brew is ALWAYS rinse the bottle out thoroughly after pouring ...

... no matter how many beers you have consumed! :thumb:

The rinsed out bottle should then be inspected to make sure that it is clean, scrubbed out with a brush if it isn't and then placed upside down on a rack to dry.

It takes seconds to do and the misery of cleaning out dried yeast is the punishment you will have to endure if you don't do it!

Enjoy! :thumb:

Couldn't agree more. Its just that
1 - I've inherited a couple of hundred bottles that need a deep clean
2 - I make beer for friends and family, and can't always be totally sure they're coming back clear
Although the threat of "no clean bottle = no filled bottle" is close to my mind lol

 

[petertr2000]

Store them clean and dry, and then on bottling day it just takes a quick squirt of Star San from a bottle rinser like this - http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/bottle-rinser-steriliser-red-p-2348.html - and you're good to go.

If the odd one slips through the net and gets encrusted with dried gunge, the easiest solution is a splash of cheapo thin bleach, give it a shake and leave it to stand for a few minutes. After a good rinse it should come out spotless.

Yes, I have one of those on top of a 40 bottle tree :)

Bleach solution could be good, thanks.

 

[petertr2000]

Fast rack makes an attachment that goes a mark II keg and carboy cleaner that does. Here's the link:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/m...vIKuS_kE8fn9p68eh6EUakV6AbMeALeRoCk2gQAvD_BwE

YES. Something just like that. Preferably something I can attach to a hose pipe.

 

[petertr2000]

So, what I need, is this!
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUF1IyX92L8[/ame]

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Or this -

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUFzchIkA4[/ame]

 

[petertr2000]

Or this -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUFzchIkA4

I could really do something like that very cheaply.
Make it self contained too, so tops of the outsides of the bottles get a wash too.
Have a dump valve to empty,
Fill with clean water for the rinse. Dump
Fill will starsan. Dump back into starsan container to be reused

Yeh, that would be very easy and VERY cheap if I used plastic pipe.
I'd just need the pump (the one I have, now I think about it, doesn't have the pressure required)

 

[Clint]

Second thoughts. ..bung the lot in the dishwasher on a hot cycle then sit back and enjoy a cold beer!

 

[whealsie]

Fully agree with rinsing, but stick them in the dishwasher before filling. Our dishwasher takes enough bottles for a full brew and as long as you follow the 'rinse them after use ' they will be sterile and rinsed from the dishwasher. Really easy.


I love the smell of mashing in the morning.

 

[Personal91]

Yes, I have one of those on top of a 40 bottle tree :)

Bleach solution could be good, thanks.

I have one of those and a bottle tree and never even realised they were ment to go together

 

[Dutto]

Second thoughts. ..bung the lot in the dishwasher on a hot cycle then sit back and enjoy a cold beer!

I suggested that I sat back and enjoyed a beer whilst my dishwasher deep-cleaned the 150 odd bottles that I have. :thumb:

She told me to go forth and multiply ...

... but not with her apparently! :whistle:

 

[Thumper]

Why not just stick them in the dishwasher and put some steriliser where the tablet normally goes?

 

[petertr2000]

Second thoughts. ..bung the lot in the dishwasher on a hot cycle then sit back and enjoy a cold beer!

I doubt the random spray nature of a dishwasher will get any water right the way into the bottles though.
Although I do tend to pop them in after they've been washed in order to give them a sanitising steam bath, before taking them back to the brewing room for some starsan.

I have one of those and a bottle tree and never even realised they were ment to go together

Yeh, its made to fit together - works very well. Once I've done all the bottles, I also drop the caps into the hopper so they're sorted too.