do you sterilise crown caps

[Cwrw666]

I'm one who only ever uses boiling water to `sterilise' everything. Including glassware like bottles and demijohns. The secret is to pour it in very slowly so the glass has time to warm up and expand. Add it too quickly and bottles will shatter. One advantage of boiling water over chemicals with plastic such as FVs is that it will sanitise scratches as the heat penetrates the scratch even if the water itself doesn't. Chemicals of course can only work if the water can penetrate into the scratch.

 

[MyQul]

I'm one who only ever uses boiling water to `sterilise' everything. Including glassware like bottles and demijohns. The secret is to pour it in very slowly so the glass has time to warm up and expand. Add it too quickly and bottles will shatter. One advantage of boiling water over chemicals with plastic such as FVs is that it will sanitise scratches as the heat penetrates the scratch even if the water itself doesn't. Chemicals of course can only work if the water can penetrate into the scratch.

Yes your who I meant. Interesting about scratches and boiling water. My FV's get scratched to feck as I just stack all my FV's, boil kettle, etc in one another when storing. But as I no chill I chuck near boiling wort in into the FV to cool. This must be why I never get infections via that route.

 

[mike-os]

i use chemicals as boiling water is in short supply in the shed... and it is convenient.

when stuff needs a good clean it goes to the house and I put up witht he grief for the duration.... got 45 bottles to do this week from an infected brew.... probably throw the plastic ones and either boil or bake the rest... iirc my dishwasher will do 95c so may use that as a heat source

 

[jayjt29]

Interesting, I've always sanitised caps prior to capping! Didn't even enter my head that people didn't! Ill stick with dunking them in a bowl of starsan prior to capping and I always add a few extra as i always drop some :)
Ill keep to this way, but each to their own
Jay

 

[dad_of_jon]

Slightly off topic, the one thing I NEVER do is use a metal spoon on a plastic surface, because the scratches caused are a great home for rogue bugs. I did have a lot of experience many moons ago with peracetic acid which is a great steriliser but bloody dangerous stuff.I don't think you can buy it for home use.

I agree about the boiling water and metal spoon. how do you sterilize your hands if you don't wear gloves? boiling water is out, :nono: I dip them in star san. I'm always worried about my hands, I have no trouble sanitizing equipment keeping it sanitized is my problem!

 

[Robin54]

I know exactly what you are saying, and the more you think about it where does it all stop. Do you put an air filtration unit in the kitchen? Should you use sterile surgical gloves?? Then disaster...I touched the taps and they aren't sterile. I think "Sterilise" is the key word here and items just need to be clinically clean. As I said earlier, you just need to knock off the air bourne yeasts and simple bacteria and water at 80 degrees will do this.

 

[cheapbrew]

I think the way some people get paranoid they probably would like an air filtration unit and full hazmet suit before touching anything.

 

[Covrich]

I think the way some people get paranoid they probably would like an air filtration unit and full hazmet suit before touching anything.

That is true I know exactly where you're coming from.

But I would rather be over cautious than under. When I am bottling I have santised the bottles anyway so a quick spray with a sprayer or chuck them in a jug and pick them out to use..

I know a lot of people have brewed for years never bothered with sanitation and have never had a bad brew.. But then there are others who have a torrid time with it.. Bruin Tuns last year poor bloke was all belt and braces but had 140 bottles of poison in the end and we think jacked in it..

 

[Robin54]

I guess its once bitten, twice shy...and then the paranoia sets in

 

[Sandimas]

Bruin Tuns last year poor bloke was all belt and braces but had 140 bottles of poison in the end and we think jacked in it..

I got close last year too - 4 brews infected in the autumn, after 4 years infection-free. It's really disheartening, didn't change anything in my process the infections just happened. Still can't say what caused it, but I've gone back to using a kettle of boiled water in my FV in addition to the usual sanitising regime and it seems to have worked.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I know exactly what you are saying, and the more you think about it where does it all stop. Do you put an air filtration unit in the kitchen? Should you use sterile surgical gloves?? Then disaster...I touched the taps and they aren't sterile. I think "Sterilise" is the key word here and items just need to be clinically clean. As I said earlier, you just need to knock off the air bourne yeasts and simple bacteria and water at 80 degrees will do this.

Yes, agreed with yeast & bacteria I've had one iffy-ish beer out of 20 brews and I'm keen not to pour £30 or so's worth of ingredients down the drain.

I sterilise the bottles - putting them in an oven after the dishwasher has cleaned them. foil on top of them to stop any wild yeasts & spiders getting in as they are stored in the shed. re: bacteria etc. I star san because I can't always remember what i've used/touched with what.

Interestingly star-san does not kill yeast when used to the correct dilution it's more like a yeast nutrient, so the bacteria are killed by it but a wild yeast infection needs a different approach.

+1 for bruintuns - how much bad luck can you have? - He did suck syphon his brews to start with that's not the best way to ensure your beer is infection free.:-(

sanitize everything than comes into contact with the post boil wort that's accepted good practice.

If you don't and have been consistantly 'getting away with it' then good for you, lady luck is clearly on your side :hat: