Easiest way to sterilise 40 odd bottles

[oldjiver]

I am one of those good enough people! However I concentrate much more on cleaning than sterilising. I rinse and give a good shake half filled every time I finish drinking a bottle. Then, just before I start bottling I make up a strong, (2 campden tabs + citric acid to half a pint) solution. I tip this from bottle to bottle, and give each bottle a good wipe inside with a piece of washing up sponge on the end of a bamboo kebab stick. Then I rinse with tap water. Dave line emphasised that wiping the bottles clean was important as you can get a film on the inside. Never had one go off yet. Time consuming, but I am retired.

 

[Aleman]

Dave line emphasised that wiping the bottles clean was important as you can get a film on the inside.

Correct, Biofilms are a PITA . . . A Good cleanser lifts films straight off though Astonish Whizz Oxi Action does . . .and I am amazed at how good PBW is at removing films.

I recently made up some plates for yeast culturing from a batch of Agar I had made up a couple of years ago. Due to the production of Wort Agar, you get a thick organic film deposited on the bottle (which was then autoclaved, and heated to boiling to soften the agar) . . .Hot water . . . Pinch of PBW (in 250ml) . . . soak for 2 minutes shake . . . let settle . . .tip out . . . rinse sparkling clean. The only way to remove it previously was by wiping with a non stick scourer . . . too time consuming

 

[Andysbrew]

How long contact time does Videne need?

So for example if I am sterilising a FV I could just spray the stuff all inside the Fv without actually filling it with the solution? same with a PB?

:wha:

 

[winelight]

Years ago when I brewed I didn't know you were supposed to fill the FV with sterilising solution. I just put a few inches in the bottom and shook it about a bit with the lid on. Never had a problem. I used that stuff they sell in little pots (forgotten what it's called, sodium metabisulphite or something).

 

[tim_n]

Years ago when I brewed I didn't know you were supposed to fill the FV with sterilising solution. I just put a few inches in the bottom and shook it about a bit with the lid on. Never had a problem. I used that stuff they sell in little pots (forgotten what it's called, sodium metabisulphite or something).

You're not supposed to fill the FV with sterilising solution. You're supposed to ensure contact for 2 minutes or so. Which means a good couple of minutes shaking!

Or you could fill, but it's probably not worth it.

 

[winelight]

Oh so I was doing it right. With thin bleach however the Coopers instructions say to fill it and leave 30 mins (very diluted of course).

 

[danb]

How long contact time does Videne need?

So for example if I am sterilising a FV I could just spray the stuff all inside the Fv without actually filling it with the solution? same with a PB?

:wha:

I just spray the fv's etc then use straight away. Bottles syphon etc just get dunked in 15l made up (18.75ml videne) then used straight away. No waiting or leaving to soak.

 

[joe 90]

Thanks everyone.

Joe90 I have a dishwasher and a large rolltop bath, do you not sterilise them after the dishwasher?.

Videne looks the best way for me.

I don't have loads of space to store starsan made up and cannot be bothered with saving it.

:geek:

the heat in the dishwasher sanitises the bottles I don't use anything else put them in at the running man program
works for me every time :

 

[Andysbrew]

Where sells this sort of thing?

Chemist??

 

[danb]

Lloyd's pharmacy for videne if they haven't got it they order in for the next morning.

 

[Pensive]

My dishwasher runs at 70 degrees for 2 and a half hours! I'm relying on that to sterilise the bottles, although it's my first brew so this doesn't count as advice!

 

[Aleman]

My dishwasher runs at 70 degrees for 2 and a half hours! I'm relying on that to sterilise the bottles, although it's my first brew so this doesn't count as advice!

I suppose that running them through the dish washer doesn't come under brewing expenses so slips under the radar as far as costs are concerned . . . Personally I think 8ml of starsan and a 5L bottle of Tesco Ashbeck once a month comes in at a considerable cost saving. :wha: :wha:

 

[Maysie]

I don't think I would trust my dishwasher to do an adequate clean of bottles as the neck of the bottles is so narrow I wouldn't feel confident that enough water would get into the bottle to do a proper job. Probably fine if the bottles are pretty clean anyway, but mine are often stored in a barn outside, so can get all sorts of dust and crud in them despite best efforts to stop it happening.

I soak mine in (20/40 bottle batches) in a soda crystal solution for 30 mins and then scrub each bottle with a bottle brush before rinsing with StarSan on a bottle washer. It doesn't take too long when you get into the swing of it and soda crystals are dirt cheap.

 

[oldjiver]

Bit risky using bottled water??
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... riety.html

 

[Aleman]

Bit risky using bottled water??
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... riety.html

What ? to make a sanitiser solution . . . Nah!

 

[oldjiver]

Bit risky using bottled water??
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... riety.html

What ? to make a sanitiser solution . . . Nah!

I assumed you were rinsing with the expensive water? Why use it in the first place?

 

[Bobw]

It's low PH, I think about 6.2. Starsan is acid based, so the lower the PH of the water used to dilute it the better.

bob

 

[Aleman]

Bit risky using bottled water??
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... riety.html

What ? to make a sanitiser solution . . . Nah!

I assumed you were rinsing with the expensive water? Why use it in the first place?

Starsan is no rinse, I use the 'expensive' water as it's the best to make it up, as it does not go cloudy when made up . . . I found some in the shed that was about 9 months old . . . clear as a bell and non slimy . . .way to go starsan.

I have always (in the 30 odd years I've been brewing) found it anachronistic that we sanitise our equipment, and then rinse it off with no 'sterile' water . . . the rise of the no rinse sanitisers has made life so much easier . . .and given that we now need to use much lower volumes of 'chemicals' for cleaning it makes it cheaper as well.

 

[oldjiver]

Thanks for the explanation, I have a bee in my bonnet about bottled water as my missus drinks it despite it being proven to be less sanitary than tap water! I wonder whats in tap water that turns starsan cloudy?
When I worked in the brewery we just cleaned everything with plain water, with no ill effects. But I have visited a micro brewery that stunk of vinegar, so I suppose its wise to sterilize if your living depends on it.

 

[Aleman]

I wonder whats in tap water that turns starsan cloudy?

Alkalinity and calcium . . . Even my water which has very little in it will turn starsan cloudy, and while people say you can use it if it's cloudy as long as the pH is below 3, I can be bothered getting the pH meter out to test it, if using a known bottled water does the job for pennies.