Racking query!

[bonkersdan]

my first homebrew is pretty much finished fermenting and I have a dilemma! I dont have a secondary vessel for racking, what I do have is some 20 liter screw top plastic cooking oil drums. I have cleaned them out as best I can and am in the process of sterilizing them, I was wondering if I can just syphon the brew directly into the bottles thus avoiding possible contamination from the oil containers?

 

[morethanworts]

Batch priming is far preferable to priming each bottle individually and you could do that in your 20L oil vessels I guess...IF you're sure you've got rid of any trace of oil with something soapy, then got rid of the soapiness, and sanitised well (and rinsed if it's not a no-rinse sanitiser).

Bottling from the primary vessel is pretty much a no-no for me. If I did, I'd want it to stand pretty cold for a few days first, after finishing and have an assistant.

 

[bonkersdan]

I cant be 100% sure that all the oil residue is gone, I've scrubbed the inside as best I can using a sponge scourer on the end of my long plastic brew kit spoon!

 

[Algernon]

Try pouring some really hot water into it (not boiling unless you know the plastic can handle it) and give it a good shake, then pour it into a wide glass bowl. Look closely at the surface for any traces of oil. If there is none on there then there is probably not enough residue to be a problem. If you are still worried, use warm water and soap and shake the hell out of it until your arms hurt. Then get someone else to shake it more, rinse and rinse again. Anything left after all that is probably not going to suddenly jump into your cool, soap-free beer.

I bottle from a pressure barrel. You can use it as a secondary FV if you like, or just batch prime into it. I connect my bottling stick to the tap via a short length of plastic syphon tubing. Needs a bit of boiling water to make it soft enough to go over the pb tap at first but after a few uses it stays the right size.
It allows me to bottle the vast bulk of my beer without requiring an assistant. The last bottle or two can be a little tricky, but for me the alternative is all my beer in pressure barrels and I just prefer it bottled, despite the hassle.

 

[JonnyD]

Use washing up liquid mixed with bleach. Fill up 1/3 and shake like buggary. Leave for 30 mins and shake again. Leave for another 30 mins and shake then rinse. Replete the process with no bleach. Then rince thoroughly.after add a Camden tablet to a 1/3 water and repeat as above. Rince and sterilise. Will get rid of anything. Overkill but if your using oil containers better to be safe than sorry

 

[bobsbeer]

Washing powder/tablets with VERY hot water is good at getting rid of cooking oil. Just check you have no congealed bits in any corners, especially around the spout. Give it a really good shake half full then fill it up and leave it for 30 mins to dissolve the grease. Then rinse it out and do it again. Assuming you have done that type of procedure you should be fine to use your containers. As said it's not only easier to batch prime, but also more consistent.

 

[godfrey]

soak with soda crystals or oxy for a few hours

then wash and rince

 

[JonnyD]

Do all of the above and they will be clean lol

 

[joe1002]

I used to bottle straight into the...erm....bottle but batch priming is much easier. :thumb:

 

[bonkersdan]

Try pouring some really hot water into it (not boiling unless you know the plastic can handle it) and give it a good shake, then pour it into a wide glass bowl. Look closely at the surface for any traces of oil. If there is none on there then there is probably not enough residue to be a problem. If you are still worried, use warm water and soap and shake the hell out of it until your arms hurt. Then get someone else to shake it more, rinse and rinse again. Anything left after all that is probably not going to suddenly jump into your cool, soap-free beer.

I bottle from a pressure barrel. You can use it as a secondary FV if you like, or just batch prime into it. I connect my bottling stick to the tap via a short length of plastic syphon tubing. Needs a bit of boiling water to make it soft enough to go over the pb tap at first but after a few uses it stays the right size.
It allows me to bottle the vast bulk of my beer without requiring an assistant. The last bottle or two can be a little tricky, but for me the alternative is all my beer in pressure barrels and I just prefer it bottled, despite the hassle.

Thanks, gonna try the glass bowl trick now!

 

[Fil]

I used to bottle straight into the...erm....bottle but batch priming is much easier. :thumb:

me too. a syphon clip helps but a tap drain is also very useful, when you get to the last 5-10l or so any bucket will do to batch prime the smaller volume.. no rules home brew , if best of both worlds works for u use it.. yes ive had a sample tonight

 

[bonkersdan]

tried the glass bowl and there was still oil residue, trying the washing powder now, if that doesnt work gonna try oxi!

 

[Algernon]

tried the glass bowl and there was still oil residue, trying the washing powder now, if that doesnt work gonna try oxi!

Any luck?

 

[bonkersdan]

yeah, the washing powder and really hot water got rid of 95% of the residue, left it overnight then rinsed it really well! there were a couple of bits that wouldnt shift, but I had the rather genius idea of sticking the lance of my pressure washer into the container and that blasted away what was left!

 

[bonkersdan]

well thats it all racked then bottled! gonna try cracking one open on sunday to see what it's like!

 

[rpt]

A good way to clean these containers is to put uncooked rice in with the cleaning product. When you shake this helps dislodge stubborn dirt. Worked a treat with some demijohns I got off Freecycle.

 

[bonkersdan]

A good way to clean these containers is to put uncooked rice in with the cleaning product. When you shake this helps dislodge stubborn dirt. Worked a treat with some demijohns I got off Freecycle.

I may try that, or maybe some dried chick peas or something with a bit more weight to them! although I reckon the washing powder and hot water method should eat through most of it!