Sanitising bottles in advance

[Halfacrem]

I have a batch of Coopers Ox Bar PET bottles, and some Grolsch style flip top glass bottles that need sanitising in time for my next batch of beer. As it's my first time at bottling, I can imagine getting myself into a bit of a muddle at some point, so I'm trying to get everything planned in advance.

As my bottles don't need crown tops, could I sanitise the bottles and tops today, put the tops on the bottles and leave the bottling until next Saturday?

Martin

 

[PD]

Are the bottles brand new ? If so you can get away without sanitising for their maiden voyage, keep them boxed until you want to use them, but I would still suggest a rinse before use.

Otherwise in theory any surface can get infected again even after being sanitised. Try and keep the bottles either covered or inverted on a bottle tree between uses and if they are clean you can get away with a squirt and rinse of a non rinse sanitiser ( like Videne )

 

[LeedsBrewer]

I was just given a load of swing top bottles. I cleaned them out last week with a bottle brush and a bath of bleach and water. I then rinsed each bottle 6 or 7 times and made sure there was no bleach smell left. On bottling day I will sanitise all of the bottles and rinse them once more, then bottle.

I don't like to sanitise things too early because over time the santiser can loses its effectiveness. I believe some of the sanitisers start to change colour or go cloudy when they have been left too long??

oh and I always clean, sanitise and rinse my new bottles though you probably don't have to. (I think i'm over the top with my sanitising routine, but better to be safe than sorry)

 

[cwiseman77]

i would probably er on the side of caution and sanitise on bottling day. As PD says if they are new bottles you probably don't need to...won't do any harm though

 

[Aleman]

I do it all the time, Until recently I just capped bottles with silver foil once cleaning and sanitised, now I am using Resealable plastic caps.

My flip top bottles get cleaned, 10ml of star san lid on, Shake, drained and then sealed . . . the foam acts as a great film, and then prior to use just drained.

 

[The Goatreich]

Interesting. I don't mind sterilising the bottle on the day as it barely takes any time at all with Videne solution, but now I keep all my clean empty bottles in the shed I'm finding that they need another clean when I come to use them, which takes time again. I think I might try cleaning the next lot in advance and capping with cling film or foil until they need using.

 

[cwiseman77]

A good clean after use will pay dividends when you come to re-use them :thumb:

 

[Halfacrem]

Thanks all,

Yes, my bottles are all brand new. However, if there's one thing I have picked up during the short time I've been brewing, it's that sanitising is key, so, having now missed my opportunity to clean the bottles today anyway, and reading everyone's responses, I think I'll sanitise everything on bottling day and not take any chances.

Cheers

 

[thewinebrewer]

Hey I got a great video here on Sanitizing/sterilizing bottles: http://youtu.be/uoEvAruBayw