Sterilising bottles & storage
- Thread starter Roscoe9
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bigbeefy
Vanner
personally i wouild sterilise then use straight away
I always sterilise my bottles just before bottling.
As a newbie with not much kit (no bottle draining tree), whats the best way to drain the bottles? Just stand them on the kitchen sink draining board??
Also, would it be wise to buy a large (well huge) bucket, fill it with sterilized water, and put all the bottles in?
Also, would it be wise to buy a large (well huge) bucket, fill it with sterilized water, and put all the bottles in?
bigbeefy
Vanner
i use a fv an put my solution in that then rinse the bottles and just shake them to get excess water out then fill the tiny amount of water left in will make little or no difference to the brew
I only have the one FV (with the brew in it), so thats not an option.
But if I did, it would be fine to put the bottles in the solutions for 20-30 mins, along with the cap's, then bottle directly from there?
bigbeefy
Vanner
use your bath if you have one ?
I have seen a video of a guy using Star San (no rinse steriliser) in a washing up bowl, he submerges the bottles (Only 60 second contact time) then as he doesn't have a tree puts them in a recycling plastic bin (the ones you put bottles in) with a folded bath towel in the bottom, he stands the bottles upside down so they can drain. (i don't make beer so if this is not the best way to do this without a tree feel free to correct me)
Star San - http://www.brewuk.co.uk/starsan8.html
thanks for the vid link!
scotjer
Junior Member
I rinse my bottles after drinking and put them in boxes away. Not bothered about leftover water. On bottling day I use one of those cheap bottle rinsers with starsan. Pump a free blasts in the first bottle, set aside. Take second bottle, free blasts and leave upside down on rinser to drain. Fill first bottle, cap, take second bottle off. Blast third bottle leave on etc.
Seems to work well for me.
Seems to work well for me.
All I do is when I have drunk the beer, I simply rinse them out straight away, replace the cap loosely and leave until the next day.
I then flick out the water, give a quick squirt of Starsan, replace the caps loosely and store. In over a year of using this method I haven't had any infection issues ever.
I then flick out the water, give a quick squirt of Starsan, replace the caps loosely and store. In over a year of using this method I haven't had any infection issues ever.
When you say 'squirt' of starsan, have you made up the solution in a spray bottle and then spray directly into the top of the bottle?
Yes. I have made up a solution in a spray bottle. I also spray inside the cap as well and give it a good shake. When I come to use the bottles I just shake out any Starsan and leave them open.
Sounds like a good way to do it. Think I'll adopt the same technique, thanks!
Another quick question regarding the Starsan spray. How long will the solution stay "good" for in the spray bottle? If not all used for sterilzing my equipment, bottles, etc, will it keep until the next time?
Can't really say. My bottle lasts for about 4 months or so. Never had any problems.
The Coopers PET bottles that come with the starter kit are meant to be pre-sterilised and i'm half tempted to just bottle straight into them. Will obviously wash and sterilise for the next batch.
patwestlake
Active Member
Wash bottles after use, then once I have enough for the next brew, sanitise them all with star san, drain on a bottle tree (second best investment i made after the FV!), then cap them with sanitised plastic caps (biggerjugs on eBay or amazon). Ready for use whenever, and makes bottling day a lot simpler.
Another advantage of this routine is that I get plenty of time to de-label my accumulation of bottles from bought beers. Simples!
Pat
Another advantage of this routine is that I get plenty of time to de-label my accumulation of bottles from bought beers. Simples!
Pat
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