Whats your biggest gripe when bottling?

[YourBrew]

Bottling sucks, we all know that but what is it about bottling that really pisses you off the most?

I hate washing and rinsing bottles. Best way i've found to get around it is using a dishwasher that has a high heat setting. I've found that as long as i rinse out bottles after i finished with them then putting them in the dishwasher on a high heat setting takes all (most) of the pain away. Still need a PBW rinse before bottling but i've never had an issue since i've done this.

Anyone got any better ways to make bottling not suck as much?

(waiting for the obligatory "get a keg post....":grin:)

 

[Poochops]

I rinse mine thoroughly with hot water after use, three or four fills and a rapid shaking upside down, then I drain them before putting them away. I just starsan them then, before next use.

 

[foxy]

Bottling and preparing the bottles is one of those chores which we don't like but have to do. Like any other boring job the best thing to do is to just switch off and do it, maybe hope for a bit of excitement if the end of the bottling wand comes off.
I don't keg, I just cannot drink 3 degree cold pish. Cask is what I do, 1/2 of the batch in the bottle other half in the cask, if you want to do it on the cheap get a Valterra hand pump from Amazon, a cube and capture your CO2 from your FV and you're set to go with real ale.

 

[Pawlo7671]

Bottling sucks, we all know that but what is it about bottling that really pisses you off the most?

I hate washing and rinsing bottles. Best way i've found to get around it is using a dishwasher that has a high heat setting. I've found that as long as i rinse out bottles after i finished with them then putting them in the dishwasher on a high heat setting takes all (most) of the pain away. Still need a PBW rinse before bottling but i've never had an issue since i've done this.

Anyone got any better ways to make bottling not suck as much?

(waiting for the obligatory "get a keg post....":grin:)

Bottling and preparing the bottles is one of those chores which we don't like but have to do. Like any other boring job the best thing to do is to just switch off and do it, maybe hope for a bit of excitement if the end of the bottling wand comes off.
I don't keg, I just cannot drink 3 degree cold pish. Cask is what I do, 1/2 of the batch in the bottle other half in the cask, if you want to do it on the cheap get a Valterra hand pump from Amazon, a cube and capture your CO2 from your FV and you're set to go with real ale.

PBW is not a sanitizer its a cleaner. Use starsan or equivalent before you bottle to sanitize.

Foxy, I dont get why you regard kegged beer as 3 degree cold pish, each to their own i guess, I keg and its the best thing i'v done with regards to home brewing.

Yep, it has to be said that I keg because I just can't be arsed to bottle.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The best thing I have bought is a little bottler it makes bottling less of a chore. (a lot less)

 

[LarryF]

I rinse mine thoroughly with hot water after use, three or four fills and a rapid shaking upside down, then I drain them before putting them away. I just starsan them then, before next use.

I think this is definitely the key to an easy life when you're washing bottles. If it's late in the evening (and maybe the wrong end of a good few bottles) I fill the bottles with water and rinse and spray them in the morning. As MQ says the bottle rinser and tree are a Godsend and I think should be a part of any starter kit.

 

[Gunge]

I don't mind it at all. Just put aside enough time, put some decent tunes on, adopt a zen-like attitude and get stuck in. Then when all is done sit back and admire the result of your labours. The fog clears and 'normality' returns - job done. Worst bit? There isn't one unless you've placed a cap on slightly askew and applying pressure to the capper busts the bottle's neck! Happens once a while...

 

[Clint]

I try to pick a time when no one else needs the kitchen,sink,dishwasher etc. Usually get done without any bother now I have worked out what works best for me...I think the only thing to watch is as you use your bottle supply is to keep producing enough empties for your next batch!

 

[Brewdoug]

I hate cleaning syphons, especially the auto ones. I'm really paranoid about cleaning at this stage

 

[Gerryjo]

I don't mind it at all. Just put aside enough time, put some decent tunes on, adopt a zen-like attitude and get stuck in. Then when all is done sit back and admire the result of your labours. The fog clears and 'normality' returns - job done. Worst bit? There isn't one unless you've placed a cap on slightly askew and applying pressure to the capper busts the bottle's neck! Happens once a while...

Busted three bottles a few brews back and was pointed out to me that I might be loosing CO2 due too my capper which was a twin lever.
Since been replaced with a bench capper and wow what a difference.

Gerry

 

[110ben]

I only make wine and swmbo washes the bottles and drains. She the uses Star san before next use easy peasy, I just have to do the fv's which is the job i hate most

 

[Covrich]

I think this is definitely the key to an easy life when you're washing bottles. If it's late in the evening (and maybe the wrong end of a good few bottles) I fill the bottles with water and rinse and spray them in the morning. As MQ says the bottle rinser and tree are a Godsend and I think should be a part of any starter kit.

I agree with this

I would go as far as saying apply this to all brewing equipment, clean it straight away or spend twice as long cleaning it soiled.

 

[Gunge]

Busted three bottles a few brews back and was pointed out to me that I might be loosing CO2 due too my capper which was a twin lever.
Since been replaced with a bench capper and wow what a difference.

Gerry

I'm still using the twin-lever I got from Boots when Marc Bolan was at number 1. Probably. Still going strong and it only has a problem with certain bottles. If the cap aint on dead square it breaks something. Other bottles tend to realign with the cap as pressure is applied. Worst offenders are the ones from Wychwood. Got loads in a case years back but most of em have fallen by the wayside. Won't be replacing them anytime soon cos I was about as impressed with the original contents as the bottles - ie not much.

 

[Gerryjo]

I'm still using the twin-lever I got from Boots when Marc Bolan was at number 1. Probably. Still going strong and it only has a problem with certain bottles. If the cap aint on dead square it breaks something. Other bottles tend to realign with the cap as pressure is applied. Worst offenders are the ones from Wychwood. Got loads in a case years back but most of em have fallen by the wayside. Won't be replacing them anytime soon cos I was about as impressed with the original contents as the bottles - ie not much.

My three were old crafty hen bottles,but my caps were all flared and recapping with the bench capper soon sorted that out.

Gerry

 

[photek1000]

I wash all my bottles when I have opened them to drink the contents, then on bottling day it's a rinse and sanitise, but the main thing I hate about bottling is just the sheer time it takes for a full batch, even with a decent bottle tree and a bench capper.

My Little bottlers always seem to be really slow on certain types of botles, then the space they all take up for carbination and conditioning is quite a bit, which is basically why I have switched to my PBs pretty much full time now and will get some mini or easy kegs for my next brew to try them out.

A couple of bottle bombs in the recent hot spell have also put me off bottling, for now.

 

[foxbat]

I replaced the rinse on bottle day with 20 mins in the oven at 140C the night before, 20 at a time. Jam jars have been sterilised that way since forever and I'm eating 3 year old, uninfected home made jam on toast for breakfast every day. If it works for jam it's fine for beer too.

 

[MyQul]

I replaced the rinse on bottle day with 20 mins in the oven at 140C the night before, 20 at a time.

I do this too (when I'm not using mini kegs).I rinse after pouring a beer then put them in my fast rack to drain and dry. Once the fast rack it full up I put the bottle in the oven, turn it on to 150C then leave them for 40 mins. Once cool I put a little cling film cap on them, then store them away. Then on bottling day just take the cling film off and fill the bottle

 

[The Idiot]

I don't keg, I just cannot drink 3 degree cold pish.

Mostly keg. However, before moving to kegs I did some research. I learned two things. One is don't fill kegs with cold pish. The other is that it isn't mandatory to chill them to 3 degrees. :lol:

Anyways, before I went down the corny keg route I bottled because I had too many leaks with pressure barrels. I worked out all the things I hated about bottling and eliminated them. In the end, and even today, I quite enjoy bottling. It's like anything; get the right set-up and process and it's no longer a chore.

My tips are thus:

Get a bottling tree. Put it somewhere it can be used. It's like a dog, not just for bottle sanitising, but for life! Bottles would be poured, rinsed, sprayed with Star San and put on the tree. When it came to time to bottle they'd get another rinse with Star San. It worked a treat. Every third or fourth use they'd go in the dishwasher. Never had a problem.

Get comfortable. I don't mean put on your rubber pants and sprawl on the bed. Well, not yet. I found that getting a table the right height and a comfortable chair, and ensuring I could reach everything without stretching or standing was important to removing the stress of a bottling session. I also used an office chair so could easily turn around.

It's already been said, but get a little bottling bucket with tap and a little bottler. Also, out down some newspaper or a plastic carpet protector under the tap. It will drip, so let it.

Break up the work. I used to bottle 8 or 10, then cap, put more caps in a bowl of star san, look out the window and then have a snifter before going back to bottling.

Accept that it's going to take an hour. Either watch something that requires minimal concentration on TV, listen to music or listen to a podcast. I used to work my way though brewing podcasts.

A bench capper is better than a wing capper. Mind you, I started out with one of the metal sleeve jobs with a wooden handle that you had to belt with a hammer to get the crown cap to close. They were properly fun bottling sessions!

 

[Gerryjo]

When actually bottling I use an old fermenter and place my bottles to be filled inside and below the fermenter I'm filling from as I have bottling stick attached too the auto syphon so saves the bother of having to turn the tap on/off and leaves any spillage retained inside the fermenter.

 

[pms67]

I rinse mine thoroughly with hot water after use, three or four fills and a rapid shaking upside down, then I drain them before putting them away. I just starsan them then, before next use.

I do the same, except without the starsan !
I sometimes laugh at the extent some people go for sanitation