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Author Topic: Bottle cleaning  (Read 1820 times)

Offline flbrewer

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Bottle cleaning
« on: December 03, 2014, 06:24:15 pm »
Just browsing through Jon Palmer's website and he mentions to really clean bottles after use prior to filling again. He mentions bleach and a scrub brush.

My method is to simply spray hot water and liquid soap, shake, repeat, rinse. Of course I sanitize prior to bottling.

Should I be doing more?

Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2014, 06:27:51 pm »
I rinse once empty. If i need a brief the bottle gets recycled. I could see that if you have very dirty bottles.
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2014, 06:34:08 pm »
After a bottling bug that through phenolics nastiness last year, I go full bore. New or used they get a hot oxyclean soak, rinse, store... or rinse, starsan, fill.

Offline pete b

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2014, 08:00:25 pm »
After a bottling bug that through phenolics nastiness last year, I go full bore. New or used they get a hot oxyclean soak, rinse, store... or rinse, starsan, fill.
Similar: I rinse everything out after pouring, they get filled with water and oxyclean and soak until dishes get washed then washed with soap and water, rinsed, dried upside down, stored, then sanitized just before use.
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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2014, 08:12:44 pm »
Rinse well after drinking. Light wash cycle in dishwasher with half an ounce of star san. Never had an issue.
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Offline bboy9000

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2014, 08:45:19 pm »
I too did as Jim does (I haven't bottled much since I started kegging over a year ago). As long as you rinse immediately after pouring it shouldn't take any scrubbing or much oxyclean or PBW.  I only had one infection and it was only in three bottles.  I got lazy and didn't inspect them like I normally did on bottling day by holding each bottle up to a light.  There was noticeable organic residue in the form of old dried yeast on those three bottles.
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Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2014, 06:26:48 am »
I rinse the bottle right after pouring into a glass a couple times with hot water and then just sanitize with Star San when bottling.  I've never had a problem.
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Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2014, 06:41:42 am »
I rinse the bottle right after pouring into a glass a couple times with hot water and then just sanitize with Star San when bottling.  I've never had a problem.
+1. new to bottling as i usually keg, but so far so good.
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Offline beersk

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2014, 06:55:02 am »
I rinse the bottle right after pouring into a glass a couple times with hot water and then just sanitize with Star San when bottling.  I've never had a problem.

Same here, and I store my bottles upside down.
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Offline Multifaceted

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2014, 07:17:46 am »
I rinse the bottle right after pouring into a glass a couple times with hot water and then just sanitize with Star San when bottling.  I've never had a problem.


I rinse the bottle right after pouring into a glass a couple times with hot water and then just sanitize with Star San when bottling.  I've never had a problem.

Same here, and I store my bottles upside down.

+1

A good rinse, dump, fill 1/8 full and shake, dump, repeat, then rinse and dump again, and set to dry on bottling tree or dish rack - that's my muscle memory after pouring.

So long the bottle is thoroughly rinsed, dried and stored upside down, then rinsed again and sanitized on bottling day - I can't see how it could be an issue. I've got close to 2 dozen 5 gallon batches bottled that way without issue, off flavor, or bottle infection.

The one thing I always do is a quick visual inspection before the final rinse/sanitize. If there is some residue, I'll take a quick brush in a small container of PBW solution and work it out. If the reside is stubborn or the bottle just looks bad, I'll bypass it into a pile for a full PBW soak and aggressive brushing.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2014, 09:43:31 am »
I rinse after pouring and drain and then run bottles through the dishwasher. If they don't come out clean I send them to the recycling bin. I have too many bottles to have to worry about scrubbing them out with bleach.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Bottle cleaning
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2014, 10:27:59 am »
Good advice here.  If it needs a brush, I'll throw it out.  But I've found most everything will come clean with an oxy clean soak and a bottle washer.
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