Jump to content
Coopers Community

Cleaning and sanitation


Recommended Posts

Sooooooo, as in another thread I have suggested that I am coming up to my first bottling day, cleaning and sanitation is my next step, my first batch are straight from the craft kit so minimal sanitation is needed, but moving forward what do most people use for cleaning equipment and used bottles? Bleach mixes, Coopers special powder or another method, bout to buy a heap more pet bottles of gumtree to keep my brews going after this first one

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For cleaning, a lot of folks on here (including myself) use a sodium percarbonate based laundry soaker eg. Napisan. However, Napisan is quite expensive so home brands are fine. I'm currently using a Coles brand soaker and have had no problems to date.
For sanitising, I'm using sodium metabisulphite powder but it needs to be rinsed off. It works fine but I wouldn't recommend it. It irritates the skin. Gloves required when using it. I'm only using it because I bought it before I knew about no rinse sanitisers like Starsan and Stellarsan. These two latter products seem expensive but they get heavily diluted when used so they're actually quite economical.
I rinse my bottles out as soon as I can after drinking the contents and then soak them overnight in the Napisan to clean them. If they're clean they don't need sanitising. If I get a bottle that gets any gunk built up in it I use the pictured silicon brush that I picked up from Kmart for $2.

IMG20200407230211.jpg

Edited by MUZZY
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, MUZZY said:

I rinse my bottles out as soon as I can after drinking the contents

Thats probably the best advice. Half fill the bottle with water put the cap on and give a good shake then rinse and store upside down. On bottling day another quick rinse and spray with starsan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They should be cleaned with more than just water, otherwise they build up a hazy layer of shit inside them over time. 

I used to use sodium percarbonate for cleaning them, then I'd just rinse with hot water, drain dry and store them. Didn't bother with sanitising on bottling day. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the bottles are clean they are clean. No need to sanitise. Need to understand that with out some sort of substrate to metabolise bacteria will not survive. So it is imperative that after use they are rinsed clean and drier preferably in the sun before being stored upside down. Then when you want to use them just go ahead. I have stored bottles for months that way and never a bomb was had.    

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

Once the bottles are clean they are clean. No need to sanitise. Need to understand that with out some sort of substrate to metabolise bacteria will not survive.

I remember reading something like this previously and it was likely you that posted it, Marty. Sounded sensible to me and I've cleaning without sanitising my bottles ever since. Haven't had any issues. I'm actually really pleased because I don't have to suffer skin irritation anymore from using sodium met unnecessarily.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's why I used to soak them every use, because it prevented the buildup from occurring, also preventing the need to scrub them. 

Some guys use bleach to remove this hazy layer, which apparently works really well. As long as the bottles are dried fully it shouldn't lead to off flavours associated with chlorine.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@MartyG1525230263 @Otto Von Blotto
Yep, I actually soak in sod perc before every brew but I used to sanitise as well. Very laborious. Now it's just a matter of rinse and shake after consumption, then the overnight soak and rinse and dry in the sun before bottling. The only times I use the brush now is if I detect a ring around the neck (very rarely).
Washing bottles is still a chore but nowhere near as bad as it was.
Cheers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't soak unless bottle has sat empty for a few days and never had the problem with any hazy build up. Is this particular to pets? Mind you my glass bottles dont get much use as i keg most of my beer and only bottle the remains.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Titan said:

And i starsan the caps on bottling day lol. Maybe overkill.

Nope, is best practice I think. When I was brewing back in the day my stouts were all getting a horrible metallic taste. Sanitise everything that comes in contact with the brew is the rule. I never put a finger on what was causing it....

Edited by UncleStavvy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Goldcoast Crow said:

Haha just picked up my “2 dozen” used pet bottles For$15, turned out to be closer to 6 dozen😂😂😂 winner

Winning!
Those bottles I'd definitely give a sanitising after washing though, because of not knowing their history. Anything could have been stored in them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, UncleStavvy said:

Nope, is best practice I think. When I was brewing back in the day my stouts were all getting a horrible metallic taste. Sanitise everything that comes in contact with the brew is the rule. I never put a finger on what was causing it....

I go a step further - I sanitise everything that comes into contact with anything that comes into contact with my brew. Door handles, cupboard space, chux... If SWMBO comes into the brew room I'd spray her down as well. 😄

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

I go a step further - I sanitise everything that comes into contact with anything that comes into contact with my brew. Door handles, cupboard space, chux... If SWMBO comes into the brew room I'd spray her down as well. 😄

Coronavirus doesn't stand a chance with you, JM.
Do door handles fully ferment out or do they add body to your brew?

Edited by MUZZY
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there can be overkill. Aside from not sanitising bottles I never did the caps either, but they never actually came in contact with the brew as they were always stored upright and not shaken or inverted. Didn't have any problems with infection or weird flavours in thousands of bottles. It's less susceptible to infection after fermentation anyway.

I tend to use sanitiser in kegs though, because the whole batch can get ruined if there's something in a keg. They get cleaned in hot sodium percarbonate followed by a hot rinse, then filled with CO2 so they're probably fine, but it's a bit of added insurance. I have done kegs without it that have been fine too though. At least if a bottle goes it's only a bottle and not the whole thing. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

Coronavirus doesn't stand a chance with you, JM.
Do door handles fully ferment out or do they add body to your brew?

I like the slight smell of burning flesh as one contacts an acid-bathed handle. Gives a tang to the air. 😄

My brews are precious to me. OCD about killing the bastards that want to take over the ferment for their own purposes is a natural response. 😄

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I tend to use sanitiser in kegs though, because the whole batch can get ruined if there's something in a keg. They get cleaned in hot sodium percarbonate followed by a hot rinse, then filled with CO2 so they're probably fine, but it's a bit of added insurance. I have done kegs without it that have been fine too though. At least if a bottle goes it's only a bottle and not the whole thing. 

When you say 'hot,' how hot do you mean? Just hot tap water? Because I recall seeing a post (on FB site I think) where a guy had a problems with kegs and was told by the supplier that he used water that was too hot and caused failure of the seals. He didn't really specify how hot - maybe he used boiling water?

Edited by Journeyman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...