AB Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Hi All, Have just bottled my first brew in plastic and getting ready for the second. Im looking to go with glass bottles next and have been smashing down the CPA longies to get up the numbers for bottling. With regards to sanitising the kit and the bottles, Im planning on sanitising the kit and bottles in the bath tub and leave over night with the coopers sanitiser, is this the way to go? Cheers, AB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 That'll work - or you could just use bleach. For the first time it might be worth soaking them and scrubbing the labels off (actually the coopers labels come off easily when soaked but you will need to give the residual glue a bit of a scrub. Alternatively, if the bottles are already clean you could leave the labels on and just buy some iodophor or starsan, which are both no-rinse sanitisers, and just wet the inside of the bottles just prior to bottling. You only need a "mouthful" of diluted liquid to splash around and wet the insides. A bottle of either will last long time (probably years) and as they are both no-rinse it is too easy. I use a bottle tree to drain mine or you could just put them upside down in a milk crate. As for the fermentor, napisan is best (IMO) I recommend the coles brand nappy wash for sensitive skin (no perfumes). When you fininsh bottling just hose the inside out and remove whatever crap will come off with just the hose and then add a capful of nappisan and fill with water. After a day or 2 it should be spotless inside so just empty it out and hose off the residual napisan and drain upside down eith until dry then store or if you are ready to use it it should be good to go. If you don't use it for a while you can just put a splash of iodophor or starsan inside and splash it around to wet the surface - leave it for a few mins and your fermentor is sanitised. I use iodophor myself and also keep a little squirter bottle of it ready to spray anything that comes in contact with my beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I wash the bottle out thoroughly asap then spray a product called brewclean into the bottle and leave it sit for how ever long i feel like then rinse out. I wash my dirty fv under the warm tap to remove the trub if i am not saving any and it removes a small amount of the krausen, i then spray brew clean and leavit for an hour. I then wet a chux wipe with the cleaner and wipe out the FV then rinse then alls nice and clean. Brew day i spray starsan over everything that looks like its going to be used and also 1/2 cup of the starsan mixture into a bottle, give it a swirl then pass it on to the next bottle, anything thats left over goes back into my 2.5 litre star san mix i have made up ready. I spray the FV insides over before i start on anything else and leave it until i am ready to fill it. I also have a chux wipe handy soaking in a solution of starsan for wiping spills etc i also have my bottle caps in this mixture. Hop bags grain bags etc i boil them then soak them in the starsan mixture. The water that i used to boil the bags is now turned off and i let my cans of goo sit in there. Using a spray bottle saves heaps on time and solution and i always have one handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonardC2 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I use star-san myself,quick & easy. But I like PBW to clean with,both by Five Star Chemical. I use a bottle tree & vinator half full of star-san to sanitize the bottles on bottling day. 5 pumps on the vinator,drain,onto tree. Quickest way to do it,& you don'y need as much. But you do have to make a little collar out a plastic bottle cap to fit over the skinny,upper stalk on the vinator to be able to pump the cooper's PET bottles. I put 3-4 TBSP of PBW in the fermenter,then fill with water & stir to dissolve. After having rinsed out the trub,of course. Soak for 5 days & it all wipes right off. And always remove & clean the spigot,seal(s),& mounting hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I looked at the Five Star PBW as well, although i am happy with the brewclean and it does last i was thinking of going over to Five Star Saniclean in the 1 litre bottle, again i would just make it up to a litre sprayer and spray the equipment with it, saves even more money using it this way in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigsALE Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 That'll work - or you could just use bleach. For the first time it might be worth soaking them and scrubbing the labels off (actually the coopers labels come off easily when soaked but you will need to give the residual glue a bit of a scrub. Alternatively, if the bottles are already clean you could leave the labels on and just buy some iodophor or starsan, which are both no-rinse sanitisers, and just wet the inside of the bottles just prior to bottling. You only need a "mouthful" of diluted liquid to splash around and wet the insides. A bottle of either will last long time (probably years) and as they are both no-rinse it is too easy. I use a bottle tree to drain mine or you could just put them upside down in a milk crate. As for the fermentor, napisan is best (IMO) I recommend the coles brand nappy wash for sensitive skin (no perfumes). When you fininsh bottling just hose the inside out and remove whatever crap will come off with just the hose and then add a capful of nappisan and fill with water. After a day or 2 it should be spotless inside so just empty it out and hose off the residual napisan and drain upside down eith until dry then store or if you are ready to use it it should be good to go. If you don't use it for a while you can just put a splash of iodophor or starsan inside and splash it around to wet the surface - leave it for a few mins and your fermentor is sanitised. I use iodophor myself and also keep a little squirter bottle of it ready to spray anything that comes in contact with my beer. Where do you buy this Starsan from Muddy. Is it available somewhere cheaper than the LHBS. I have been using the baby bottle stuff called Milton to sanitize lately. $7 for a liter at the chemist. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Craig I get my Starsan from Craftbrewer. Well I have once, it will last me for years. It costs around $20 for 500ml but per brew the cost is negligible. Craftbrewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Craig I get my Starsan from Craftbrewer. Well I have once, it will last me for years. It costs around $20 for 500ml but per brew the cost is negligible. Craftbrewer I bought a litre from Grain and Grape, for me it was dearer for the product but less for the postage so it all worked out about even. All up delivered about $40 and that will last me years at the rate i am going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Hi All, Im looking to go with glass bottles next and have been smashing down the CPA longies to get up the numbers for bottling. I am with you on this one AB. Have polished off 2 cartons of CPA in the past month and will be filling them with my TCS Heritage Lager in the next couple of days. A neighbour collected 70 Cascade Draught longnecks for me and they are OK in the short term but I'd like to end up with all Coopers longnecks. However my collecting has hit a Roadblock after my purchase of a carton of Little Creatures Pale Ale stubbies at $72. SWMBO has put the brakes on my escapades complaining that this so called cheap hobby is blowing the budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundawake Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Another vote for Starsan - its great stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freestyler Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Craig, I have also been thinking of using that baby sanitizer Milton. Is it any good and is it no rinse? I buy quart (750ml) used bottles from the bottle store but they're pretty dirty so I bleach them for 48 hours after rinsing for ages. After bleaching I then have to rinse out 3 or 4 times to get rid of the chemical smell. Now I am beginning to recycle my own used bottles which I clean immediately after use so its getting easier but bottling day is the biggest hassle of the whole brew with all the rinsing etc. We also dont get Star San or anything down here and there are now Homebrew stores around here either. I was hoping Milton baby sanitiser coudl be the answer. Is it good enough for me to switch off bleach. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Craig, I have also been thinking of using that baby sanitizer Milton. Is it any good and is it no rinse? Whereas I am not a beer expert, but we used the Milton product for our kids without issue. I reckon that if Milton is good enough for baby bottles and the like it will be good for Beer bottles. It is also no rinse when used with baby utensils, leaving behind no taste or odour. The Web site says that Milton breaks down to water and trace amounts of salt, I don't know if that would be a problem for beer or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 After bleaching I then have to rinse out 3 or 4 times to get rid of the chemical smell. To what dilution are you mixing the bleach? Household bleach should be diluted at 4-5ml/litre(cold water). At that dilution a single rinse with hot water is sufficient. Remember though, that once an item has been rinsed, it is not sanitised, it is cleaned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Freestyler, howsit? Contact Jeremy Wallis at The Wort Hog Brewers... E-Mail: jrwallis@iafrica.com He will be able to advise on a widely available cleanser and no-rinse sanitiser in your area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RohanR Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 [devil] [cool] I have 57 coopers red tallies and 144(1 gross) of 300ml stubbies for my home brewing bottles and a draining tree for the cleaning up. The stuff i have for cleaning is brew clean, and for sanitising i have coopers sanitiser. I've heard that there are all kinds of stuff you can use including baby wash gear from supermarkets so it's all your choice just get someone to show you how to use each method!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freestyler Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks for the help guys. Vonscott, yep my 'cheap hobby' is now taking money from the maintenance budget and using it for beer supplies and kits. haha. Those burnt lightbulbs and blocked sink will have to wait until my draught tap and kegging equipment has been purchased! [biggrin] Hi Newtown, to be honest I am not really measuring the bleach, I just go and get a 1,5L bottle and pour roughly 1/3rd into a big basin that can just barely hold my 26 quarts filled to the brim. I leave them in there for as long as I can, 1-2 hours if its on bottling day and then begin the rinsing cycle of roughly 4 rinses. Two with cold water, then hot tap water and left for 15 mins and then one more with cold water, upside down to dry and then bottle. Bit of a hassle and waste of water when each bottle has to be done individually. Thanks for the email Newtown, I found that site and posted a question on their forum but didnt have any response. Not efficient like this place! [joyful] . I'll definately drop him a line. With regards the rinsing after sanitising and them being clean but not sanitised this shouldnt be much of a problem if you are bottling within the next few minutes should it? I've just found out my brother in law has 100 quart bottles for me!! haha that means I'll have about 170 cleaned bottles ready to go. YES!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I've just found out my brother in law has 100 quart bottles for me When I first read this I thought you were saying the bottles were 100 quarts in size. That is big [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freestyler Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Freestyler' date=' howsit?[/quote'] haha, just picked this up now.Its howzit! But after our quarter final performance recently I dont have any room to talk! do I. Thanks for all the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freestyler Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 When I first read this I thought you were saying the bottles were 100 quarts in size. That is big [biggrin] Hairy, at least that would help me finally stick to my 'one beer a day' rule. Still wouldn't be easy though![lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Freestyler' date=' howsit?[/quote'] haha, just picked this up now.Its howzit! I know. Typo, bent little finger always mashing A, S & D. I lived in SA for 2 years in the mid 90's , Jo'Burg, Grahamstown & P.E. There is reason bleach should be diluted at a certain rate in order for it to work. In short, it needs to be within a particular PH range and composition for it to start busting the bugs. Otherwise it is not very effective as a sanitiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Our tests show bleach to be very effective when used in normal "town supplied" water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Our tests show bleach to be very effective when used in normal "town supplied" water. At the correct dilution, right? Surely, if you rinse with tap water, the item is no longer sanitised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snags Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 We pump our water from the creek here (fresh water from Barrington Tops). I'm yet to get an infection after 7 brews. Have I just been lucky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Surely, if you rinse with tap water, the item is no longer sanitised. When using bleach, any residual chlorine smell should be removed by rinsing the fermenting vessel with water (hot water is more effective). Yes, this water is likely to carry microorganisms. For most brewers, the very same tap water is the main ingredient in their brew. Despite this, they make good quality beer. [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 ... And those microorganisms are more likely to multiply on a damp fermenter than they are when added to an unfriendly environment like wort and are out-competed by yeast. I believe a no-rinse sanitiser should be applied after rinsing with tap water. I'd be very happy to be incorrect, for it would cut down on time and water to be able to "clean" a fermenter with bleach or sodium percarbonate and just rinse with hot tap water to remove residual chlorophenols and brew. Is that enough of a cleaning and sanitising regime. Am I wasting time and money on sanitising after rinsing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.