mouldy bottles

[beermiester]

I've just been 'gifted' 4 dozen glass longnecks, ripper! but wait,...... they have been stored in crates outside for the past 20 years. All were full of water, and most had fungal growth through them. I have emptied them out, rinsed all the fungal bits out of them, and now have them just soaking in water. 

Questions. What should I shock them with to ensure all the fungal remnants are gone? I've been told soaking them in a sanitizing bleach for a day and a vigorous rub out with a stiff brush would do the trick, then soak in clean water again, but whats the view of this panel?

thanks

Beermiester

 

Edited May 12 by beermiester

[Shamus O'Sean]

9 minutes ago, beermiester said:

I've just been 'gifted' 4 dozen glass longnecks, ripper! but wait,...... they have been stored in crates outside for the past 20 years. All were full of water, and most had fungal growth through them. I have emptied them out, rinsed all the fungal bits out of them, and now have them just soaking in water. 

Questions. What should I shock them with to ensure all the fungal remnants are gone? I've been told soaking them in a sanitizing bleach for a day and a vigorous rub out with a stiff brush would do the trick, then soak in clean water again, but whats the view of this panel?

thanks

Beermiester

 

That's pretty much what I would do.  The only exception would be, instead of the water soak after the initial clean, I would soak them in an Oxysan (laundry soaker) solution.  Also sanitise with StellarSan/StarSan or similar before filling.

[Aussiekraut]

2 hours ago, beermiester said:

I've just been 'gifted' 4 dozen glass longnecks, ripper! but wait,...... they have been stored in crates outside for the past 20 years. All were full of water, and most had fungal growth through them. I have emptied them out, rinsed all the fungal bits out of them, and now have them just soaking in water. 

Questions. What should I shock them with to ensure all the fungal remnants are gone? I've been told soaking them in a sanitizing bleach for a day and a vigorous rub out with a stiff brush would do the trick, then soak in clean water again, but whats the view of this panel?

thanks

Beermiester

 

+1 what @Shamus O'Sean said.

[Oldbloke]

4 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

That's pretty much what I would do.  The only exception would be, instead of the water soak after the initial clean, I would soak them in an Oxysan (laundry soaker) solution.  Also sanitise with StellarSan/StarSan or similar before filling.

Yeh try laundry soaker but when I tried it failed the test. Does clean some stuff but not always.  After that bleach solution is an option then rinse.

However, if you have a dish washer try that.

 

Upside down, normal powder/tablet plus rinse aid. Do it all the time. Very effective. 

[Malter White]

If you're looking for a good bottle brush this one is silicone and the thicker bristles cover more area than the thinner plastic bristles of other brushes. It was $2 from KMart a few years ago so it's probably only about $28 now with the inflation we're suffering.

[Oldbloke]

Yeh, IMO the cheap bottle brushes are pretty useless. I'll get one of those I think. Looks well designed. Pretty rare I use one these days tho.

 

Just all depends on what is in the bottles. For some need a brush, some dish washer, or just soak in nappy San.

Edited May 12 by Oldbloke

[Beerdo]

11 hours ago, Oldbloke said:

Yeh, IMO the cheap bottle brushes are pretty useless. I'll get one of those I think. Looks well designed. Pretty rare I use one these days tho.

I only use my brush if I notice any gunk in the bottles. Usually in the neck at the top of the beer level.

[Shamus O'Sean]

On 5/13/2024 at 6:31 AM, Malter White said:

If you're looking for a good bottle brush this one is silicone and the thicker bristles cover more area than the thinner plastic bristles of other brushes. It was $2 from KMart a few years ago so it's probably only about $28 now with the inflation we're suffering.

This brush is excellent for PET bottles.  Just note, it does not fit in the opening of most glass bottles.

[Malter White]

13 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

This brush is excellent for PET bottles.  Just note, it does not fit in the opening of most glass bottles.

Thanks for pointing this out, Shamus. I wasn't aware.

[glivo]

I think the Brigalow range of products is gone, but last year I used their Bottle Wash Powder in hot water soaks on over 200 Coopers Longnecks that had been sitting in milk crates in a guy's backyard for a few years.  After soaking overnight, I then used a bottle brush and clean water rinses, and the glass was "squeaky" clean as in actually squeak when you handle them.  It also stripped the paper labels and glue clean away.   It took me nearly a week to do all of them, but they are good bottles now.  As far as I know it was just an alkaline salts powder, so I'd recommend any similar product.  Tricleanium maybe or an Alkaline Brewery Cleaner.

[Classic Brewing Co]

18 minutes ago, glivo said:

I think the Brigalow range of products is gone, but last year I used their Bottle Wash Powder in hot water soaks on over 200 Coopers Longnecks that had been sitting in milk crates in a guy's backyard for a few years.  After soaking overnight, I then used a bottle brush and clean water rinses, and the glass was "squeaky" clean as in actually squeak when you handle them.  It also stripped the paper labels and glue clean away.   It took me nearly a week to do all of them, but they are good bottles now.  As far as I know it was just an alkaline salts powder, so I'd recommend any similar product.  Tricleanium maybe or an Alkaline Brewery Cleaner.

Brigalow products have been removed from my local Big W & a few searches indicate they may have sold/closed down or similar, there website doesn't come up like it used to.

[glivo]

11 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Brigalow products have been removed from my local Big W & a few searches indicate they may have sold/closed down or similar, there website doesn't come up like it used to.

Yep. Mine too.  I wasn't a fan of the beer, but the little bottles of cleaning and sanitising powders were convenient.  I didn't mind the Ginger Beer and I used to make vinegar out of the Apple Cider.  I can't buy any of it anymore.

Has anybody tried straight Washing Soda for cleaning bottles.  It's cheap and available in Woolies and Coles.

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, glivo said:

Yep. Mine too.  I wasn't a fan of the beer, but the little bottles of cleaning and sanitising powders were convenient.  I didn't mind the Ginger Beer and I used to make vinegar out of the Apple Cider.  I can't buy any of it anymore.

Has anybody tried straight Washing Soda for cleaning bottles.  It's cheap and available in Woolies and Coles.

Depending on how bad they are I always used to soak them in PBW or commercial bottle cleaners, some use unscented bleach but that would be for bottles that were infected mainly & the smell is hard to get rid of.

They need a bit of work to get them ready if they are really bad but make sure you don't scratch them inside.

I found Bi Carbonate of Soda exceptional for cleaning as long as you don't be to rough inside the bottle.

Obviously, the best practice is rinse thoroughly the bottle you have just emptied & keep them clean before brewing day & then attack them again.

I only ever bottle a few these days as I keg but the bottles I use are squeaky clean anyway. 

There are many brands available online & in LHBS.

 

 

Edited May 14 by Classic Brewing Co

[Oldbloke]

22 hours ago, glivo said:

Yep. Mine too.  I wasn't a fan of the beer, but the little bottles of cleaning and sanitising powders were convenient.  I didn't mind the Ginger Beer and I used to make vinegar out of the Apple Cider.  I can't buy any of it anymore.

Has anybody tried straight Washing Soda for cleaning bottles.  It's cheap and available in Woolies and Coles.

Worth a try. All mine are very clean as dish washer is pretty dam good.

 

But next time I'm given a couple of grubby ones I'll try that first.

 

Occasionally the boss goes on the war path if I wash too many in the dish washer. Lol

 

So, could be a good back up.