Bottle sanitising

[Aid]

I bottle my beers, and up until now have been giving the empties a quick rinse after pouring and then sticking them into the shed until it's bottling time again. At that point they all get VWP'd and then rinsed, rinsed, rinsed. I'm trying something new this time. After pouring the beer, the bottle is getting a couple of warm water rinses, with aggitation and then a few ml of 10% sodium solution in the bottle. I'm using little bits of cling-film to close the top. I expect to use the bottles again within 2 months.

Does this sound like an ok process?

[Duffbeer]

It certainly does, then just rinse and reuse.
TIP don't use tin foil instead of cling film, the sulphite reacts and corrodes the foil been there and done that one

[Aid]

This may be the single most labour saving moment of my brewing career to date. I'm so happy I think I may have to have crack open an easy-clean bottle of IPA

[rjb222]

I bottle my beers, and up until now have been giving the empties a quick rinse after pouring and then sticking them into the shed until it's bottling time again. At that point they all get VWP'd and then rinsed, rinsed, rinsed. I'm trying something new this time. After pouring the beer, the bottle is getting a couple of warm water rinses, with aggitation and then a few ml of 10% sodium solution in the bottle. I'm using little bits of cling-film to close the top. I expect to use the bottles again within 2 months.

Does this sound like an ok process?

I see only one problem here Sulphites are not a strong enough sanitizer for beer. Beer does not have the amount of alcohol nor the naturally occurring suphites that wine does. Therefore it takes a stronger solution to ensure the sanitizing is complete and your beer will not go wrong in the bottle. Storage of the bottles would be one thing and the sulphites would keep molds ETC from growing while waiting to be filled. I would use a non rinse solution of iodofor or a hydrogen peroxide base sanitizer to sanitize your beer bottles.

[Aid]

Is it just me or does the phrase 'non-rinse' just not sound right?

[Mamgiowl]

No it's not just you, I can never resist a final rinse if I'm using a bottle straight away - different if I'm storing it.

[rjb222]

Non rinse is a proper way to sanitize. I am not from your area so am unsure of what is exactly available. I have a product call OXI-SAN it is mixed 1 tbs to 4 liters hot water. It is a none rinse product. 12 hrs after mixing it is totally gone. Except for a small amount of magnesium which we as humans need and yeasties love. Oxygen and water. Rinsing although water today is fairly safe is not a guarantee of sanitation as there may be something in the pipe ETC. You do take the risk how ever small that there is something in the water.Iodofor is a Iodine based sanitizer that with two minute contact is also a non rinse product. Mixed 1ml to 1000 ml and is sparyed on twenty four hours after mixing it is no longer any good. Do as you wish as you are the brewer.Myself I take these steps to ensure my hard work does not wind up being wasted. Sulphite is my choice of sanitizer when mixing setting or bottling a wine.

[Aid]

Thanks rjb. If it's good enough for you, I'll try and get some too. Anything to get away from the 2 hour chore on bottling night.

[rjb222]

Aid please remember cleaning and sanitizing is a two step process. When I empty a bottle I rinse it out then fill it with water and leave it stand overnight I then rinse with hot water and turn upside down and put it away the bottle it then is ready to be sanitized for next use. If one does not rinse the bottle as soon as it is empty then one needs to go through a proper wash and rinse with the powders Bob mentions here I can not remember the name. Over here it is diversol the pink powder brewery wash.

[Duffbeer]

Just a quick point here Robert, water here in the UK is drinking water pre treated with one thing and another to ensure bacteria free.
I can understand the need for non rinse cleaners when non purified waters are used such as from wells or springs etc, but I have a tendancy to agree with Jan and Aid rinse, rinse for any form of chemical

[cpfan]

Duff:

It's treated in Canada too. But that doesn't mean it's any good (some places).

BTW, I am a strong advocate of no-rinse sanitizers. I use iodophor.

But even if you are sanitizing your WINE bottles with K-meta, why not leave the slight residue after draining in the bottle. It's not like it's a foreign substance, cause it's in the wine regardless.

Steve

[Duffbeer]

Very true and I dont rinse sulphite from wine bottles, just leave them upside down to drain, however we are talking beer bottles here and they will need to be bottle carbonated so any trace of sulphite is not desirable.

[cpfan]

Duff:

My undertsanding is that K-meta is not strong enough for beer sanitizing. I use iodophor, drain, and do not rinse.

Steve

[rjb222]

Just a quick point here Robert, water here in the UK is drinking water pre treated with one thing and another to ensure bacteria free.
I can understand the need for non rinse cleaners when non purified waters are used such as from wells or springs etc, but I have a tendancy to agree with Jan and Aid rinse, rinse for any form of chemical

I have seen what CPfan had to say Duff Farther on in the thread. Water is not necessarily good even with treatment. As attested in Walkerton and a couple other places around the world. There could be some thing in the pipe past the treatment plant and other things that come to bear. First on sanitizers Suphite is not strong enough for beer it is fine for wine not beer so any one using it for beer will have a problem some time. You are correct that sulphite is undesirable in beer so don't use it use Iodofor or an hydrogen peroxide bases no rinse sanitizer orderless harm less tasteless. Bad for bugs good for beer. I just dropped in for a short look today tomorrow I will look up some links to help. Have a good one chat soon

[Duffbeer]

Duff:

My undertsanding is that K-meta is not strong enough for beer sanitizing. I use iodophor, drain, and do not rinse.

Steve

I have seen what CPfan had to say Duff Farther on in the thread. Water is not necessarily good even with treatment. As attested in Walkerton and a couple other places around the world. There could be some thing in the pipe past the treatment plant and other things that come to bear. First on sanitizers Suphite is not strong enough for beer it is fine for wine not beer so any one using it for beer will have a problem some time. You are correct that sulphite is undesirable in beer so don't use it use Iodofor or an hydrogen peroxide bases no rinse sanitizer orderless harm less tasteless. Bad for bugs good for beer. I just dropped in for a short look today tomorrow I will look up some links to help. Have a good one chat soon

OK I submitYou guy's read too much manufacturers technical data