New Brunswick Craft Brewers Association
Brewing => Technique => Topic started by: Jake on January 18, 2016, 03:11:23 PM
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Anyone on here ever use the sterilize function on their dishwasher to sterilize bottles?
I gave them good rinse first and then just let it rip in the dishwasher (no detergent in there, just water). It's around an hour long cycle and the water gets up around 160 degrees with a heated dry at end. I talked to a seasoned homebrewer a couple weekends back and he said that's how he does all his bottles ... and he doesn't even have the sterilize function on his dishwasher with no infection issues. i think a typical high temp wash gets around 130 (mine does anyway according to owners manual), so i'm thinking I shouldn't have a problem where mine goes to 160.
it was nice starting with a bunch of dry bottles lined up on my countertop.
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Says the guy with a batch of red that's soon to be vinegar :pal:
Seriously though, I've heard of this before and think it's great. The worst part of bottling is the cleaning and sterilizing.
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I have used this in the past with no issues. My dishwasher has a "sanitize" option. But with two kids in the house now the dishwasher is ALWAYs being used so I'm back to starsan :frazzled:
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Last night was the first time I ever used the dishwasher technique on bottles. I think the key is that they need to be clean going in.
I'm suspecting I'll be fine with a long period at such a hot temp, but I'll report back if I have any issues
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I had read somewhere that if your dish washer has a rinse agent, some people have a problem with head retention.
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I had read somewhere that if your dish washer has a rinse agent, some people have a problem with head retention.
I've heard the same thing. Unless it's a new dishwasher without ever using jet dry or similar. I think you should stick to an oxy or PBW soak with a quick scrub. That's what I use anyways. With a quick shot of star san just before bottling. I've never had an issue.
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I've been bottling for a LOT of years and this is the technique that currently works best for me.
1) Rince well with hot water using one or these. http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Homebrewing-and-Winemaking-Supplies/dp/B0064O9CYQ#
2) Soak bottles in PBW or Oxyclean. This will soften and or remove any grime that the rince doesn't get. Personally I let the whole batch of bottles soak overnight in a wash basin or a large bucket will also work. (If using swing top remove the seal if possible. I've seen some nasty shit growing under one before...)
3) I empty most out of the solution than scrub, rince and hang to dry on a bottle tree.
http://www.amazon.com/Beer-Bottle-Tree-45-Bottles/dp/B000OF8U76#
Or
http://www.amazon.ca/FastRack-Bottle-Dryer-Empty-Bottles/dp/B00DDFGRVU#
4) When I'm ready to bottle I just fill my Vinator
http://www.amazon.com/Avvinatore-Vinator-Bottles-1-Count-Box/dp/B001D6FUDC#
with star san. I give them about 2-3 shots of sanitizer. I then sanitize the bottle tree and let the bottles drip dry. I let the caps or swing top seals soak in the vinator while I'm sanitizing the bottles. When all the bottles are sanitized I start putting them in a clean milk crate and install the swing top cap seals if using.
5) Once the bottles are all ready you can batch prime the beer in a bottling bucket and begin filling with your sanitized raking cane and bottling wand.
http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Loaded-Beer-Bottle-Filler/dp/B000E66A4U#
6) If using swing top bottles you can cap them off as you go if not cap them individually after your done.
7) If using a beer gun disregard step #5. And use a shallow bucket under the bottles as you fill them to catch the excessive foam that may develop.
It may sound like a big hassle and to be honest it is. That's why I keg most everything now. But it's a skill you should master none the less. After doing it a few times it gets very easy anyways. No need to use a dishwasher. It can cause more issues than the time you may save. Not just with head retention but I'm sure you've seen pieces of "stuff" stuck to your dishes after a wash cycle. Imagine that stuck in a bottle of delicious beer you crack open with some friends and someone notices the spooge stuck inside the bottle or some weird off flavors from it. :facepalm:
That's how I do it anyways. I'm no pro but it's what works for me. :cheers:
Sorry for the long winded post...
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I find that having your wife/girlfriend do all the washing and sterilizing is by far the easiest method?
And it's better if you have them take turns :frazzled:
JK, of course, lol :cheers:
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Dishwasher method, if it works and all beer is clean, i'll be using it again. It was nice pulling out dry bottles to fill. Shawn Meek (the guy who told me he does it this way) says he's been doing this for years with great success. I believe he said he'll do it the night before and when he bottles he pulls em out of dishwasher and is ready to go.
I also heard about the issue with Jet Dry in there. I too have jet dry in my dishwasher, but there's a setting where I can dial it up or down ... i shut the dispenser to the off position so shouldn't be an option.
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Maybe I should get a new dishwasher... ;)
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I found it saved me some time to be starting with sanitized & dry bottles (based on my other 2 bottling experiences). I bottled all in the kitchen and found it much cleaner having the dry bottles to fill. I also do the trick where I put the spigot of my bottling bucket over the open dishwasher to catch the drip if any, so there was literally no mess whatsoever which kept the wife happy. I was under 30 minutes altogether including set-up & clean-up for 20L of beer ... that was with wife passing me bottles though & capping.
Now lets hope the beer turns out clean!! Otherwise this technique could quickly become irrelevant :facepalm:
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I use the dishwasher as well. I set ours on Sanitize and heavy, runs for about 3hrs, very hot water.
Gotta be clean bottles going in (inside and out), and labels taken off of them (to avoid them getting stuck in the machine outlet).
I still use Star San in the bottles just before I bottle, and my dishwasher does have the jet dry port in it, and no issues with head retention.
Haven't have a bottle go bad yet.
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Otherwise this technique could quickly become irrelevant :facepalm:
In a couple of months, I suspect pretty much everything you've done up to this point will become irrelevant, did you see where Steve's pilot system was?
JQ